Youngstown, Ohio – Sophomore Beau Brungard rushed and passed for more than 100 yards and accounted for five touchdowns to lead the No. 23 Youngstown State football team past Valparaiso, 59-25, on Saturday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Penguins improve to 1-1 on the season while the Beacons fall to 0-2.
Brungard rushed for 194 yards and scored three times on the ground and threw for 125 yards on 11-of-14 passing with two passing touchdowns. He became the first YSU quarterback since 2019 to run and pass for more than 100 yards. Brungard's 194 rushing yards are the second most by a YSU quarterback in school history and the most since 2021.
Brungard had rushing touchdowns of 4, 65 and 66 yards and a 73-yard passing touchdown.
Junior wide receiver Max Tomczak caught four passes for 98 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
The Penguins amassed 554 yards in total offense, including 429 yards on the ground. Ethan Wright rushed for 77 yards on seven carries with a touchdown while Jaden Gilbert ran for 56 yards with a score.
The Penguins scored the first 21 points of the game before the Beacons made a change at quarterback. Valpo scored the next 15 points before the Penguins regained a double-digit advantage.
Valparaiso's Caron Tyler turned in an impressive day with 160 yards passing and 120 yards on the ground with three total touchdowns.
The Penguins wasted no time getting on the board. On the first play from scrimmage, Michael Wells forced a fumble from Valpo running back Ryan Mann, and strong safety Stephon Hall scooped up the loose ball at the four and dove across the goal line.
After forcing a Valpo punt on its second possession, the Penguins hit paydirt on a 3rd-and-10 from their own 27. Brungard found Tomczak open on a wheel route and the pair connected for a 73-yard pass to take a 14-0 lead just 4:57 into the game. The completion was a career-long for both Brungard and Tomczak.
Youngstown State extended its lead to 21-0 two minutes left in the first quarter. The Penguins methodically moved the ball down the field with a nine-play, 58-yard drive that ran 6:04 off the clock. After a sack, the Penguins ran the ball six of the next seven plays capped by a four-yard touchdown scamper by Brungard.
The Beacons answered with their own sustained drive to cut the Penguins lead to 21-8 with 12:24 left in the second quarter. Valpo marched 76 yards in nine plays highlighted by a 39-yard touchdown pass from Tyler to Gary Givens III.
After a YSU three-and-out, the Beacons trimmed the Penguins' lead to 21-15 with 8:45 left in the second quarter. Tyler led Valpo on a four-play, 60-yard drive to get within six. On first and goal from the YSU seven, Tyler scramble right, leaped over defender, was hit and driven over the goal line for the touchdown.
Brungard pushed the Penguins lead back double digits with a career-long 65-yard touchdown jaunt for a 28-15 lead at the 6:06 mark.
Tyler engineered another long scoring drive for the Beacons to cut the YSU lead down to 28-22 with 2:30 left before halftime. On 3rd-and-11, Tyler hit Evan Jernegan on a 17-yard pass for the third-down conversion. Three plays later, Tyler raced 55-yards down the left sideline for his second rushing touchdown of the game.
Youngstown State answered again with another big play to retake a 13-point lead. After a nine-yard gain by Brungard and a two-yard pick up by Tyshon King, Wright broke free for a 64-yard touchdown run to balloon the Penguins lead to 35-22 with 1:49 to go before halftime.
On the second play of the second half, Brungard broke free down the right sideline for a 66-yard touchdown run, his third of the game and second of 65 yards or more, to push the YSU lead to 42-22 at the 14:14 mark of the third quarter.
The Beacons' Ryan Hawk connected on a 26-yard field goal for their final score of the game with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
Brungard connected with Tomczak for the second time on an eight-yard scoring pass to give the Penguins a 49-25 lead with 11:46 left in the game.
Gilbert scored his first career touchdown on a 36-yard scamper at the 5:56 mark of the fourth quarter, and Andrew Lastovka added 29-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining.
Youngstown State hosts Duquesne, Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
