Youngstown State eliminates Wofford in 2 OTs (Dec 10, 2016)

(STATS) - When Youngstown State stopped beating itself, it advanced to the FCS playoff semifinals on Saturday.

Tevin McCaster's 2-yard touchdown run in the second overtime provided the winning margin as Youngstown State edged visiting Wofford 30-23 in the national quarterfinals at Stambaugh Stadium.

The Penguins (11-3), from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, will play at No. 2 seed Eastern Washington (12-1) in the semifinals next Saturday.

Youngstown State blew a chance to win the game at the end the first overtime when Zak Kennedy missed his third field goal of the game. He also missed an extra point earlier and the Penguins committed two turnovers and had a punt blocked to set up Wofford's opening touchdown.

But after the Penguins went ahead on McCaster's touchdown, their defense stopped Wofford (10-4) on downs for the second straight overtime.

"It just got to a point like, 'We've got to find a way to win,'" said Youngstown State running back Jody Webb.

"There is no doubt it was disappointing," Wofford coach Mike Ayers said. "Two great teams scrapping against each other and we took their best shot and they took our best shot."

Youngstown State is appearing in the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2006, but the 12th time overall for a team that won four national titles in the 1990s. Coach Bo Pelini's Penguins have won three playoff games this postseason to improve to 28-7 all-time.

Webb carried the ball 34 times for a career-high 213 yards and Hunter Wells passed for 173 yards and three touchdowns. It helped overcome Wofford's 297 rushing yards, including 125 by quarterback Joe Newman. The Terriers' triple option offense didn't complete a pass in three attempts - two in the second overtime.

"A lot of it was learning on the fly," YSU linebacker Armand Dellovade said. "They did some things that we didn't prepare for that we didn't know that they had in their playbook. We just had to react and adjust accordingly."

After it was tied 23-23 through regulation, neither team scored in the first overtime. Wofford went for a touchdown on fourth down inside the 1-yard line, but Newman threw a pitch too high to fullback Lorenzo Long and the ball went out of bounds. Youngstown State's possession ended with lefty kicker Kennedy hooking his 37-yard field goal attempt.

Kennedy made a 32-yarder with 5:04 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 23. Wofford tried to win the game at the end of regulation, but David Marvin was short on a 53-yard field goal attempt.

Wofford turned to Newman in relief of a hobbled Brandon Goodson. Newman scored on a 75-yard option keeper on the first play of the third quarter and led the Terriers on a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, which Long capped with a 6-yard scoring run for a 23-20 lead with 9:22 to play.

The first-ever matchup between the teams featured two of the better rushing offenses in the FCS, with Wofford ranked fifth nationally and Youngstown State seventh. The difference in passing ability was decisive.

Wells' third touchdown pass, a 5-yarder to sophomore wide receiver Isiah Scott with 1:33 left in the third quarter, put Youngstown State ahead 20-16.

Youngstown State and Eastern Washington have met only once before. The Penguins won 25-14 in Cheney, Washington, in the 1997 national semifinals on their way to their fourth FCS title under coach Jim Tressel, now the school president.