East Lansing, Mich. – The Youngstown State football team battled for 60 minutes but dropped a 41-24 decision to Big Ten member Michigan State on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.
The Penguins fall to 2-1 on the year while the Spartans improve to 3-0.
Sophomore running back Jaden Gilbert posted career highs with 72 yards rushing and 58 yard receiving, and he scored a touchdown.
Junior quarterback Beau Brungard threw for 242 yards on 24-for-34 passing with a pair touchdowns while senior Max Tomczak caught seven passes for 78 yards. Brungard also connected with RK Dandridge and Flash Wilson on touchdown passes.
Defensively, Preston Zandier led the Penguins with 11 tackles while Dayne Hodge had nine total stops. Carsten Marshall recorded six tackles and a pass breakup.
Michigan State scored 17 straight points to close out the first half and begin the second to turn a four-point edge into a three-touchdown advantage midway through third quarter.
The Penguins trimmed the lead down to 10, 34-24, late in the fourth quarter, but the Spartans added a final touchdown with 1:48 left.
 The Penguins took the opening possession 65 yards in 15 plays that resulted in a 28-yard field goal by Andrew Lastovka to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead at the 7:41 mark. Brungard hit Austin Bray on a 23-yard pass to the Michigan State 25 to set up the Lastovka kick.
The Spartans answered and took a 7-3 lead with a 10-play, 82-yard drive capped by an eight-yard touchdown run by Rodney Bullard, Jr. The Spartans converted a 4th-and-8 at the YSU 37 when Aidan Chiles rushed for 10 yards to the Penguins 27. Three plays later, Bullard shed a tackle in the backfield and sprinted into the endzone.
Makhi Frazier gave the Spartans a 14-3 lead after a one-yard touchdown scamper with 8:07 left in the second quarter. Michigan State marched 87 yards in 12 plays to take a two-score lead.
Gilbert exploded for a 66-yard run to the Michigan State one, and he trimmed the lead to 14-10 after plunging in from a yard out on the next play.
After the Penguins forced a turnover on downs, Michigan State's Armorion Smith intercepted Brungard at the Spartan 24. MSU drove down to the Penguins' six-yard line and settled for a 24-yard field goal by Martin Connington to take a 17-10 lead at halftime.
After an exchange of punts to start the second half, MSU's Omari Kelly ripped off an 83-yard punt return to the Penguins' four. On the next play, Brandon Tullis scored on a sweep to the left and put the Spartans up 24-10 with 10:57 left in the third.
Michigan State extended the lead to 31-10 with a touchdown in the third quarter.
The Penguins cut the Spartan lead to 31-17 after a three-yard touchdown pass from Brungard to RK Dandridge with 1:17 left in the third. Brungard connected with Gilbert on a 39-yard reception to the Spartans' nine. Four plays later, Brungard hit Dandridge in the endzone.
On Michigan State's next possession, YSU's Carten Marshall tipped a Chiles pass, and Cameron Cunningham intercepted the pass at the Michigan State 17. Lastovka' s 37-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
The Spartans added a 27-yard field goal by Connington to expand the lead to 34-17 with 8:44 remaining.
Brungard hit Wilson on a screen pass that went for 19 yards for the score and got the Penguins within 10, 34-24, at the 3:20 mark of the fourth quarter.
Youngstown State visits Towson, Saturday, Sept. 20. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Towson, Md.
