Youngstown State Penguins football
Youngstown State Penguins football | |||
---|---|---|---|
| |||
First season | 1938 | ||
Head coach | Doug Phillips 4th season, 19–22 (.463) | ||
Stadium | Stambaugh Stadium (capacity: 20,630) | ||
Field surface | SprinTurf | ||
Location | Youngstown, Ohio | ||
Conference | Missouri Valley Football | ||
All-time record | 425–286–17 (.595) | ||
Playoff appearances | Div. I FCS: 13 | ||
Playoff record | Div. I FCS: 29–9 | ||
Claimed national titles | Div. I FCS: 4 | ||
Conference titles | 5 | ||
Colors | Red and white[1] | ||
Website | YSU Penguins Football |
The Youngstown State Penguins football team represents
YSU football has been one of the leading programs in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, winning four national championships under former head coach Jim Tressel, which is third behind North Dakota State's eight titles and Georgia Southern's six. Overall, YSU has made 11 playoff appearances since Division I FCS (then Division I-AA) was formed in 1978.
History
Conference affiliations
- 1938–72: Independent
- 1973–77: NCAA Division II Independent
- 1978–80: Mid-Continent Conference
- 1981–87: Ohio Valley Conference
- 1988–96 NCAA Division I-AA Independent
- 1997–present: Missouri Valley Football Conference (known as the Gateway Football Conference until June 2008)
Early history
The YSU football program began in 1938 as an Independent NCAA team under head coach
Longtime head coach, Dwight "Dike" Beede, made a historical impact on the game of
Dwight Beede retired from the program after the 1972 season and was replaced by Rey Dempsey starting in the 1973 season.[4] After 35 years as an independent program the football team joined NCAA Division II in 1973. In the 1974 season, the penguins qualified for the Division II playoffs after going 8–1 in the regular season.[4] YSU fell 14–35 against Delaware in the program's first playoff game.[4] Following the 1974 season, Dempsey he left Youngstown State to become a special-teams coach for the Detroit Lions 1975, he was In the three seasons at YSU he compiled a 12–8 record.
Recent history
The program's most successful period came from 1986 to 2000 under Jim Tressel. Tressel led the Penguins to four NCAA Division I-AA National Championships. In 1991, YSU won its first national championship, defeating Marshall, and won two more national championships in the following three seasons: against Marshall in 1993 and Boise State in 1994. The Penguins won a fourth title in 1997 with a 10–9 victory against McNeese State. The Tressel era of YSU football also included two stints as national runner-up in 1992 and 1999. YSU's four national championships are third in DI FCS only to North Dakota State's eight titles and Georgia Southern's six. Tressel was also named Division I-AA Coach of the Year in ’91, ’93, ’94 and ’97.[7]
Tressel left Youngstown State following the 2000 season to coach
His successor,
The Penguins beat the
The 2016 Penguins went on to the NCAA FCS Championship, in which they lost to James Madison, 28–14. YSU would have not made it to the FCS National Championship game if it were not for one of the best catches in College Football History. In the FCS Semifinals, the Penguins visited Eastern Washington. The Penguins won by a score of 40 to 38. The Penguins prevailed thanks to a touchdown catch by Kevin Rader with one second on the clock. Rader caught the pass pinned to the defender's back from Quarterback Hunter Wells.
National championships
Youngstown State has won four national championships.
Season | Coach | Selector | Record | Result | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | Jim Tressel | NCAA Division I-AA | 12–3 | 25–17 | Marshall |
1993 | NCAA Division I-AA | 13–2 | 17–5 | Marshall | |
1994 | NCAA Division I-AA | 14–0–1 | 28–14 | Boise State | |
1997 | NCAA Division I-AA | 13–2 | 10–9 | McNeese State |
Conference championships
Youngstown State has won five conference championships, three outright and two shared. Note that the team was not a member of any conference before 1978 and from 1988 to 1996.
Season | Coach | Conference | Overall Record | Conference Record |
---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Bill Narduzzi | Association of Mid-Continent Universities |
10–2 | 5–0 |
1979 | 11–2 | 5–0 | ||
1987† | Jim Tressel | Ohio Valley Conference | 8–4 | 5–1 |
2005† | Jon Heacock | Gateway Football Conference | 8–3 | 5–2 |
2006 | 11–3 | 6–1 |
† denotes co-champion
Postseason history
NCAA Division II
Season | Round | Winner | Score | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | II Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 21 | Nebraska-Omaha |
14 |
II Semifinal | Eastern Illinois | 26 | Youngstown State | 22 | |
1979 | II Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 50 | South Dakota State | 7 |
II Semifinal | Youngstown State | 52 | Alabama A&M | 0 | |
II Championship Game | Delaware | 38 | Youngstown State | 21 |
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
Season | Round | Winner | Score | Loser | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | I-AA First Round | Northern Iowa | 31 | Youngstown State | 28 |
1989 | I-AA First Round | Youngstown State | 28 | Eastern Kentucky | 24 |
I-AA Quarterfinal | Furman | 42 | Youngstown State | 23 | |
1990 | I-AA First Round | Central Florida | 20 | Youngstown State | 17 |
1991 | I-AA First Round | Youngstown State | 17 | Villanova | 16 |
I-AA Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 30 | Nevada | 28 | |
I-AA Semifinal | Youngstown State | 10 | Samford | 0 | |
I-AA Championship Game | Youngstown State | 25 | Marshall | 17 | |
1992 | I-AA First Round | Youngstown State | 23 | Villanova | 20 |
I-AA Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 42 | The Citadel | 17 | |
I-AA Semifinal | Youngstown State | 19 | Northern Iowa | 7 | |
I-AA Championship Game | Marshall | 31 | Youngstown State | 28 | |
1993 | I-AA First Round | Youngstown State | 56 | Central Florida | 30 |
I-AA Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 34 | Georgia Southern | 14 | |
I-AA Semifinal | Youngstown State | 35 | Idaho | 16 | |
I-AA Championship Game | Youngstown State | 17 | Marshall | 5 | |
1994 | I-AA First Round | Youngstown State | 63 | Alcorn State | 20 |
I-AA Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 18 | Eastern Kentucky | 15 | |
I-AA Semifinal | Youngstown State | 28 | Montana | 9 | |
I-AA Championship Game | Youngstown State | 28 | Boise State | 14 | |
1997 | I-AA First Round | Youngstown State | 28 | Hampton | 13 |
I-AA Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 37 | Villanova | 34 | |
I-AA Semifinal | Youngstown State | 25 | Eastern Washington | 14 | |
I-AA Championship Game | Youngstown State | 10 | McNeese State |
9 | |
1999 | I-AA First Round | Youngstown State | 30 | Montana | 27 |
I-AA Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 41 | North Carolina A&T | 3 | |
I-AA Semifinal | Youngstown State | 27 | Florida A&M | 24 | |
I-AA Championship Game | Georgia Southern | 59 | Youngstown State | 24 | |
2000 | I-AA First Round | Richmond | 10 | Youngstown State | 3 |
2006 | FCS First Round | Youngstown State | 35 | James Madison | 31 |
FCS Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 28 | Illinois State | 21 | |
FCS Semifinal | Appalachian State | 49 | Youngstown State | 24 | |
2016 | FCS First Round | Youngstown State | 38 | Samford | 24 |
FCS Second Round | Youngstown State | 40 | Jacksonville State | 24 | |
FCS Quarterfinal | Youngstown State | 30 | Wofford | 23 OT | |
FCS Semifinal | Youngstown State | 40 | Eastern Washington | 38 | |
FCS Championship Game | James Madison | 28 | Youngstown State | 14 | |
2023 | FCS First Round | Youngstown State | 40 | Duquesne | 7 |
FCS Second Round | Villanova | 45 | Youngstown State | 28 |
Home venue
YSU plays its home games at Stambaugh Stadium, nicknamed "The Ice Castle", which has an official capacity of 20,630.[13]
Rivalries
The Penguins had an annual rivalry with the Akron Zips for possession of the Steel Tire, a trophy based on the prominent industries of each respective city: tires for Akron and steel for Youngstown. The rivalry began in 1940 and was played again in 1941, then was contested annually from 1959–1963 and 1967–1995. Akron moved to Division I-A (FBS) in 1987 and joined the Mid-American Conference in 1992. Since 1995, the series has been dormant. Youngstown State leads the overall series 19–14–2.[13][14]
Notable players
The Penguins have sent 21 players to the NFL, including safety
Future non-conference opponents
Future non-conference opponents announced as of July 29, 2023.[15]
2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valparaiso | at Villanova | Butler | Saint Francis | Villanova | Valparaiso |
at Ohio State | Valparaiso | at Michigan State | Duquesne | at Maryland | |
Robert Morris | Duquesne | Robert Morris | at Kentucky | Robert Morris | |
at Pittsburgh |
See also
References
- ^ "Youngstown State University Athletics License Logos and Trademarks" (PDF). Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Youngstown St. Yearly Results: 1938–1939". College Football Data Warehouse. 2010. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ "Traditions: Penalty Flags' Roots Grew In Youngstown". Youngstown State. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Youngstown St. Yearly Results: 1970–1974". College Football Data Warehouse. 2010. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "Youngstown St. Yearly Results: 1975–1979". College Football Data Warehouse. 2010. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
- ^ "Youngstown St. Yearly Results: 1980–1984". College Football Data Warehouse. 2010. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
- ^ "Jim Tressel Biography". Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "Ohio State vacates 2010 wins, puts self on probation". CNN. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
- ^ Farrey, Tom (December 11, 2004). "Souls of the departed haunt Youngstown". ESPN.
- ^ AP Staff (December 15, 2009). "Wolford hired by Youngstown State". ESPN. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ a b AP Staff (September 2, 2011). "Youngstown St vs. Michigan State – Recap". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ Nevins, Conor (September 5, 2012). "Dancing down the runway Week 1". Retrieved September 7, 2012.
- ^ a b "Stambaugh Stadium". Youngstown State University. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ "Youngstown St. vs Akron (OH)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ "Youngstown State Penguins Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved July 29, 2023.