NR YSU at #1 ND STATE this Sunday February 21, 2021 at 3:30 EDT on WFMJ TV 21 (WBCB), ESPN+

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This Sunday February 21, 2021 NR YSU opens up the FCS Spring season at #1 ND STATE at 3:30 EDT on WFMJ TV 21 (WBCB) and ESPN+.

In the powerful Missouri Valley Conference NDST is ranked #1 YSU is #8.  YSU is very young with only 25 returning players.

NR YSU FOOTBALL PREPARING FOR 9,500 #1 NORTH DAKOTA STATE FANS ON SUNDAY

 

While the Penguins still don't know exactly how many fans will be in the Ice Castle this season, they'll have to deal with 9,500 Bison fans Sunday against North Dakota state, something the team is trying to replicate in practice this week.

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North Dakota State vs Youngstown State Prediction, Line

North Dakota State 45, Youngstown State 15
Bet on college football with BetMGM
Line: North Dakota State -23, o/u: 52

Why Youngstown State Will Win

The Doug Phillips era is getting started with no pressure whatsoever – at least in the opener agains the best team in the FCS.

This will be a true rebuilding year in several ways for the Penguins, but there’s just enough experience in key spots to work around. QB Joe Craycraft is a decent veteran, there’s experience at the other skill spots, and the secondary that was so strong two years ago isn’t going to get its doors blown off, but …

Why North Dakota State Will Win

The machine doesn’t stop.

Trey Lance might be off to the NFL, but former Iowa State transfer Zeb Noland is more than good enough – even if he isn’t Lance – to work within the offense and let all the talent on both sides of the ball take over.

The O line is going to once again be among the nation’s best at the FCS level,  WR Christian Watson will emerge as even more of a playmaker, and the secondary is going to be a rock.

Rely on the running game for an offense that gets back nine starters from the fall win over UCA, assume the defense quickly replaces some of the lost parts while working around the great secondary, and

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WBCB, The Valley’s CW, will televise the Missouri Valley Football Conference game between Youngstown State University and North Dakota State University this Sunday, February 21st.  The game will begin at 3:30 p.m., live from Fargo, North Dakota. 

The game will be the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both teams.  It will be the season opener for YSU.  NDSU is 1-0, having played a game in October 2020. 

First-year Head Coach Doug Phillips will lead YSU.  A New Middletown native, Phillips takes over the Penguins after serving as an assistant coach the last three seasons with the University of Cincinnati, a program that finished in the FBS Top 10 in 2020. 

The series between the two schools kicked off in 1972, with NDSU holding a 10-4 advantage.  In the last meeting, the Bison beat the Penguins at Stambaugh Stadium in 2019. 

Two YSU players have been selected for pre-season MVFC honors this year - Offensive Lineman Dan Becker and Return Specialist Jake Coates from Warren JFK.  NDSU has eight representatives on the pre-season team. 

WBCB is the Valley’s television home for Youngstown State’s Missouri Valley Football Conference road games. Below is a list of broadcast providers with WBCB’s channel position: 

 

• Over the Air: Channel 21.2
• Armstrong: Channel 16 / HD Channel 103
• Spectrum: Channel 14 / HD Channel 1014
• Comcast: Channel 18 / HD Channel 810
• Sudden Link: Channel 10 / HD Channel 110
• Direct TV: Channel 14
• MCTV: Channel 3
• Streaming LIVE on YouTubeTV and Hulu + LIVE TV

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YSU did show the lack of experience in the season opener versus the #1 team in the D-1AA with a 25-7 loss.  YSU is the most inexperienced team in the Missouri Valley Conference this year.

 

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Youngstown State football team dropped their season opener Sunday to North Dakota State 25-7 at the FargoDome.

The game was the first for head coach Doug Phillips.

New YSU football coach using written quiz to promote brotherhood among players 

North Dakota State would score on their second drive of the game when Kobe Johnson ran for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 8-0 after the 2-point conversion.

The Bison would increase their lead in the second quarter on a Jake Reinholz 28-yard field goal, making it 11-0.

The Penguins earned just one first down in the first half with 41 yards of total offense.

NDSU would score on their first drive of the second half when Jalen Bussey broke free for a 22-yard touchdown run to make it 18-0.

The Penguins would put their best drive of the game together late in the third quarter as Girard grad Mark Waid found Warren JFK product Jacob Coates for a 12-yard touchdown reception.

It would cap off a 15-play, 75-yard drive for the Penguins to cut the deficit to 18-7.

North Dakota State would answer on their next drive, putting together a 9-play drive that was capped off by Bussey on a seven-yard touchdown run to make it 25-7.

Waid finished the day 8 of 11 for 75 yards and a touchdown. He added 11 rushing attempts for 26 yards.

YSU allowing fans to attend spring football games 

Joe Craycraft got the start for YSU, going 4 of 11 in the air for 45 yards.

The Penguins return home on Saturday for their home opener against Northern Iowa at 12 p.m.

 

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