Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Teammates celebrate with Jaleel McLaughlin by lifting him into the air after he ran in the go-ahead touchdown against Southern Illinois. McLaughlin had 84 yards and two touchdowns as the Penguins rallied for a 28-21 win.

YOUNGSTOWN — In a season full of late-game comebacks, Youngstown State had one more to give.

Trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Penguins rallied to top Southern Illinois, 28-21, Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium on Senior Day. The win keeps YSU’s FCS playoff hopes alive.

“We did what we needed to do to get to seven wins,” said YSU coach Doug Phillips. “Seven wins in the Missouri Valley has proven over the last 10 to 12 years that you deserve a right to get into that 24-team (postseason). We did what we needed to do, and our kids accomplished what we set out to do in the beginning of the week. We’ll find out at 12:30 if we get what our work deserves.”

As it’s been through so many games this season, YSU’s chances were on life support late. Southern Illinois (5-6, 4-4) surged to a 14-0 lead early on Nic Baker touchdown passes to Avante Cox (70 yards on the Salukis’ first play from scrimmage) and Jacob Garrett (22 yards), and then went up 21-7 with 11:18 left in the game on a 48-yard pass from Baker to D’Ante Cox.

The Penguins began their ensuing drive at their own 15 and drove into SIU territory. Then, on a first and 10 from the SIU 48, Mitch Davidson scrambled from pressure and launched a bomb to Bryce Oliver, who was wide open on a post route. Oliver raced into the end zone to draw the Penguins to within seven points.

The Salukis’ ensuing drive ended with a missed field goal.

YSU’s next drive began with 3:45 to go at the YSU 27. Davidson made a few key throws, one to Bryce Oliver for 17 yards to the SIU 42 and one to Luke Hensley for 29 yards to the SIU 13. On that play, Hensley laid out and came up with the grab to put the Penguins into striking distance.

A couple plays later, Davidson hit Oliver on a back shoulder fade to tie the game at 21.

Davidson completed 24 of 38 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns, while Oliver hauled in 12 receptions for 145 yards and two scores. Oliver’s 12 receptions set a single-game record at YSU.

“It goes back to those guys making plays,” Davidson said. “Luke Hensley made a huge play, a huge catch, and I got my guys Bryce Oliver and Max Tomczak. Just finding plays that got our offense moving, I think that was key.”

A roughing the kicker on Colt McFadden’s point after allowed the Penguins to kick off from the 50-yard line, which McFadden squibbed with precision. An SIU returner called fair catch, which normally would advance the ball to the 25, but because it had hit the ground, the Salukis took over where they fielded the ball — the 3-yard line.

The Penguin defense forced a quick three and out, courtesy of a couple incomplete passes by Baker. Then, Randy Smith was able to return the ensuing punt seven yards to the SIU 33.

YSU kept the ball on the ground for its entire final possession, which lasted just three plays. Jaleel McLaughlin picked up gains of six and five yards to begin, and then bolted for the go-ahead 22-yard touchdown with 35 seconds remaining.

McLaughlin ran for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.

“It meant the world to me,” McLaughlin said of scoring the go-ahead touchdown. “I was honestly a little bit scared, because I was thinking that we could have kicked the field goal there to win. So I was wondering, ‘Should I have scored that?’ But it meant the world to me.”

That question was quickly put away, as Marcus Hooker came up with an interception on SIU’s first play from scrimmage to seal the game. Hooker had a strong day with two picks and four tackles.

As a whole, YSU’s defense had a stellar day from the second quarter onward, and a large part of that was getting to Baker. The Penguins had three sacks and another QB hit, but had Baker scrambling a number of times and were able to lay hits on him in the open field.

Baker completed 18 of 27 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions, two to Hooker and one to Tyjon Jones. That was after a hot start — 5-for-5 for 115 yards and two touchdowns through two drives.

Meanwhile, the Penguins’ run defense held the Salukis to 75 yards on 29 attempts.

Of getting to Baker, Phillips said, “We felt like we could get pressure on him, and we felt like we needed to get pressure on him. So I thought there in the second quarter, when he took some hits, whether he was running or was sacked, we were starting to affect the quarterback.”

And now, the Penguins await their fate. The FCS playoff selection show will air at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU.

jwhetzel@tribtoday.com