Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Youngstown State tight end Brandon Serrano is brought down after making a reception against South Dakota. The Penguins travel to Illinois State on Saturday.

YOUNGSTOWN — After falling at home to North Dakota back on Oct. 8, things were bleak for Youngstown State.

Three consecutive wins later, and the Penguins (5-3, 3-2 Missouri Valley) find themselves back in the hunt for a potential postseason berth.

“I think we’re really excited and super confident,” offensive lineman Aidan Parker said. “I think we always knew what we could do — that this team had potential — and then finally put it together and started to take steps in the right way. We’re not all the way there yet; we still have work to do. but I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

If the Penguins are to continue along that right direction, they’ll have to start defeating teams also vying for postseason berths, beginning this week at Illinois State (5-3, 3-2). The Redbirds come in with a near identical resume, though they do feature a 23-21 win at Northern Iowa (5-4, 4-2).

Youngstown State last met Illinois State in 2019’s season finale, a 21-3 Penguin victory that capped off an otherwise disappointing campaign.

After ISU, the Penguins visit Missouri State (3-5, 1-4) and then host Southern Illinois (5-4, 4-2) to conclude the year. It’s possible, if not likely, that the Penguins have to win out if they’re to earn a playoff bid.

YSU head coach Doug Phillips says the Penguins do look at the bigger picture, usually on Sundays, but the focus remains on each individual day and week.

“I think you need to take a big picture look sometimes, but then you have to zero back and say, ‘You know what? We have to get ready for Tuesday’s practice; we have to get ready for our next opponent each week,” he said. “If you look beyond that, you’re going to run into trouble.”

He added, “From here on out, they’re all going to be significant. But to know you’re going to (Illinois State) to play a football game, I want our kids to focus on how we can play fast, how we can play aggressive, and that’s truly understanding our game plan.”

YSU could be in for a defensive battle Saturday, as the Redbirds enter with the No. 3 scoring defense (20.1 points per game) and No. 3 total defense (313.5 yards per game) in the Valley.

The strength of that ISU defense is the front seven, Phillips says.

“I think they do a great job, and they’re big up front. They bring pressure. They have guys that can get to the quarterback, and that helps any secondary out. Defensively, that’s where they hang their hat,” Phillips said.

JACK linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh, a Preseason All-MVFC First Team selection, leads that effort from Illinois State’s 3-4 scheme with team-high totals in tackles (63), sacks (7.5) and TFLs (12).

As a team, Illinois State ranks tied for third in the MVFC in both sacks (22) and interceptions (7). YSU has the same amount.

It will provide a challenge for a Youngstown State offense that’s found its groove under quarterback Mitch Davidson. The Salem native has thrown for at least 220 yards in each of his four starts, and YSU has amassed at least 450 yards in each of those contests.

“They do a lot of good things defensively. I think they have a good scheme and a lot of good players that like to move a lot on the defense, which helps free (Vandenburgh) up,” Parker said. “So it’s a big week to be in the film room to know what they do and other tendencies and just to be able to pick up those blitzes and movements.”

Offensively, the Redbirds haven’t generated much of a rush attack, but quarterback Zack Annexstad, a Minnesota transfer, does well in keeping defenses off balance by facilitating to a handful of receivers.

Annexstad averages 211.4 yards per game and has 11 touchdowns this year. Jalen Carr leads ISU with 28 receptions for 296 yards and a touchdown, while Tanner Taula has 26 grabs for 284 yards and a score. Daniel Sobkowicz rounds the unit out with 21 receptions for 249 yards and a team-high three receiving touchdowns.

YSU’s secondary hasn’t recorded an interception since Week 3 at Kentucky, but the Penguins did return to form defensively a week ago with 9.0 TFLs and 5.0 sacks.

When Illinois State does rush, it’s most often through Wenkers Wright, who has 97 attempts for 409 yards and a touchdown. Annexstad has four touchdowns on the ground.

“We saw a little bit of flim on (Annexstad) earlier (Tuesday), and we can see what he can do with his feet, and we can see what he can do throwing,” defensive end Andres Lehrmann said. “I feel like this offense moves with the quarterback.”

Capitalizing on third-down situations also will be of the utmost importance, Phillips noted. Illinois State converts on 46.6 percent of its third downs, and only allows conversions on 38.7 percent.

“When you look at complementary football, I look at their third-down efficiency where they’re 47 percent. That’s remarkable,” he said. “You look at their time of possession, where it’s close to 30 minutes. That’s how the blue bloods — and when I say blue blue bloods, the teams that have been winning Missouri Valley Football Conference championships — that’s what you have to do. That’s where I want to see our team grow. Did I see it in the second quarter (against South Dakota)? Yeah, and now I want to see it in a whole game.”

On the injury front, Phillips noted that the players who missed the USD game — reserve tailback Dra Rushton, starting tight end Jake Benio, starting linebacker Griffin Hoak and starting receiver Latrell Fordham — all are day-to-day but did practice Tuesday.

PREDICTION

This one will be a low-scoring affair, but the YSU offense makes just enough plays as the YSU defense holds ISU at bay.

Youngstown State wins, 17-14.