NORMAL, Ill. – In a matchup of Top 25 programs, it was No. 25 Youngstown State (4-3, 1-2 MVFC) who got the better of No. 9 Illinois State (4-3, 1-2 MVFC) on Saturday at Homecoming by a score of 40-35 on Jay and Lori Bergman Field at Hancock Stadium. 

How It Happened:
•    Youngstown State got on the scoreboard first on the initial drive of the game, going 61 yards in 11 to set up a 32-yard field goal by Andrew Lastkova that made the score 3-0 in favor of the Penguins with 9:37 left in the opening quarter.
•    After a turnover on the first Redbird drive of the game, the Penguins drove the ball deep into Redbird territory but once again the Redbird defense held strong to force a 23-yard field goal by Lastkova, which moved the score to 6-0 with 4:40 left in the first.
•    The Penguins further extended their lead to 12-0, as quarterback Beau Brungard ran it in from two yards out for a touchdown to cap off a 13-play, 92-yard drive that took over seven minutes off the clock. The two-point conversion attempt failed with 8:49 left before halftime.
•    The Redbirds finally got on the scoreboard with 6:45 left before the break, as quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse connected with Javon Charles for a 13-yard touchdown reception and the extra point by Matt Maldonado was good as the YSU lead was cut to 12-7.
•    The Redbirds took their first lead of the game with under a minute to play in the first half, as Rittenhouse found running back Wenkers Wright out of the backfield for a 12-yard touchdown reception as ISU went up 14-12 headed into the break.
•    On the opening kickoff of the second half, Wright caught the ball on the 10-yard line and returned it 53 yards to set up a 37-yard touchdown pass from Rittenhouse to Eddie Kasper which pushed the Illinois State lead to 21-12 just 17 seconds into the third quarter.
•    Youngstown State got the touchdown right back on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Brungard to Mike Solomon to cut the Illinois State advantage to 21-19 with 10:41 remaining in the third quarter.
•    With 2:43 left in the third quarter, Rittenhouse tied his career high with his fourth touchdown pass of the day this one an 18-yarder to Luke Mailander that made the score 28-19.
•    After picking up a first down on 4th-and-1, Brungard powered his way in from one yard out to trim the deficit to just 28-26 with 11:53 left in the contest.
•    The Penguins regained the lead at 33-28 with 8:06 left in the game on a 53-yard touchdown pass from Brungard to Fresh Walters that capped off a 5-play, 79-yard scoring drive.
•    Brungard then blew the game open on a 48-yard touchdown run with 5:51 left in the game that made the score 40-28.
•    The Redbirds would trim the Penguin lead to 40-35 with 3:12 left in the game on a three-yard touchdown pass from Rittenhouse to Wright, but Youngstown State would not give the ball back and ran out the clock for the victory.

Game Notes:    
•    With his one reception on the day, wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz upped his career receiving total to 3,000 yards, just the third receiver in school history to achieve that milestone. With just seven more yards, he will tie Laurent Robinson (3,007) for second on the all-time list.
•    Javon Charles' touchdown reception in the second quarter was his second in as many weeks for the Redbirds and the fourth of his career.
•    The interception by CJ Richard Jr., late in the second quarter, was the first of his career at ISU. 
•    The touchdown reception by Eddie Kasper early in the third quarter his first of the season and third of his career.
•    Mailander's touchdown late in the third quarter was his fourth of the season and career with the Redbirds.
•    Rittenhouse set a career-high with his five touchdown passes topping his previous best of four set last week in a win at Murray State. He becomes the first redbird to throw five touchdown passes since Matt Brown in 2012.
•    Brungard amassed 528 yards of total offense (328 passing, 200 rushing) and accounted for five touchdowns in the victory for the Penguins.

Next Up:
The Redbirds will travel to Vermillion, South Dakota, next Saturday to take on the South Dakota Coyotes, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. at the DakotaDome.

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