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Youngstown State Preview

The Bulldogs head to the Ice Castle in Youngstown, Ohio for an FCS Playoff matchup against the Youngstown State Penguins. Kickoff is slated for noon on Saturday and the game will air on ESPN+.

Youngstown State enters the matchup with an 8-4 record with losses to Michigan State, South Dakota State, North Dakota, and North Dakota State. YSU wound up ranked fourth in the brutal Missouri Valley Football Conference at the end of regular season play but had chances to defeat both SDSU and NDSU which would have catapulted the ‘Guins in the rankings. 

The Penguins’ offense is led by the dynamic junior QB Beau Brungard (6’0”, 215 lbs.) who could be the top quarterback in the FCS this year. Brungard has thrown for 2,917 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. Brungard is even more impressive in the running game with 1,378 rushing yards (6.1 YPC) and 24 rushing touchdowns. The Penguins love to spread out defenses wide and give Brungard the flexibility to run against an unstacked box or find one of his electric receivers for a big gain. Senior WR Max Tomczak (6’0”, 195 lbs.) was a 1st Team All-MVFC wideout in 2024 and has racked up 916 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Junior WR Flash Wilson (5’9”, 180 lbs.) could be the quickest receiver that Yale has faced all season and averages 10.0 yards per reception. Sophomore RB Jaden Gilbert (5’10”, 180 lbs.) averages an impressive 6.5 yards per carry and can also be a receiving threat out of the backfield. YSU’s offensive line averages 298.0 lbs. across the board and has paved the way for 5.8 yards per carry on the season. Brungard typically has all day to throw as the line provides solid pass protection and surrendered only 16 sacks through 12 games. There’s no simple formula to shut down the Penguins’ offense but it will need to start up front with the Bulldogs getting penetration at the line of scrimmage. Pass rushers will need to stay true to their rush lanes as Brungard can takeoff downfield in an instant if a hole forms. Ayo-Durojaiye or Grant awill need to spy Brungard at times while the defensive backfield will need to stay glued to talented wideouts. The defensive coaching staff members face their toughest test trying to slow Youngstown State’s offense this week. 

The Penguins’ defense has not matched the performance of their offense as they have allowed 6.2 yards per play and 48 touchdowns on the season. Senior DB Dayne Hodge (5’10”, 195 lbs.) leads the defense in tackles with 68 and is an experienced transfer from Tulsa. Senior LB Preston Zandier (6’0”, 225 lbs.) is the leader of the front seven with 66 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and an interception on the season. Senior DB DJ Harris (5’11”, 185 lbs.) led YSU in the tackles in 2024 and has been a key defender in 2025 with 63 tackles and 2 interceptions. Junior LB Carston Marshall (6’2”, 215 lbs.) has played very well with 61 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Senior S Dathan Hickey (6’0”, 200 lbs.) was an Eli from 2018 to 2023 and sat out in 2024 with an injury. It’s great to see Hickey finally healthy and he has racked up 57 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles. Junior OLB Michael Wells (6’3”, 250 lbs.) is a very talented pass rusher off the edge with 8.5 sacks. Senior DT Collin Vaughn (6’2”, 285 lbs.) is disruptive along the defensive front and has notched 37 tackles with 1.5 sacks. The Bulldogs will need to get Pitsenberger rolling in the ground game to burn the clock and keep the YSU offense off of the field. The Penguins’ secondary has been exploited all season allowing 8.0 yards per passing attempt, so developing creative plays for Brown and Santiago will be critical. The Elis will likely need to score early and often to keep pace with the ‘Guins as stalled  drives could prove fatal. 

Junior K Andrew Lastovka (5’8”, 170 lbs.) has completed 15 of 19 field goals with a long of 49 yards on the season. Senior P Brendon Kilpatrick (6’2”, 220 lbs.) averages a booming 46.3 yards per punt with 8 punts placed inside the redzone. Flash Wilson is one of the best kick returners in the country and returned a kick for a 100-yard touchdown this season.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Penguins!

74 replies on “Youngstown State Preview”

I just want to say this in the event this game stays on this path and I shut it off: ESPN’s production is god awful so far. All tight shots. Like they’re filling time with close ups and missing the game. It’s tempo. Pull back and show the field. It’s like they’ve got a producer who’s never seen a football game.

Ezekiel Larry is out with concussion from Harvard game when the Offensive lineman struck him in the head when he was on the ground, Nico Brown is also out too. In the future I believe the league will have to give us a bye week, our guys have been playing football for 15 straight weeks while others are required to have 2 bye weeks.

What happened to Nico? Without our best pass rusher and most exciting offensive player this game is already lost.

The entire team struggled with the flu this week. Additionally, offensive starters out with injuries this week: Nico, Q Lewis, and G McGown.

Right before the two minute warning I think I saw Nico Brown on the sideline with his helmet on. Not sure what’s going on.

Bad half, but it could have been 28-14. Play calling and Dante’s decision making have been atrocious. Turnovers have killed us, obviously, but that just meant YSU had an easier path to their TD’s. Our defense is obviously over matched.

Great stop by the defense, not getting off the field on those two third downs hurt us with the clock, offense has to score quick

Yes. And better than Army 2014. Probably because I kept reading Yale football getting disrespected on the anygivensaturday board lead8ng up and during the game.

Yes. And better than Army 2014. Probably because I kept reading Yale football getting disrespected on the anygivensaturday board leading up and during the game. Admittedly could also be some recency bias.

I loved Army. The 2000 Harvard game with Ivy title (Eric Johnson 21 catches) was amazing. This might’ve been the greatest. Brightest lights. Most improbable. What a day.

Though that play by play guy – oh my goodness! They’re a totally different team! – and that production were terrible. I still don’t know why Youngstown got that unsportsmanlike at like 2:10.

It was a running play, and Mermans was blocking a DB downfield and threw the DB to the ground as the whistle blew. They cut to another camera at that point so the rest couldn’t be seen, but obviously the DB took exception and slapped Mermans across the helmet when he got up.

Yes! The Eric Johnson 21 grabs/Joe Walland in the infirmary with the flu, released that morning, his head didn’t clear ’til the 2nd half — all-time awesome game. Gave us our first title in ten years (and second in eighteen).
It actually took place in 1999. The next year at Harvard, Johnson again caught the winning pass in the 4th quarter.

Finally, I am surprised there has been no mention of Pitsenberger’s heads-up and selfless split-second decision to take a knee at the half-yard line rather carry it in for what may have a been at that point a counter-productive touchdown. Had he scored and Youngstown gets the ball back, who knows what happens. As it was, Yale keeps possession, runs out the clock, and wins the game. Pitsenberger did a similar thing earlier in the season (though I cannot recall the game). I have been watching football for over six decades, and I’m not sure I have ever another player do that once, never mind TWICE. A real “Captain” move, if you ask me!

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