Youngstown, Ohio – The Youngstown State defense turned in a relentless effort and registered seven sacks to lead the Penguins football team past No. 5 Southern Illinois 31-3 on Saturday evening at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Penguins improve to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference while the Salukis fall to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the MVFC. The triumph was Youngstown State's first win over a top-5 opponent since a 19-7 victory over South Dakota State on Sept. 30, 2017.
Along with sacking SIU quarterback Nic Baker seven times, the Penguins defense allowed just 100 yards in total offense and held Baker to just 94 yards passing on 12-of-27 attempts.
Jordan Trowers led the Penguins defense with seven tackles while seven different players recorded at least a half sack. Dylan Wudke posted two sacks while Anthony Johnson was credited with one-and-a-half sacks.
Offensively, the Penguins used a balanced attack with 323 total yards, including 167 on the ground and 156 through the air.
Tyshon King rushed for 117 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns, including a 40-yard scamper for the game's first score. Dra Rushton added a pair of touchdown runs and totaled 52 yards on the ground.
Senior quarterback Mitch Davidson completed 14-of-18 passing attempts for 156 yards. Bryce Oliver caught a team-high five passes for 76 yards while CJ Charleston and Brandon Serrano each had three catches.
The Penguins jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on the opening possession of the game. On the seven-play, 75-yard drive, the Penguins converted a pair of third downs to lead to King's 40-yard touchdown run at the 11:43 mark of the first quarter.
After forcing the Salukis to punt, the Penguins marched 96 yards in 13 plays to take a two-touchdown lead with 14:47 left in the second quarter. Davidson hit Oliver on a 39-yard completion to set up the Penguins in Saluki territory. Rushton capped the scoring drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge to put the Penguins up 14-0.
After Southern Illinois' Mark Davis, Jr. intercepted Davidson in the endzone, and the Salukis capitalized with a 33-yard field goal by Thomas Burks to cut the Penguins lead to 14-3 at the 1:22 mark of the second quarter. SIU ate up 7:05 off the clock and drove 64 yards in 16 plays to get on the board right before halftime.
Andrew Lestovka pushed the Penguins lead back to 14 points, 17-3, with a 22-yard field goal at the 5:31 mark of the third quarter. That followed an interception by Troy Jakubec that the junior defensive back returned to the SIU 2.
The Penguins defense twice forced the Salukis to the ball over on downs in the fourth quarter, and the offense capitalized to push the lead to 24-3. King plunged in from one yard out for his second rushing score of the game at the 10:21 mark of the fourth quarter.
Rushton sealed the victory with his second rushing touchdown of the game with a one-yard run to put the Penguins up 31-3 with 3:29 left in the game.
The Penguins will visit South Dakota next Saturday, Oct. 14. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Vermillion, S.D.
