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Oct. 2, 2004
YSU Miscues Costly in 44-19 Loss at Western Kentucky
Bowling Green, Ky. -- Turnovers haunted the
Youngstown State football team on
Saturday night in Bowling Green,
Ky., as the Penguins dropped a 44-19
contest to sixth-ranked Western
Kentucky at L.T. Smith Stadium in
the Gateway Conference opener for
both schools.
YSU (2-3 overall and 0-1 in the Gateway) committed four
giveaways, which led to 20
Hilltopper (3-1 and 1-0) points. WKU
entered the game leading the nation
in turnover margin and won that
battle against the Penguins by two.
Highlighting the YSU individual performances were quarterback
Tom Zetts who finished the game
completing 28-of-40 passes for 286
yards, including two touchdowns and
two interceptions and tailback Josh
Cayson who had 135 all-purpose
yards.
Youngstown State took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter
when Monquantae Gibson scored from
inside the one on a fourth-and-goal
play with 7:16 remaining in the
period. YSU moved the ball 62 yards
in 13 plays, with the key play
coming on a 3rd-and-9 when Zetts
connected with Phil Larmon for 15
yards.
Western Kentucky came back to score the final 13 points
of the opening half and first 17 of
the second half before the Penguins
would score again.
The Hilltoppers' comeback started when Brian Porter
broke outside the Penguin defense
and raced 26 yards tying the game
7-7 with 1:48 left in the first.
Late in the second, WKU took advantage of two Penguin
turnovers to add two field goals and
grab its six-point halftime
advantage. After an interception by
Antonio Thomas at the Penguin 44,
Chris James kicked a 37-yard field
goal with 1:22 left as WKU took its
first lead of the game. With 12
seconds remaining, Deonte Smith
recovered a Cayson fumble at the YSU
31. The Hilltoppers used a gadget
play when reserve quarterback Blake
Ladson took a lateral and then threw
a 10-yard pass to Haddix moving the
ball to the 21 with two seconds
left. James booted a 38-yard field
goal as the half expired.
On the Hilltoppers' first possession of the second
half, they moved the ball 68 yards
in five plays as James converted his
third field goal of the game from 29
yards out. The big play of the drive
came when Haddix hit -- on a 54-yard
toss that put the ball at the YSU
23-yard line.
Trailing by nine, Youngstown State had an impressive
drive that ended without points when
Regis Edgerson fumbled at the
Western Kentucky two. WKU came away
with the ball at the six and
answered right back moving the ball
94 yards to add a touchdown of its
own. On a fourth-and-two play,
Haddix hit Stephen Willis in the
flat for a 27-yard touchdown as the
third quarter wound down.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Smith
intercepted a Zetts pass and
returned it 48 yards for a score to
increase the lead to 30-7.
The Penguins had a productive drive following Smith's
return for a touchdown moving the
ball 58 yards on 10 plays. Zetts
threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to
Kyle Smith with 11:23 remaining. YSU
went for two, but Zetts' pass to
Smith was broken up.
Porter scored his second touchdown of the game 50
seconds later taking the ball in
from five yards 10:33 remaining.
YSU answered when Zetts tossed a six-yard score to Matt
Rycraft with 7:15 remaining in the
contest.
Youngstown State played the second half without
leading-rusher Gibson who was held
out with an injury. Gibson had 37
yards on 12 first-half carries,
including a touchdown before being
removed from the contest.
The Penguins return to Stambaugh Stadium next Saturday to
play host to top-ranked Southern
Illinois. The Salukis (4-1 and 1-0)
are coming off a 40-36
come-from-behind victory over
Northern Iowa. |
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