Box Score
Junior tailback Jody Webb rushed for 107 yards on 16 carries and sophomore Hunter Wells passed for 240 yards and a touchdown, but the No. 7 Youngstown State football team dropped a 31-29 heartbreaker to fourth-ranked Illinois State on Saturday evening at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Penguins, who outgained the Redbirds, 447-367, fall to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Redbirds improve to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the MVFC.
The team's combined for 31 fourth-quarter points after the YSU trailed 17-12 entering the final 15 minutes. The Guins grabbed a brief lead early in the period, but had to play catchup the final 12:21.
Down by eight in the final minute, Wells hit Martin Ruiz on a 13-yard touchdown pass with just 32 seconds left to get the Penguins within 31-29. YSU went for two and Wells dove head first into the end zone for a would-be game-tying two-point conversion. The play was called good, but instant replay overturned the call and the Guins were down two.
The Redbirds knocked an onside kick out of bounds and were able to run out the final 31 seconds to win the contest.
Trailing by 31-23 after a 19-yard touchdown rush by Marshaun Copirch with just 4:18 left, Webb reeled off a 54-yard kickoff return to the ISU 45 to start the comeback bid. To keep the drive alive, the Penguins converted a fourth-and-one at the ISU 14 when Shane Kuhn smashed ahead for three yards to the ISU 11.
After a two-yard loss, Wells hit Ruiz from 13-yards out to get the Penguins within 31-29.
Wells completed 18-of-27 passes with an interception and Ruiz ran for 84 yards on 18 carries and caught four passes for 77 yards and a touchdown.
For the third straight game, Kuhn scored two touchdowns, a pair of rushing touchdowns from three yards and one yard.
Defensively, LeRoy Alexander recorded a team-high 11 tackles.
Coprich rushed 23 times for 131 yards and a touchdown while QB Tre Roberson ran for 90 yards with a touchdown and passed for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Leading 24-23, the Redbirds faced a fourth-and-five at their own 39, but ran a fake punt and converted on a six-yard rush by Bryce Holm to the 45. A four-yard run by Coprich and an unsportsmanlike penalty on YSU set up the Redbirds at the YSU 36. Three plays later Coprich rushed 19 yards for a touchdown to put the Redbirds put 31-23 with 4:18 to go.
Kuhn's second touchdown of the game and the ensuing two-point conversion pass from Wells to Jacob Wood gave the Penguins their first lead of the game, 20-17, with 13:37 left in the game. It marks the third straight game Kuhn has scored at least two touchdowns.
Redbirds struck quickly to regain the lead 24-20 on a 39-yard pass from Roberson to Warrum 12:12 mark of the fourth quarter.
YSU PK Zak Kennedy's 49-yard field, a career long, cut the Redbird lead to 24-23 with 8:41 left in the game.
A 44-yard field by Sean Slattery pushed the Redbirds lead to 17-12 with 3:28 left in the third quarter.
The Redbirds took the game's opening drive 64 yards to the YSU one but were stopped on both third and fourth down. On third-and-goal, Coprich was stuffed by Terrell Williams, and Jake Kolbe's pass to Anthony Warrum was incomplete on fourth down.
The Penguins took over at their own one-yard line and pushed the ball out to the 19. On third-and-five Josh Burch picked off Wells and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead with 5:24 left in the first.
Kuhn scored for the third straight game and capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a three-yard plunge, but Kennedy's point-after attempt was blocked and Penguins trailed 7-6 after one quarter.
After an exchange of punts, Roberson scampered 58 yards to give the Redbirds a 14-6 lead with 10:29 left in the second quarter.
The teams exchanged punts once again and the Penguins marched 58 yards to the ISU seven, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Kennedy and cut the deficit to 14-9 at the half.
The Penguins host South Dakota State, Saturday, Oct. 17, in the annual Homecoming Game at 4 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
