Murray, Ky. – The No. 25 Youngstown State football team made a strong final addition to an FCS playoff resume with a 34-17 win over Murray State on a sunny Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium.
QB Mitch Davidson completed 23-of-26 passes for 156 yards and four touchdowns while Bryce Oliver caught two TD passes tying the school record for school career touchdown receptions in the contest.
The win improves YSU to 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the MVFC while Murray State finishes the season 2-9 and 1-7. The Penguins will learn if they advance to the postseason on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
The Penguins took their initial drive of the contest 75 yards in 10 plays as Davidson found Colt Sechrest along the left sidelines who took it in from seven yards out for his first career touchdown.
However, the Racers answered with 10 straight points building a three-point lead. Jayden Stinson connected with Cole Rusk on a 47-yard pass and early in the second quarter Matt Maldanado kicked a 26-yard field goal giving MSU its first lead of the game.
Late in the quarter, YSU scored two touchdowns in a span of 1:45. With 2:39 left, Davidson connected with Brandan Serrano on a three-yard touchdown pass. On MSU's first offensive snap following the score, Marcus Hooker intercepted a Stinson pass and returned it to the Racers' 19-yard line. It was Hooker's first interception of the season.
Three plays later, Davidson found a wide-open Oliver on a fade route from 14 yards out to give the Guins a 20-10 halftime lead.
In the opening half, Davidson was 18-of-20 for 123 yards and three scores while the Guins had a 216-152 lead in total offense. YSU dominated time of possession by holding the football for 20:54 of the half.
YSU extended its lead to 27-10 with 4:09 left in the third quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Dra Rushton. With one minute left in the quarter, the Racers crept back within 10 points on nine-yard pass from Stinson to Michael Fox.
In the fourth, YSU's defense locked down the MSU offense and with 5:11 remaining, Davidson found Oliver on a two-yard score for the 25th TD catch of Oliver's career. That mark ties the school record set by Jim Ferranti who played at YSU from 1976-79.
For the game, Tyshon King rushed for 152 yards on 23 carries while Rushton had 57 yards on 17 attempts. YSU's defense held MSU to just 49 yards rushing on 18 carries.
