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Dec. 19,
2005
Football: Penguins Finish 14th in Final I-AA
National Polls
Youngstown -- The Youngstown State football team
finished 14th in both the final Sports Network Poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches
Poll, that were released on Monday.
YSU was one of four Gateway teams to be in the final Sports
Network Poll. National runner-up Northern Iowa was second, Southern Illinois was
seventh, YSU was 14th and Illinois State came in at 22. In the ESPN/USA Today
Poll, UNI was second, SIU was seventh, the Penguins were 14th while Illinois
State was 24th.
It marks YSU highest end-of-the-season finish since and
11th-place slot following the 2000 season. The ranking also marks the first time
since the 2001 campaign that the Penguins finished the year in the final poll.
Youngstown State finished the year with an 8-3 overall mark
and were 5-2 in the Gateway Football Conference tying the Panthers and Salukis
for the league title.
The Gateway and the Atlantic 10 were the only two conferences
to finish with four teams in the final top 25.
Upon conclusion of the Gateway season with UNI's 21-16 loss
to Appalachian State in the Division I-AA National Championship Game on
Thursday, the Penguins secured the title in several conference statistical
categories.
YSU was first in the Gateway in scoring defense (16.2 points
per game), turnover margin (0.91 per game), total defense (330.4 yards per
game), pass-efficiency defense (112.8 rating), fewest first downs allowed by an
opponent (198), fewest penalties (59), fewest penalty yards (41.9 per game) and
time of possession (31:25 per contest). The Penguins were also second in passing
defense (196.9 yards per game) and kickoff coverage (41.5 per game average)
while finishing third in rushing offense (191.6 per game), kickoff returns (20.9
per return), third-down conversions (46.5 percent) and sacks allowed (19).
In the final national Division I-AA statistical categories,
YSU's two highest team finishes were seventh in scoring defense and 12th in
turnover margin.
Junior quarterback Codera Jackson placed fifth in the nation
in interceptions per game at 0.55 per contest. Jackson was the highest rated YSU
individual in all the individual categories.
Jackson picked up another All-America accolade on Monday
being named to the second team by CollegeSportsReport.com. |
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