American college football season
The 2018 Youngstown State Penguins football team represented Youngstown State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Bo Pelini and played their home games at Stambaugh Stadium. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 4–7, 3–5 in MVFC play to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place.
Preseason MVFC poll
[edit]
The MVFC released their preseason poll on July 29, 2018, with the Penguins predicted to finish in fourth place.[2]
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1 |
North Dakota State |
390 (39)
|
2 |
South Dakota State |
270
|
3 |
Northern Iowa |
258
|
4 |
Youngstown State |
248
|
5 |
Illinois State |
248
|
6 |
South Dakota |
206
|
7 |
Western Illinois |
163
|
8 |
Southern Illinois |
139
|
9 |
Missouri State |
90
|
10 |
Indiana State |
41
|
Preseason All-MVFC Teams
[edit]
The Penguins placed six players on the preseason all-MVFC teams.[3]
Offense
1st team
Tevin McCaster – RB
Vitas Hrynkiewicz – OL
Gavin Wiggins – OL
Steven Wethli – LS
|
Defense
1st team
Armand Dellovade – LB
2nd team
Bryce Gibson – DB
|
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
September 1 | 2:00 p.m. | Butler* | No. 25 | | ESPN+ | L 21–23 | 11,219 |
September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 14 (FBS) West Virginia* | | | AT&TSN Pitt | L 17–52 | 58,446 |
September 15 | 2:00 p.m. | Valparaiso* | | - Stambaugh Stadium
- Youngstown, OH
| ESPN+ | W 42–7 | 14,913 |
September 29 | 4:00 p.m. | at Western Illinois | | | ESPN3 | L 38–45 | 4,352 |
October 6 | 6:00 p.m. | Southern Illinois![dagger](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Dagger-14-plain.png) | | - Stambaugh Stadium
- Youngstown, OH
| ESPN+ | W 17–14 | 14,581 |
October 13 | 3:00 p.m. | at No. 2 South Dakota State | | | ESPN+ | L 7–36 | 14,357 |
October 20 | 6:00 p.m. | South Dakota | | - Stambaugh Stadium
- Youngstown, OH
| ESPN+ | W 29–17 | 11,112 |
October 27 | 2:00 p.m. | Indiana State | | - Stambaugh Stadium
- Youngstown, OH
| ESPN+ | L 17–43 | 9,090 |
November 3 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 1 North Dakota State | | | ESPN+ | L 7–17 | 18,028 |
November 10 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 22 Northern Iowa | | - Stambaugh Stadium
- Youngstown, OH
| ESPN+ | W 31–10 | 8,407 |
November 17 | 1:00 p.m. | at Illinois State | | | ESPN+ | L 28–35 | 5,583 |
- *Non-conference game
Homecoming- Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bulldogs
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
16 |
23 |
No. 25 Penguins
|
7
|
0
|
14
|
0 |
21 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Penguins
|
0
|
7
|
10
|
0 |
17 |
No. 14 (FBS) Mountaineers
|
7
|
14
|
21
|
10 |
52 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Crusaders
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
Penguins
|
7
|
14
|
14
|
7 |
42 |
At Western Illinois
[edit]
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Penguins
|
7
|
0
|
10
|
21 |
38 |
Leathernecks
|
6
|
10
|
14
|
15 |
45 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Salukis
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
7 |
14 |
Penguins
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
11 |
17 |
At South Dakota State
[edit]
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Penguins
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
No. 2 Jackrabbits
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
13 |
36 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Coyotes
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
7 |
17 |
Penguins
|
19
|
3
|
0
|
7 |
29 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Sycamores
|
3
|
13
|
7
|
20 |
43 |
Penguins
|
7
|
3
|
7
|
0 |
17 |
At North Dakota State
[edit]
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Penguins
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
0 |
7 |
No. 1 Bison
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
10 |
17 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
No. 22 Panthers
|
0
|
7
|
3
|
0 |
10 |
Penguins
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
3 |
31 |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Penguins
|
3
|
10
|
8
|
7 |
28 |
Redbirds
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
14 |
35 |
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
---|
STATS FCS | 25 | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
---|
Coaches | 24 | RV | — | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
---|
|
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |