Ground and Pound: #13 Youngstown State Blows Out #12 South Dakota, 47-28 - We Never Stop Ground and Pound: #13 Youngstown State Blows Out #12 South Dakota, 47-28

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — If the Youngstown State Penguins were suffering any lingering heartbreak from last week’s narrow loss to defending national champion South Dakota State, they emphatically erased it on Saturday afternoon.

Relying on a devastating rushing attack and an opportunistic defense, No. 13 Youngstown State ran all over No. 12 South Dakota in a 47-28 Missouri Valley Football Conference blowout at Stambaugh Stadium.

The victory served as a massive statement for the Penguins (3-2, 1-1 MVFC), who proved they belong in the upper echelon of the FCS hierarchy. For the Coyotes (3-2, 0-1 MVFC), the lopsided defeat derails their early-season momentum and raises serious questions about their ability to navigate the deepest conference in the nation.

Here is a detailed breakdown of Saturday’s top-15 showdown, what it means for the polls, and where both programs go from here.

The Beau Brungard Show

The story of the game was Youngstown State sophomore quarterback Beau Brungard, who put on a dual-threat clinic that the Coyotes simply had no answer for. Brungard was the engine of an offense that racked up 502 total yards, including a staggering 343 yards on the ground.

Brungard carried the ball 28 times, rushing for a game-high 170 yards and three touchdowns. He also kept the South Dakota defense honest through the air, throwing for 159 yards and a touchdown.

The Penguins set the tone from the opening kickoff. Wide receiver Lynn Wyche-El capped off a seven-play, 75-yard opening drive with a 10-yard touchdown run less than three minutes into the game. Wyche-El would finish with two rushing touchdowns on just four carries, totaling 62 yards.

Despite Youngstown State controlling the trenches, South Dakota refused to go away quietly early on. Trailing 23-14 at halftime, the Coyotes came out of the locker room swinging. They marched 71 yards on 10 plays, capping the drive with a 22-yard touchdown run by Jackson Proctor to cut the deficit to 23-21 with 8:43 left in the third quarter.

However, that was as close as the Coyotes would get.

Youngstown State immediately responded with an Andrew Lastovka field goal, followed by a back-breaking 94-yard drive that culminated in a four-yard touchdown pass from Brungard to Alex McDonald. The Penguins’ defense tightened the vice, and Brungard added two more rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to blow the game wide open.

Defensively, Youngstown State was relentless. The Penguins forced three critical South Dakota turnovers—including two interceptions thrown by Coyotes quarterback Austyn Modrzewski—which directly translated into 17 points for Youngstown State. Modrzewski was held to just 147 passing yards and faced constant pressure throughout the afternoon.

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Poll Implications: South Dakota’s Tumble

This loss will severely damage South Dakota’s standing in the FCS polls. Entering the weekend ranked No. 12 in the coaches poll, the Coyotes were viewed as a legitimate national title contender. Getting blown out by 19 points—and surrendering over 500 yards of offense in the process—will likely trigger a significant slide, potentially dropping them to the fringes of the top 15-20.

In the FCS, poll positioning heavily dictates playoff seeding and home-field advantage. A drop out of the top 10 strips South Dakota of its margin for error moving forward.

Conversely, No. 13 Youngstown State should easily crack the top 10 next week. Their resume now boasts a 70-13 demolition of Duquesne, a tough road fight against No. 2 SDSU, and a blowout of a top-10 opponent.

The Rest of the Way: Season Outlook

Youngstown State Penguins:

The outlook in Youngstown is incredibly bright. Head coach Doug Phillips has built a team that embodies classic MVFC football: a massive, physical offensive line, a punishing rushing attack, and a defense that forces mistakes. Moving to 1-1 in conference play takes the pressure off, and if Brungard continues to play at an elite level, the Penguins can beat anyone in the country. They will look to keep the momentum rolling next week when they travel to face Southern Illinois on October 3.

South Dakota Coyotes:

It is gut-check time in Vermillion. Starting 0-1 in the MVFC is a tough pill to swallow, but it is the manner of the defeat that will concern the coaching staff. The Coyotes’ run defense, which is typically a strength, was completely gashed. Offensively, they need to find more consistency from Modrzewski and establish their own ground game after being held to just 185 rushing yards. South Dakota’s playoff dreams are far from over, but they are now entering a stretch where every week is essentially an elimination game if they hope to secure a coveted top-eight national seed.