Youngstown State University
Missouri State
Penguins Set to Entertain Missouri State at Stambaugh
10/24/2023 11:43:00 AM | Football
Youngstown State vs. Missouri State
Oct. 28, 2023 | Stambaugh Stadium
Youngstown, Ohio | 2 p.m.
Broadcast Information
TV – ESPN+ (Drae Smith, Chris Sammarone)
Radio Network – 570 AM WKBN (Bob Hannon, Steve Leslie, Ron Potesta, Mike Orto)
Internet Radio – 570wbkn.iheart.com
App Audio - iHeartRadio App
Penguins
Record: 4-3, 2-2 MVFC
Last Game: vs. Illinois State (W, 41-38)
Head Coach: Doug Phillips (Fourth Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @ysufootball
Bears
Record: 3-4, 2-2 MVFC
Last Game: vs. Murray State (W, 28-24)
Head Coach: Ryan Beard (First Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @MoStateFootball
Series History
All-Time Series: YSU leads 16-7
In Youngstown: YSU leads 9-2
Win Streak: MSU, 1 game
Last Meeting: MSU 25-22 (2022)
The No. 24 Youngstown State football team wraps up the month of October with a home contest against Missouri State on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff for the contest at Stambaugh Stadium is set for 2 p.m. The game is available on ESPN+, WKBN 570 AM and iHeartRadio.
The Penguins (4-3 overall, 2-2 in MVFC) won a classic Homecoming tilt beating Illinois State 41-38 last Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium. Redshirt freshman PK Andrew Lastovka made a 37-yard field goal as time expired capping off a wild offensive battle.
YSU had five leads during the contest that saw the teams combined for 56 first-half points.
The Penguins took a 7-0 lead on a one-yard run by Tyshon King in the first quarter. After ISU tied the contest, Mitch Davidson found C.J. Charleston for a 72-yard scoring toss giving the Guins a 14-7 lead. With the game tied at 14 in the second quarter, Davidson threw a 15-yard touchdown toss to Bryce Oliver. Now at 21-21, Davidson connected with Joey Farthing for a 33-yard scoring toss, but Illinois State tied the game 28-28 at halftime.
YSU took a 31-28 lead on a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter before ISU grabbed a 35-31 lead on Zach Annexstad's fifth TD pass of the game with 5:58 left in the third quarter. The Penguins went ahead 38-35 with 7:57 left in the contest on a Davidson to Dra Rushton six-yard scoring toss.
The Redbirds tied the game for a fifth time at 38-38 following a 35-yard field goal by Ian Wagner with 4:18 remaining. YSU moved the ball 55 yards in nine plays and with five seconds left, Lastovka came on to kick the game-winner.
Missouri State (3-4, 2-2) picked up a 28-24 home victory over Murray State last Saturday and has won two straight entering Saturday's game. The game was tied 21-21 at halftime and the Racers led 24-21 in the third quarter. The Bears took a 28-24 lead with 3:28 left in the third quarter and that proved to be the final margin of the contest.
Last year, Missouri State defeated the Penguins, 25-22, in a contest that hurt a final-playoff push resume. In the contest, Jaleel McLaughin rushed for 227 yards becoming the NCAAs all-time leading rusher. The Guins have won the previous three games at Stambaugh, including a 41-33 win in 2021.
Offense Putting Up The Points
In their six games against FCS opponents this season the Penguins have scored at least 31 points. In four of those contests, the Guins have registered 40 or more.
YSU opened the season by scoring 52 points against Valparaiso before adding 48 against Robert Morris to conclude the non-league season. In four league games, YSU has scored 41 vs. UNI and Illinois State and 31 each against Southern Illinois and South Dakota.
In the six FCS games, YSU is averaging 40.7 points per game. In their four MVFC contests, the Guins are scoring 36 points per game.
The last time the Guins scored 40-plus points at least five times in a season was in 2016.
Protecting Home Field
The Penguins have been strong at Stambaugh Stadium winning nine of their last 10 games since the start of the 2022 season.
This year at Stambaugh Stadium, YSU has outscored the opposition 172-79 while winning all four games.
Last time out at home, YSU defeated No. 25 Illinois State 41-38 and owns a 31-3 home win over then-No. 5 Southern Illinois.
Two of the Penguins' final four games are at home.
Tough On the Run
The Penguins are one of 13 FCS teams allowing fewer than 100 yards rushing per game.
Through seven games, YSU is allowing just 98.3 yards per game. Five times this year, the Guins have allowed fewer than 111 yards in a game, highlighted by a season-low six vs. Southern Illinois.
On 181 carries, the Guins have surrendered just 688 yards this season. However, 318 of those yards have come on eight carries. On the other 173 attempts, YSU has allowed 370 yards (2.13 per rush).
Scoring on the Ground
Through the first seven games of the season, YSU has scored 21 rushing touchdowns. Last year in 11 games, the Guins had 20 and that was with first-team All-America running back Jaleel McLaughin in the backfield.
TB Tyshon King leads the squad with nine rushing scores. TB Dra Rushton has six scores while QB Mitch Davidson has added four rushing TDs.
In total, five Guins have scored a rushing touchdown. In 2022, only four Penguins scored on the ground.
King Penguin Impresses
Transfer running back Tyshon King has been a strong addition to the program since coming in from Northern Michigan.
Through seven games, King has rushed for 631 yards on 99 carries and scored a team-high nine touchdowns.
Four times he has rushed for more than 111 yards, all of which have come at Stambaugh Stadium, including a career-high 148 yards vs. Illinois State.
On three occasions he has been named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week for his efforts.
Rushton With Career Year
TB Dra Rushton has had the best two games of his YSU career in the past two weeks.
In the past two contests he has rushed for 225 yards on 35 carries and a touchdown. He also had a receiving touchdown in the win over Illinois State.
At South Dakota, Rushton rushed for a career-high 116 yards on 16 carries. He ripped off a career-long rush of 33 yards vs. the Coyotes.
Last Saturday vs. Illinois State he had 109 yards on 19 carries. He had a key touchdown reception in the fourth quarter vs. the Redbirds.
This year he has rushed for 388 yards on 85 carries. Entering this season he had 387 yards on 87 rushing attempts.
Lastovka Earns Honor
In just his seventh game as a Penguin, PK Andrew Lastovka looked like a veteran when he came on to kick a 37-yard field goal as time expired in YSU's 41-38 win over Illinois State.
In the game he added a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter and five extra points. The two field goals were a career high. In 2023, he is 6-of-6 on field goals and 29-of-30 on extra-point tries.
It was almost exactly one year since Colt McFadden made a 42-yard field goal as time expired to beat Western Illinois.
Strong on Special Teams
The Penguins special teams have performed well through the first seven contests.
YSU ranks 10th in the nation in net punting at 41.3 yards and is tied for third in the nation with three blocked punts.
In the opener, Michael Voitus blocked a Valparaiso punt and Jaylen Castleberry returned it for a touchdown. Against RMU, Daryan Bowling was able to get his hands on a punt as well.
At UNI, Bryce Oliver blocked a punt that was recovered by Deamontae Diggs and set the Guins up at the UNI nine-yard line.
Charleston Back on Field
One of the great stories this season has been the return to the lineup of CJ Charleston.
Charleston missed last year after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in fall camp.
Charleston has 390 yards on 23 receptions and two touchdowns this year. He had a career-high six catches for 119 yards against RMU. He has touchdown receptions against Valparaiso and Illinois State. His 72-yard touchdown reception vs. ISU was a career best.
The season-opener against Valpo marked his first game since Nov. 20, 2021, which was at Southern Illinois. Since his debut in 2019, has caught 50 passes for 758 yards in 24 games played. In 2021, he caught 16 passes for 147 yards and started six games.
Oliver A Top Target
WR Bryce Oliver has been a big producer for the Guins since his arrival.
He has played in 27 games and has a touchdown reception in 15 contests (three in 2023, seven in 2022 and five in 2021).
In the last 11 games he has played against MVFC foes dating back to October 2022, he has caught touchdown passes in nine contests.
In his YSU career, Oliver has 116 receptions for 1,515 yards and 21 touchdowns. He is one of just three players in school history with 21 touchdown receptions in a career.
In 2022, he had 59 catches for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Howard Having Big Year
LB Alex Howard leads the Penguins with 48 total tackles (27-21) on the year. That total crushes his 2022 season total of 34.
He's had at least five tackles in every game with a high of nine against Valparaiso and Illinois State.
He has been credited with sacks against Valparaiso, Ohio State and Southern Illinois. Last time out he had six tackles at South Dakota.
Last year, Howard had 34 total tackles and just 3.5 TFLs playing in 10 games while making three starts.
Davidson Finding a Rhythm
QB Mitch Davidson has completed 119-of-171 passes for 1,525 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has four rushing scores this year. He passed for 332 yards at UNI after throwing for 303 vs. Robert Morris marking back-to-back 300-yard games. Against Illinois State he had a career-high four touchdown passes.
Davidson started the final seven games of last season, all of which came vs. MVFC foes. Davidson had an impressive performance during the 2022 campaign completing 119-of-201 passes for 12 touchdowns and just one interception.
In nine of his 14 career starts, he's thrown for more than 200 yards while leading late-game comebacks against Western Illinois, Illinois State and Southern Illinois last year.
He has thrown three interceptions in his last 277 attempts.
O-Line Features Strength
YSU's offensive line returns four of five starters from a season ago. That group has a large amount of starting experience with Jaison Williams (34 starts), Aidan Parker (34 starts), David Metzler (25 starts) and Ryan Johnson (22 starts) leading the way. Redshirt freshman Desmeal Leigh has started the past seven games at left tackle.
Preseason MVFC Accolades
WR Bryce Oliver, OL Jaison Williams and DE Dylan Wudke were all named preseason first-team All-MVFC selections. DT Chris Fitzgerald and LS Sam Merryman were named to the preseason second team while TB/TE Jake Benio, LB Greg Benton and DB Quincy Lenton were tabbed preseason honorable-mention.
17 Graduates on Roster
The Penguins have 17 graduate student-athletes on their roster for the 2023 campaign.
Those Guins who have their undergraduate degrees are: Greg Benton, Quincy Lenton, Marcus Hooker, Tyshon King, Jake Benio, Ryan Johnson, Dra Rushton, Bryce Oliver, D'Marco Augustin, Adrian Compton, Alijah Curtis, Alex Howard, Caleb Mitchell, Mike Morris, Mitch Davidson, Andres Lehrmann and Dylan Wudke.
Experience On the D-Line
The Guins have a wealth of experience on the defensive line as well.
The defensive line features veterans Dylan Wudke (31 starts), Chris Fitzgerald (28), Anthony Johnson (13), Andres Lehrmann (seven) and Devin Lee (five). Fitzgerald has started 28 straight games while Wudke has started 26.
Numbers of Note
• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, YSU is 154-48 when they win or tie the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 30-87.
Since 1990 YSU is:
• 176-22-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 21 points in a game.
• 156-23 when rushing for 200-plus yards.
• 179-32 when scoring 28-or-more points.
• 94-14-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing in a game.
• 207-23 when leading entering the fourth.
• 94-3-2 holding opponents to 10 points-or-less.
