UNI football: Panthers drop first MVFC road test at Youngstown State

Saturday, October 17

Youngstown, Ohio

5 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

3-3 , 2-1

Youngstown State

6-2 , 4-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
UNI	0	7	9	6	22
Youngstown St.	14	14	0	7	35

Photo by: © Andy Saigh

UNI football: Panthers drop first MVFC road test at Youngstown State

10/17/2026 8:38:00 PM | Football

Box Score Final Stats

No. 6 YSU Penguins hand the Panthers their first Valley loss of the 2026 season, 35-22.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The UNI Panthers headed to Youngstown State for their first road test of the MVFC slate. The Penguins of YSU jumped out to an early lead, and held on through a UNI surge, as sixth-ranked Youngstown State took home a 35-22 victory over the Cats in their Homecoming Weekend contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Youngstown State got on the board right away, returning the opening kickoff for 93 yards and a touchdown. The Penguins scored the first 28 points of the game. UNI got on the board to close the second quarter on a 24-yard pass from Jaxon Dailey to Kai Black for the touchdown. The Cats looked to double up, receiving the second-half kickoff.

UNI was able to double up on both sides of the break. A 29-yard reception by Ben Gordon on third-and-long kept the drive alive, as Jaxon Dailey found Brady McCullough in the end zone on fourth-and-six for the Panthers' second touchdown of the day. The PAT was blocked with UNI down 15 points at 28-13. The defense was fired up after the drive, forcing the first YSU punt of the day. The UNI offense used that momentum to tack on three more points on a 45-yard field goal off the foot of Max Bartachek, his longest of the season. A 12-play, 75-yard drive from the Penguins ended in the end zone, giving YSU a fourth-quarter, 19-point lead at 35-16.

Needing to score, UNI drove to the 21-yard line of Youngstown State, but were held scoreless after a sack-fumble on fourth-and-15 was recovered by the Panthers, but turned the ball over on downs, giving YSU the ball with a 19-point lead and 10:57 left in the contest.

A punt forced by the UNI defense gave the Cats the ball with 7:50 on the clock, needing three scores. A 20-yard reception from Ben Gordon, along with a pair of penalties, kept the offense moving, as the 15-play drive ended on a 17-yard receiving touchdown from Dailey to Ayden Price, his first of the year. The Penguins were able to run the clock after recovering the onside kick, taking home a 35-22 victory over UNI.

Jaxon Dailey completed 28-of-49 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, Ben Gordon led the rushing room with 45 yards on four carries. Kai Black led the receiving room with 74 yards on three receptions with a touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, Calvin Jaworski tallied double-figure tackles for the second time this season with 10 total tackles.

UP NEXT

The Panthers take on their second consecutive road opponent on October 24, as they head to Carbondale, Illinois to match up with the Southern Illinois Salukis. Kickoff at Saluki Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT with coverage available on ESPN+. JW Cox and the Hall of Famer Scott " Petey" Peterson will be live on the air on 93.5 The Mix and the Panther Sports Radio Network.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

UNI falls to 3-3 on the season and 2-1 in Valley play with the 35-22 loss to No. 6 Youngstown State.
Max Bartachek's 45-yard field goal was his longest of the season and second-longest of his career, behind a 46-yard boot at Utah Tech last season.
UNI's 15-play drive in the fourth quarter was their longest drive of the season. The drive ended in the end zone on a 17-yard touchdown grab.

UNI football action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Football), X (@UNIFootball) and on Instagram (@unipantherfootball). The full 2026 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.