Staff photo / Neel Madhavan. Youngstown State warms up ahead of its FCS playoff showdown with Villanova on Saturday.

VILLANOVA, Pa. — Youngstown State looks to keep its season alive, as the Penguins travel outside Philadelphia to face No. 8 seed Villanova. Follow along here all game for live updates.

Pregame: YSU wins the toss and defers to the second half. Villanova will get the ball to start things off here.

11:31 1st quarter: A few big runs gets the Wildcats in business on their opening drive after being backed up inside their own 20. Jalen Jackson gets Villanova on the board with a 5-yd TD run. YSU 0, Villanova 7.

8:33 1st quarter: Villanova has had the Penguins defense guessing on the zone read. Then, when Connor Watkins throws, he gets intercepted at the line of scrimmage on a screen pass. Penguins get a turnover and the offense takes over.

4:40 1st quarter: YSU converts a 4th-and-1 with a Mitch Davidson QB sneak. But still, the drives stalls out and the Penguins get on the board with a 25-yard Andrew Lastovka FG. YSU 3, Villanova 7.

Quick thinking from Davidson. Low snap gets fumbled, but he swings it out to the TE Brandon Serrano for a first down.

End of the 1st quarter. Villanova leads YSU 7-3.

14:01 2nd quarter: Beautifully designed route tree there. Mitch Davidson hits Joey Farthing for a 34-yard touchdown on 4th down. Penguins take the lead. YSU 10, Villanova 7.

11:36 2nd quarter: Villanova with a quick reply. Wildcats go 39 yards in five plays after a long kickoff return and a late hit penalty on YSU. QB Connor Watkins plows in from a yard out. YSU 10, Villanova 14.

7:24 2nd quarter: Running room has been hard to come by for YSU so far, but Davidson is getting into a rhythm in the pass game. He’s 10-for-12 at the moment.

5:26 2nd quarter: Villanova gets out of the shadow of their own end zone, as Connor Watkins hits his TE on an RPO up the seam. Watkins then finds Jaylan Sanchez all alone behind YSU’s defense for a 64-yard TD. YSU 10, Villanova 21.

1:20 2nd quarter: YSU gets the ball back at its own 25 with 1:20 till halftime trailing 21-10.

Halftime: Not the ideal end to the first half for the Penguins after taking their first lead. Villanova ends the half with two unanswered touchdowns and leads 21-10 at the break.

These are two run-first teams and right now, Villanova is controlling things in the trenches. Wildcats are outgaining the Penguins 121-47 on the ground.

12:51 3rd quarter: Mitch Davidson picked off by Christian Sapp on YSU’s opening drive of the 2nd half. Floated it high over Luke Hensley’s head. Wildcats take over at their own 29.

10:44 3rd quarter: Wildcats turn the turnover into another TD. Jalen Jackson scampers in from four yards out for his 2nd score of the game. YSU 10, Villanova 28.

5:03 3rd quarter: YSU gets aided by a defensive pass interference on fourth down, but the drives stalls in the red zone. Andrew Lastovka boots it through from 31 yards. YSU 13, Villanova 28.

1:27 3rd quarter: Matthew Mercurio hits a 31-yard FG and Villanova extends its lead back to 18. Penguins running out of time to get back into this. YSU 13, Villanova 31.

End of the 3rd quarter: Nowhere to go for Mitch Davidson. Villanova gets the sack and YSU turns it over on downs. Wildcats take over at their own 41. YSU 13, Villanova 31.

11:41 4th quarter. Villanova cruising now. QB Connor Watkins takes it himself for a 14-yd TD run. YSU 13, Villanova 38.

8:53 4th quarter: YSU responds with a quick score. Mitch Davidson finds Luke Hensley in the back of the end zone for a 14-yd TD. The Penguins then tack on the 2-pt conversion, as Davidson hits Bryce Oliver. YSU 21, Villanova 38.

7:07 4th quarter: Villanova giving Davidson all day to throw as he dances around in the pocket. But he gets picked off for the second time today. Wildcats take over leading by 17. YSU 21, Villanova 38.

4:52 4th quarter: Villanova adds to its lead. DeeWil Barlee runs it in for a 22-yard score. YSU 21, Villanova 45.

1:30 4th quarter: This is over, but YSU will not go away quietly. Davidson finds Joey Farthing for a 27-yd TD on 4th-and-17. Farthing’s 2nd TD reception of the day. YSU 28, Villanova 45.

Final. YSU’s season comes to an end in the 2nd round of the FCS playoffs. The Penguins fall at Villanova 45-28.