Wells, Webb carry Youngstown St over S Illinois 21-14

Nov 12, 2016, 03:52 pm

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Hunter Wells threw two touchdown passes and the defense made two stands in the closing minutes to give Youngstown State a 21-14 win over Southern Illinois on Saturday.

Jody Webb rushed for a career-high 167 yards on 21 carries, including two long runs that set up scores for the Penguins (7-3, 5-2 Missouri Valley), who finished perfect at home for the fifth time in school history.

Webb had a 24-yard scamper after a short punt set the Penguins up at midfield. Wells followed that with a swing pass that Darien Townsend turned into a 10-yard score with 4:59 to play.

Southern Illinois (3-7, 1-6) then marched inside the Youngstown 10 before throwing three straight incompletions. Given one last chance after a punt, the Salukis reached the Penguins' 35 and Sam Straub's Hail Mary pass was caught by Israel Lamprakes at the 5 as time ran out.

Southern Illinois had two long scoring drives in the second half after trailing 14-0 at halftime as Straub, in his second start, threw for a career-high 366 yards.