1987 Youngstown State Penguins football team

The 1987 Youngstown State Penguins football team represented Youngstown State University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach Jim Tressel, the Penguins compiled an overall record of 8–4, with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, and finished as OVC co-champion. Youngstown State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA first round and were defeated by Northern Iowa.

1987 Youngstown State Penguins football
OVC co-champion
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 28–31 at Northern Iowa
Conference	Ohio Valley Conference
Record	8–4 (5–1 OVC)
Head coach	Jim Tressel (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Jim Bollman (2nd season)
Home stadium	Stambaugh Stadium
Seasons ← 1986 1988 →

1987 Ohio Valley Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 7 Eastern Kentucky +^	5	–	1	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
No. 15 Youngstown State +^	5	–	1	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
Middle Tennessee	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Murray State	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Tennessee Tech	2	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Morehead State	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	8	–	0
Austin Peay	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 5	at Eastern Michigan*		Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	L 20–35	17,252	[1]
September 12	at Bowling Green*		Doyt Perry Stadium Bowling Green, OH	W 20–17	10,000	[2]
September 26	at Marshall*		Fairfield Stadium Huntington, WV	L 13–38		[3]
October 3	Northeastern*		Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	W 29–14		[4]
October 10	at Tennessee Tech		Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN	W 18–15		[5]
October 17	Austin Peay		Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	W 20–18		[6]
October 24	No. 16 Eastern Kentucky		Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	L 7–14	9,060	[7]
October 31	at No. T–20 Middle Tennessee		Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN	W 17–16	13,400	[8]
November 7	Murray State		Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	W 20–13		[9]
November 14	Morehead State	No. T–20	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	W 38–14		[10]
November 20	at Akron*	No. 19	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Steel Tire)	W 10–6	1,300	[11]
November 28	at No. 4 Northern Iowa*	No. 15	UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 28–31	3,887	[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "The times are a-changin': EMU wins opener, 35–20". Detroit Free Press. September 6, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Moeller 0–2 after Youngstown loss". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 13, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Marshall 38, Youngstown State 13". Austin American-Statesman. September 27, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Northeastern defeats Youngstown St., 29–14". Rutland Daily Herald. October 4, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Y'stown St. 18, Tenn. Tech 15". Kingsport Times-News. October 11, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Penguins edge past Governors". The Daily News-Journal. October 18, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Crawford's bounding 35-yard run gets Eastern in shape to edge Youngstown". The Courier-Journal. October 25, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "OVC title dream dims for MTSU". The Tennessean. November 1, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Murray ambitions shot down". The Paducah Sun. November 8, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Youngstown clinches share of OVC crown". Lexington Herald-Leader. November 15, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "A night for Penguins; Youngstown stops Zips, weather 10–6". The Akron Beacon Journal. November 21, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "UNI wins opener of playoffs". The Des Moines Register. November 29, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.