Box Score YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State held off Indiana State in an offensive shootout at Stambaugh Stadium as the Sycamores fell to the host Penguins, 48-42.
 
In a game that featured six plays that traveled 50-plus yards in the first half and just three drives that covered at least five minutes, it came down to the defense in the fourth quarter. The Penguins (3-3, 1-2 MVFC) forced a pair of Indiana State (1-5, 0-3 MVFC) punts in the fourth quarter and held onto the ball for 21:44 in the second half to secure the win.
 
ISU fought their way back into the contest in the second half trailing 45-28 midway through the third quarter. Justin Dinka scored on an 18-yard touchdown reception to cut the YSU lead down to 45-35 with 4:18 to play. Following a Sycamore onside kick, Cade Chambers capped a four-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to narrow the gap down to 45-42 late in the third quarter.
 
That's as close as ISU was able to get the rest of the way as the Penguins limited the Sycamore offense to secure the MVFC win.
 
The Sycamores had their chances early as Justin Dinka took the first play from scrimmage for a 75-yard touchdown run, while Dakota Caton added a 53-yard touchdown reception among his two-TD first half.
 
Cade Chambers (15-of-29, 311 yards, 5 total touchdowns) surpassed the 300-yard passing mark for the first time in his collegiate career, while Justin Dinka (11 carries, 159 rushing yards) and Dante Hendrix (117 receiving yards) highlighted the ISU offense.
 
Youngstown State matched the Sycamore production with Mitch Davidson (223 passing yards), Jaleel McLaughlin (32 carries, 200 rushing yards, two TD), and Bryce Oliver (143 receiving yards). Oliver had two receptions that spanned 50-plus yards, including a 57-yard score in the first half.
 
Garret Ollendieck led the Sycamore defense with a career-high nine tackles and added 2.5 tackles for loss. Kris Reid Jr. added six tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack in the loss.
 
Jordan Trowers led the YSU defense with five tackles in the game, while James Jackson came up with a pair of second-half sacks to highlight the Penguins.
 
How They Scored

• Justin Dinka broke two tackles around the line of scrimmage and sprinted past the Youngstown State defense on the opening play of the game for a 75-yard touchdown run to put the Sycamores ahead 7-0 early in the contest.
• Youngstown State responded on their opening possession as Mitch Davidson found Bryce Oliver for a 50-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline to tie the game up at 7-7 with 11:37 to play in the first quarter.
• YSU's Dra Rushton put the Penguins ahead 14-7 with a one-yard touchdown carry following a 57-yard completion from Davidson to Oliver. The touchdown carry capped a two-play, 58-yard drive with 5:44 left in the first quarter.
• Indiana State tied the game up at 14-14 with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter as Dakota Caton took the quick slant pass to the left, evaded two defenders, and went 53 yards to the end zone for the score.
• Latrell Fordham took the ensuing kickoff back 98 yards down the right sideline for the score to give YSU the 21-14 lead with 1:08 remaining in the first quarter.
• Cade Chambers took the ball over the right tackle and into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown run to tie the game up at 21-21 with 12:08 remaining in the second quarter. The score highlighted a drive that featured a 38-yard connection from Chambers to Dante Hendrix that set up the 1st-and-Goal.
• Jaleel McLaughlin went 68 yards up the middle for the touchdown to give Youngstown State the 28-21 lead with 10:17 remaining in the second quarter.
• Mitch Davidson called his own number and took the ball 12 yards up the middle to cap a seven-play, 85-yard drive and put Youngstown State ahead 35-21 with 2:54 remaining in the first half.
• Dakota Caton hauled in his second touchdown reception of the first half with 1:35 on the clock as Indiana State cut the YSU lead down to 35-28. The Sycamore wide receiver was all by himself in the middle of the field with Chamber targeting him for the 12-yard score to end the six-play, 75-yard drive.
• Jaleel McLaughlin capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run on the first drive of the third quarter to put Youngstown State ahead 42-28 with 9:44 on the clock.
• Colt McFadden added to Youngstown State's lead with a 33-yard field goal with 6:15 left in the third quarter to stretch the advantage to 45-28. The field goal drive started due to an Indiana State fumble on the kickoff return near midfield.
• Justin Dinka took the forward pitch from Cade Chambers around the left side and outran the defense to the front left pylon for the 18-yard touchdown reception with 4:18 to play in the contest. The touchdown was aided by a defensive pass interference call that moved the ball from midfield and cut the YSU lead down to 45-35.
• Cade Chambers took the keeper around the right side and scored from 11 yards out to cap a four-play, 45-yard drive that was highlighted by an ISU onside kick recovery. The Chambers touchdown cut the YSU lead down to 45-42 with 2:25 to play in the third quarter.
• Colt McFadden added to the YSU lead with 1:42 remaining in the contest with his 42-yard field goal putting the Penguins ahead 48-42.

Inside the Numbers

• Indiana State recorded a season-best 22 first downs in the game on their way to posting 498 total offensive yards.
• The Sycamores posted a season-best 187 rushing yards on 27 carries (6.9 ypc) and 311 passing yards on Cade Chambers' 15-of-29 performance through the air.
• The Sycamores averaged 8.9 yards per offensive play over their 56 plays.
• Youngstown State recorded 28 first downs (22 rushing) and averaged 6.7 yards per offensive play.
• The Penguins posted 313 rushing yards and 223 passing yards on their way to a 536 total offensive yard day.
• Youngstown State held the 36:34-23:26 edge in time of possession.
• The Penguins converted 10-of-16 third downs and scored in all four trips to the red zone.

News & Notes

• Indiana State's trio of Cade Chambers (311 passing), Justin Dinka (156 rushing), and Dante Hendrix (117 receiving) became the first Sycamore trio to hit the 300-yard passing, 100-yard rushing, and 100-yard receiving in the same game since the Sycamores pulled off the statistic back in 2016 in the double overtime game against South Dakota (Oct. 15).
• Chambers became the first ISU quarterback to top 300 passing yards in a single game since Ryan Boyle threw for 325 against South Dakota back in the 2018 season.
• Justin Dinka turned in his third touchdown run of 50-plus yards in the 2022 season following his 75-yard score on the opening play of the game. The redshirt sophomore previously went 54 yards (TD) against Montana and 82 yards (TD) against North Dakota State in the 2022 season.
• Dakota Caton's 53-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter marked his first TD since 2019 and ISU's longest pass of the 2022 season.
• Dinka became the first Indiana State back to record back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Titus McCoy posted 123 against South Dakota (Nov. 3) and 132 against Illinois State (Nov. 10) in the 2018 season.
• The Sycamores have had a running back hit the 100-yard mark in back-to-back games against Youngstown State following Dinka's 159-yard performance. Peterson Kerlegrand finished with 151 yards and two touchdowns in the 2021 contest against YSU.
• The first half between the two teams featured 765 total offensive yards (Indiana State - 414, Youngstown State -351).
• The Sycamores and Penguins combined for six plays of 50-plus yards in the first half.
• YSU's Latrell Fordham's kickoff return for a touchdown was the first one given up by Indiana State since 2018.

Up Next
Indiana State is back home for Homecoming Week as the Sycamores welcome Illinois State to Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 22. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Redbirds is set for 1 p.m. The game will be carried live on ESPN3 and 105.5 The Legend.
 
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