Box Score
The fifth-ranked Youngstown State football team tied the program's single-game rushing touchdown record with eight en route to a 59-9 win on Saturday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.
With the win, the Penguins improve to 2-1 on the season and extend their non-conference home winning streak to 20 games. YSU also extended its home winning streak to 10 games, dating back to 2016. Central Connecticut State falls to 0-3.
The Penguins accumulated 630 yards in total offense, including 496 yards on the ground, compared to just 264 for the Blue Devils.
Sophomore quarterback Nathan Mays passed for 111 yards on 8-of-12 passing and rushed for 96 yards with two touchdowns. He is the first YSU quarterback to run for two scores since Kurt Hess on Nov. 9, 2013, against UNI. Senior quarterback Ricky Davis also rushed for 65 yards and two rushing scores.
The running back trio of Tevin McCaster, Christian Turner and Joe Alessi ran for 101, 91 and 86, respectively, and each rushed for a touchdown.
The YSU defense allowed just 110 yards passing and extended its quarter shutout streak to eight. The Penguins did not allow a touchdown for more than 100 minutes, going back to the 3:07 mark of the second quarter at Pitt, before the Blue Devils scored at the 7:25 mark of the third quarter.
On the first play of YSU's second possession of the game, McCaster busted loose for the career-long 60-yard touchdown run to put the Penguins up 7-0 with 4:34 left in the first. His previous long was a 56-yard run at Illinois State in 2016.
Turner capped a 51-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run, his first career rushing touchdown, to give the Penguins a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Turner rushed five times for 44 yards on the drive.
The Penguins first possession of the second quarter resulted in a 39-yard touchdown run by Mays to put YSU up 21-0. Mays' rush capped a five-play, 75-yard drive.
Youngstown State extended its lead to 28-0 after a career-long 48-yard run by Mays set up Shane Kuhn's one-yard touchdown run with 6:34 left in the second quarter.
Zak Kennedy capped a seven-play 31-yard drive with a 39-yard field goal to push the Penguins lead to 31-0 at the 1:59 mark of the second quarter.
In the third quarter, the Penguins scored three rushing touchdowns by Mays (two yards), Allesi (three yards) and Davis (18 yards).
Davis tied the school rushing touchdown record with a 32-yard run at the 14:50 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Penguins open Missouri Valley Football Conference play on Sept. 30 when they play host to South Dakota State. Kickoff at Stambaugh Stadium against the Jackrabbits is set for 7 p.m.
