The Youngstown State football team accumulated 595 yards in total offense as the Penguins knock off Robert Morris, 48-28, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.
Youngstown State improves to 2-1 while the Colonials fall to 1-2 on the season.
Senior quarterback Mitch Davidson threw for a career-high 339 yards and completed 21-of-25 passes with a passing touchdown and also rushed for another.
Senior running back Tyshon King ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns, both career highs, while Dra Rushton also found the endzone multiple times, scoring two touchdowns on 55 total rushing yards.
C.J. Charleston and Bryce Oliver became the first pair of YSU receivers to eclipse 100 yards receiving in the same game since 2017. Charleston tallied six catches for 119 yards on six targets, including three 20-plus yard receptions, and Oliver recorded six receptions for 108 yards on the day.
For the Colonials, quarterback Anthony Chiccitt went 19-of-31 for 171 passing yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Zin'tayvious Smith led Robert Morris on the ground with 77 rushing yards and a touchdown. Wide Receiver Noah Robinson had nine catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Rushton capped off a nine-play, 65-yard opening drive by the Penguins with a six-yard rushing touchdown to give YSU an early 6-0 lead at the 10:09 mark of the first quarter. RMU delivered an answer on their following possession, taking a 7-6 lead following a missed PAT by the Penguins.
Youngstown State again took the lead after King broke away and sprinted to the endzone for a 32-yard touchdown with 3:24 remaining in the opening quarter. Prior to King's score, Charleston delivered his first of three 20-plus yard receptions to get the Penguins into Colonials' territory.
Robert Morris capitalized on an interception that brought them to the 10-yard line to take a one-point lead, 14-13, with 11:25 remaining in the first half.
YSU scored 35 straight points starting with two scores before halftime as both Rushton and King earned their second TDs of the day to give YSU a 13-point lead, 27-14, heading into the locker rooms. Both scoring drives culminating in rushing touchdowns were set up by two 30-plus yard receptions, again by Charleston who had 105 receiving yards in the first half.
At the 5:48 mark of the third quarter, YSU would find the endzone once again to take a commanding 20-point lead over the Colonials, 34-14. Davidson delivered a nine-yard touchdown pass to Brandan Serrano, the his second of his career.
King found the endzone for the third time of the day to close out the third-quarter play, this time on a 14-yard run, making the score 41-14.
On the opening drive of the final quarter, Davidson connected with Oliver deep downfield on a 71-yard bomb. This reception marked the first 70-yard reception by a Penguin receiver since 2019. Oliver's reception set up a Davidson seven-yard touchdown run with 13:31 to play in the game, making the score 48-14.
RMU would score two touchdowns to close out the game after being held scoreless since the 11:25 mark of the second quarter to make the final score 48-28.
Youngstown State will return to the road to begin Missouri Valley Football Conference play at UNI. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Eastern at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
