By Zach Flesch / The Jambar
From Homecoming celebrations to blowout victories, the Youngstown State University football team delivered a statement victory in a 51-17 win over Murray State University on Oct. 25 at Stambaugh Stadium.
In total, the offense racked up 539 yards of total offense and scored 38 unanswered points.
Junior Beau Brungard put together a career performance with five total touchdowns — two passing, two rushing and one receiving. He completed 22 of 25 passes for 248 yards, rushed for 64 yards and caught a 50-yard touchdown on a reverse pass. Brungard tied for second-most completions in a single game in program history with 13 in a row.
Junior Kylon Wilson added a record-breaking moment as he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter — the longest play in YSU history and the first kickoff return score since former Penguin Latrell Fordham scored 98-yards in 2022.
In response to Wilson’s career day, he said before the kickoff, he knew he was going to field the ball and return it for a touchdown.
“Soon as it got kicked, I’m screaming, ‘I’m taking it’ … then, I just followed my blockers, waited for them [and] we had a party in the end zone,” Wilson said.
Wilson was also named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week on Oct. 27 with 252 all-purpose yards, as he fielded three kickoff returns for 126 yards.
Head Coach Doug Phillips said the effort on special teams was the best it’s been all season and is key to making it back to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
“We really challenged the special teams. We emphasize that you win championships with special teams, and we haven’t been close,” Phillips said. “We challenged our young men this week. We got to get more out of our special teams, and I thought we saw that today.”
Senior Max Tomczak scored a touchdown and caught seven passes for 75 yards, while Wilson added five receptions for 89 yards and another score. Junior Ethan Wright also punched in a one-yard rushing touchdown as YSU built a 24-7 halftime lead.
Defensively, sophomore Graydon Rollins paced the Penguins with seven tackles, and senior DJ Harris added five tackles and an interception. The defense held Murray State to just 79 yards rushing on the day.
With an upcoming matchup against the No. 1 team in the FCS, Phillips said the team will celebrate the win before preparing for a tough conference battle.
“Don’t look at results, look at the process of having a great Monday, having a great Tuesday,” Phillips said. “You’re more focused on what you are doing, how you’re executing, the consistency in our preparation, the consistency in our execution, the consistency and the mindset that you [have] to come ready to play in the Missouri Valley Football Conference every week no matter who you’re playing.”
With the win, the Penguins moved to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the MVFC.
Youngstown State will look to keep the momentum with a visit to No. 1 North Dakota State University at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.
The game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.