Penguins Fall to SEC Member Kentucky

Saturday, September 5

Lexington, KY

1 p.m.

Youngstown State University

1-1 , 0-0

Kentucky

1-0 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Youngstown St.	0	7	6	0	13
Kentucky	14	14	7	10	45

Lynn Wyche-El celebrates a touchdown against Kentucky on Sept. 5, 2026

Photo by: Dave Dermer

9/5/2026 4:30:00 PM | Football

Box Score YSU at Kentucky Gamebook Photo Gallery

Lexington, Ky. – In its first trip to the Lexington since 2022, the Youngstown State football team fell to Kentucky 45-13 and dropped to 1-1 on the season. Kentucky improved to 1-0 in its season opener.

QB Beau Brungard finished 23-for-35 passing for 243 yards and one passing touchdown in the contest.

Lynn Wyche-El recorded a career-high 111 receiving yards, including a season-long 28-yard reception. He also hauled in a touchdown and recorded a season-high seven receptions.

On defense, LB Danny Inglis posted a career-best six tackles, including two solo tackles. Graydon Rollins also posted a season-best six tackles.

With the Penguins deferring the first-half coin toss, the Wildcats, under first-year head coach Will Stein, got to work, driving 75 yards with Kenny Minchey going 5-for-5 passing. CJ Baxter capped the drive with a 15-yard rush up the middle, putting Kentucky up 7-0 early.

On the Cats' second possession, Carston Marshall broke up a pass intended for Jason Patterson, forcing the Cats to face their first third down of the day at the YSU 26-yard line. A 14-yard pass from Minchey gave the blue-and-white a new set of downs to work with, and Baxter carried in his second touchdown of the game to make it 14-0.

Brungard picked up two first downs on the Penguins' second possession. His first came on a 1-yard rush, and, facing third and short, he picked up two yards rushing to provide his side with a new set of downs. The drive came to an end with the Penguins unable to convert on fourth-and-6, as Brungard scrambled right but was unable to find his intended receiver, Bryan Hunt.

The Cats took over possession at their own 41-yard line, and three straight runs from Patterson set up Minchey to complete his first passing touchdown of the day with 11:36 left in the second quarter, making it 21-0.

The Penguins held the Cats scoreless on their next drive. A pass breakup by Dev Holman on first down and Pritchard-Sewell's hurry forced Minchey to throw it away on third down, giving the Penguins' defense its first three-and-out of the contest.

Inglis made his presence known with three straight tackles in the red zone, tallying one for a loss and one for no gain at the YSU 2-yard line as the Penguins held a goal-line stand on third down. On fourth-and-goal, Minchey completed his second passing touchdown to extend the lead to 28-0.

With the clock winding down in the first half, Brungard found Lorenzo Jenkins on a 30-yard completion to set up the Penguins in the red zone for the first time on the afternoon. The Guins closed out the first half with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brungard to Wyche-El to make it 28-7 at halftime. Brungard was 6-for-10 passing for 64 yards and had 11 rushing yards on the drive.

In the third quarter, Jaden Gilbert scored his second rushing touchdown of the season to cap a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive and put the Penguins within 35-13. Brungard was 4-for-5 passing for 64 yards, including two completions to Wyche-El and a 15-yard completion to Alex McDonald for his lone reception of the game.

The Wildcats scored two second-half touchdowns and added a field goal. Minchey finished the game throwing for 301 yards on 18 completions and had four touchowns.

Youngstown State will return home on Sept. 12 when it hosts Duquesne. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.