Youngstown State fifth-year senior quarterback Tom Zetts threw for the second-highest yardage total in his career, and fellow fifth-year man Dustin Helle had an acrobatic onside kick recovery to preserve a 31-24 victory over Western Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.

Zetts broke school records for career touchdowns (51) and career 200-yard games (13) and threw for 298 yards in leading the Penguins to a 31-10 advantage after three quarters.
The Leathernecks scored 14 points in the fourth quarter and cut the margin to seven with a 77-yard scoring drive in 46 seconds with 1:16 remaining.

The ensuing onside kick deflected off of YSU's DeAngelo Wilson, but Helle picked it out of the air in traffic and held on despite going head-over-heels.

The win improves YSU's final record to 7-4 overall and 3-3 in the Gateway. WIU ends the season 6-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

Junior tailback Kevin Smith scored his first of three touchdowns with 5:28 remaining in the first quarter to give YSU a 7-0 lead. The Penguins started the drive on the WIU 28 thanks to Mychal Savage's first of two fumble recoveries and needed only three plays before Smith found pay dirt from two yards out.

Taylor Rowan put the Leathernecks on the board with 14:51 remaining on the second with a 28-yard field goal, but Zetts hit Louis Irizarry for a two-yard score on YSU's next drive to make the score 14-3.

Smith scampered into the end zone on a 17-yard swing pass from Zetts with 2:45 left in the second to put YSU up 21-3. WIU answered with a 65-yard touchdown drive with one minute remaining, but Brian Palmer extended the Penguins lead to 24-10 with a 21-yard field goal on the last play of the half. The kick was Palmer's school-record 11th consecutive make.

Smith found the end zone from one yard out at the 4:56 mark of the third quarter for the period's only score that put YSU up 31-10.

WIU took advantage of a turnover early in the fourth quarter and got within two touchdowns when Alex Douglas scored on a one-yard rush. The Leathernecks then drove 77 yards in 46 seconds to make the score 31-24 on Douglas' four-yard touchdown. The score was set up by a 53-yard pass down to the YSU 7 from Matt Barr to Carl Sims.

Savage finished with a game-high and career-high 12 tackles to go along with his two fumble recoveries. The junior defensive tackle also had two of YSU's four sacks.

Zetts finished 23-of-32 for 298 yards and two touchdowns in his final game under center for YSU. Smith rushed for 79 yards on 22 carries, and Ferlando Williams had 133 receiving yards on eight catches.

Barr threw for 276 yards and completed 17-of-29 for WIU.