Oct. 4, 2014 Final Stats | Quotes | Final Stats 
| Season Stats | Highlights 
| Allen Postgame | Players Postgame
SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State's fourth-quarter rally came up short in the first match-up of ranked teams at Plaster Stadium in 18 years Saturday, as No. 12 Youngstown State held the No. 23 Bears to 227 yards of total offense to notch a 14-7 victory in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both squads.
The Penguins (4-1, 1-0 MVFC), who kept the Bears off the scoreboard for the first 55 minutes of the contest, registered a goal-line stand early in the fourth period, then came up with a game-clinching interception at their own 32 yard line with 2:21 to play. YSU harassed Kierra Harris all afternoon, holding the nation's fourth-rated quarterback to just 9-of-28 passing for 75 yards, while the Bears' offense converted only 2-of-14 third-down attempts.
Missouri State (3-2, 0-1 MVFC) made it interesting in the closing minutes after a Kurran Blamey blocked punt handed the home club the ball at the YSU 14 with 7:36 to play. The Bears kept the ball on the ground to advance to the Penguins' 3, before a pass interference call on a third-down pass play gave MSU new life with a first down at the 2-yard line.
YSU stood its ground momentarily, stopping Phoenix Johnson for a two-yard loss on first down, before two incomplete passes forced a fourth-down for the Bears. Flushed from the pocket and under heavy pressure, Harris found a wide-open Gannon Sinclair a yard deep in the end zone to register MSU's first points of the afternoon with just 4:58 left on the clock.
Needing a stop to regain possession for a final chance at a game-tying drive, the MSU defense came through when it mattered most, stopping the Penguins on three plays that used just 1:45 of clock time. After a short YSU punt gave the Bears prime field position at their own 43, Harris hooked up with Zac Hoover for MSU's biggest offensive play of the day--a 19-yard completion to the YSU 38.
But Tre Moore, who also finished with a game-high 11 tackles, happened to be in the right place at the right time on Harris's second-down pass attempt, snatching the ball out of the air after it deflected off a Bears' receiver for his second interception of the day, squashing MSU's hopes for a comeback and helping the Penguins record their first win over the Bears in five tries since 2007.
The close call for the Bears was made possible by a valiant defensive effort that held the Penguins to just 95 yards of offense in the second half and forced three turnovers against an offense that had committed just two combined giveaways in its first four games of the season. Christian Hoffmann led the Bears with a season-high 10 tackles, while Dylan Cole made five stops, picked off a pass and recovered a fumble to keep MSU in the game.
But Youngstown State's defense made the difference early, as the Penguins used a pair of big plays to build a 14-point halftime lead while locking down an MSU offense that entered the week averaging 442 yards of total offense.
The Penguins struck in a big way on the game's first play from scrimmage, as quarterback Dante Nania hit Andrew Williams for a 56-yard pass play that set up the visitors with a first-and-goal at the MSU 9 yard line. Two plays later, the duo connected once again, as Nania found a wide-open Williams over the middle for an 8-yard scoring strike just 1:15 into the contest.
The Penguins, who rushed for 137 yards on 19 first-half carries, cashed in on an explosive 81-yard run by Jody Webb to extend its advantage to 14-0 early in the second quarter. Following a Chris Sullens punt that pinned the Penguins at their own 19-yard line, Webb broke free on a misdirection play and raced untouched to the end zone for a double-digit YSU lead.
Given the early lead, the Penguins defense clamped down on the MSU offense, permitting just 34 yards of total offense in the opening period. The Bears, who ran 93 total plays in racking up 593 yards of offense two weeks ago at UCA, would run just three plays on the YSU side of the 50-yard line in the first 30 minutes and convert on only 2-of-9 third-down conversion attempts in the half.
Despite the sluggish start, the Bears came up with a pair of critical defensive takeaways by Cole in their own territory to keep the game tight. On a second-and-10 at the MSU 16, Brad Pryor deflected a Nania pass and Cole made a diving catch for an interception that thwarted a nine-play YSU drive early in the second period. Late in the half, Cole and the MSU defense came through again, this time falling on a Nania fumble at the Bears' 39 to stop another Penguin drive and keep it a 14-0 game.
The Bears first chance to put points on the board came early in the fourth quarter after the MSU defense forced a third turnover of the afternoon. Erik Furmanek stripped a YSU ballcarrier, and Pryor scooped up the loose ball at the Penguins' 45, before a 12-yard run by Calan Crowder and a YSU pass interference call gave the Bears a first-and-goal at the 6-yard line.
But the Penguins held, stopping Crowder for no gain on first down before forcing three straight incompletions to preserve the shutout.
Webb powered the Penguins ground attack with a 117-yard rushing day, while Martin Ruiz added 79 yards. Nania completed 10-of 16 passes for 130 yards, including five to Williams for a total of 83 yards. On the defensive side, Dubem Nwadiogbu registered 9.0 tackles and one of four YSU sacks of Harris on the day to complement Moore's big performance.
Up next, the Bears head north for another MVFC contest against No. 9 South Dakota State next Saturday (Oct. 11). Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in Brookings, S.D.
