Andrew Lastovka's game-winning 37-yard field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired to lift the Youngstown State football program past Illinois State, 41-38, in a high-scoring, offensive battle at Stambaugh Stadium on Homecoming Saturday.
The win lifts the Penguins to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Redbirds fall to the same: 4-3, 2-2 MVFC.
Both Tyshon King and Dra Rushton rushed for 100-plus yards apiece, the first time two Penguins have done so since 2021. King had a career-high 148 yards in the victory while Rushton rushed for 109.
The five Penguin touchdowns of the day were scored by five different Penguins. King and Rushton each delivered a touchdown apiece while the receiver trio of C.J. Charleston, Bryce Oliver, and Joey Farthing each scored touchdowns of their own. Charleston led the Penguins with 81 receiving yards.
The Penguins delivered 470 yards of total offense as the teams combined for over 900 yards on the day. Mitch Davidson had 203 passing yards and a career-high four touchdowns including a career-long 72-yard bomb to Charleston.
Defensively, Alex Howard led the Penguins with nine tackles, two of which were for loss, while Marcus Hooker had nine tackles of his own.
Illinois State quarterback Zack Annexstad passed for 238 yards and five touchdowns. Receiver Daniel Sobkowicz led the Redbirds in the air with 170 receiving yards and three touchdowns while Mason Blakemore rushed for 128 yards.
An electric first half with eight touchdowns and 673 combined offensive yards between the teams began when Youngstown State converted a fourth-and-three to stay alive on their opening possession, and King ran it into the endzone a few plays later for a one-yard rushing touchdown that gave the Penguins an early 7-0 lead at the 8:33 mark of the first quarter.
Illinois State tied the game when Annexstad connected with Sobkowicz deep downfield for the first of three times, tying the game 7-7 with 1:16 to play in the first.
On YSU's next possession, Davidson found a wide-open Charleston for a 72-yard touchdown, the longest catch of Charleston's career, to cap a less-than-minute drive by the Penguins to earn a 14-7 lead headed into the second quarter. The Redbirds had a quick answer, tying the game at two touchdowns apiece with 13:50 to play in the first half.
Davidson found another wide-open receiver for the Penguins' third touchdown of the afternoon. This time, Oliver made the 15-yard grab for the score. A high-scoring first half continued when the Redbirds again found the endzone to tie it up 21-21 at the 9:13 mark of the second quarter.
In just over a minute the Penguins scored again to take the lead on a 33-yard touchdown strike from Davidson to Farthing with 8:08 to play in the first half.
There was a halt to the offensive action when the two teams exchanged punts twice before the Redbirds tied the game 28-28 with 29 seconds to play before halftime
At the start of the second half, the shootout between the teams began to slow. The next scoring action came when defensive back Troy Jakubec made an interception which the Penguin offense turned into the go-ahead field goal for a 31-28 lead at the 10:17 mark of the third quarter.
Illinois State answered with 5:58 remaining in the third to take a 35-31 lead that lasted until the 7:57 mark of the fourth. Midway through the fourth quarter, Davidson connected with Rushton for a six-yard passing touchdown that was set up by two fourth-down conversions to take back the lead, 38-35.
On the Redbirds' following possession, they had to settle for a field goal to tie the game at 38-38 with 4:18 remaining in the game before Lastovka's game-winning kick sealed the Penguins' 41-38 victory.
Youngstown State will be back in Stambaugh Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28 as it hosts Missouri State. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
