Following its first playoff appearance in seven years, the Youngstown State football team finished in the top 21 in both national polls released on Monday.

In the Stats Perform FCS Poll presented by FedEx Ground, the Penguins finished 19th while in the AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll, the Guins were 21st.

The Penguins finished the 2023 season with an 8-5 overall record which included an impressive 5-3 record in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. YSU picked up an opening round win in the FCS Playoffs before falling in the second round at Villanova.

South Dakota State finished No. 1 both polls following their 23-3 win over Montana in the FCS National Championship Game yesterday. The MVFC had three teams finish in the top five in the nation with North Dakota State placing third in both polls and South Dakota was fourth.

In 2024, YSU plays both South Dakota State and South Dakota in October. The Guins open the season in August with a rematch with Villanova. The Wildcats finished sixth in the Stats Perform poll and ninth in the Coaches poll.