Box Score The Youngstown State football team returned home after losing
its first two games of the season on the road and used a complete
team effort in beating Central State 38-0 at Stambaugh Stadium on
Saturday afternoon.
The offense, defense, and special teams were all instrumental in
the win for the Penguins.
Offensively, Jabari Scott rushed for his
second-career 100 yard game finishing the game with 111 yards on 14
carries and two touchdowns.
Making his first start for the Penguins at
quarterback, junior Brandon Summers completed 6-of-8 passes for 101
yards and two touchdowns.
The defense held Central State scoreless and
only allowed 198 total yards, forced three turnovers and a
sack..
Special teams was solid as De'Angelo Wilson
scored on a 39-yard punt return and punter Ben Nowicki averaged 44
yards per punt on three kicks including two inside the 10 yard
line.
After forcing the Marauder's to punt on their
opening drive, the Penguins jumped out to an early lead and never
looked back.
The Penguins scored on their opening drive of
the game that consisted of seven plays, all on the ground to Scott
that ended with a 17 yard touchdown run. Brian Palmer added the
kick to put the Guins up 7-0.
It didn't take long for the Penguins to extend
their lead to 14-0 after Summers connected with senior wide
receiver Ferlando Williams for a 64-yard touchdown strike.
The drive only took two plays and 41 seconds.
The touchdown pass was YSU's longest completion
since 2005 when Tom Zetts competed a 72 yard pass to Aaron Marshall
against Southern Illinois.
After both teams combined for
seven consecutive drives that resulted in a punt, Wilson took a
Central State punt 39 yard for a touchdown that put the Penguins up
by 20. Palmer then added the kick extending the lead to
21.
Wilson's return was the first time the Penguins
returned a punt for a touchdown since Jason Perry returned one for
a score against Missouri State in 2006.
On the ensuing drive, the Marauders drove the
ball down to the YSU 14 yard-line but faltered as YSU cornerback
Jarvis Richards intercepted Central State quarterback Jude Diege's
pass on the YSU six just before halftime.
To start the second half, the
Penguins took the opening kickoff of the third quarter and put
together a six-play 70-yard drive that was capped off by a two-yard
Scott touchdown run. Along with Palmer's kick, the Penguins
were up 28-0.
YSU wasted no time extending their lead.
After forcing the Marauders to punt after the touchdown drive,
Summers found Williams again for a 5-yard touchdown that put the
Penguins up 35. The drive consisted of eight plays and
covered 30 yards.
Palmer added the final score for the Penguins
as he hit a 23 yard field goal in the fourth quarter to extend the
lead over Central State to 38.
With the win the Penguins improve to 1-2 on the
season and the Marauders drop to 0-3.
The Penguins could be playing host to the No.
1 team in the FCS next Saturday night when North Dakota State
visits Youngstown for a 6 p.m. contest.
The Bison are ranked No. 1 in the FCS Coaches
Poll and are ranked second in the Sports Network Top 25. The last
time the Guins played host to a top-ranked team was Southern
Illinois on Oct. 9, 2004.