King and Rushton each run for 2 TDs, Youngtown St. beats FCS No. 5 Southern Illinois 30-3

Updated Oct. 7, 2023 10:44 p.m. ET

Associated Press

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — Tyshon King and Dra Rushton each ran for two touchdowns Saturday to help Youngstown State hand Southern Illinois its first loss of the season, 30-3.

King finished with 117 yards on 22 carries and became the first player with at least 100 yards rushing against the Southern Illinois defense — which went in allowing an FCS-leading 54.8 yards rushing per game this season — since South Dakota’s Shomari Lawrence on Oct. 22, 2022. Rushton added 53 yards rushing.

King went up the middle for a 40-yard touchdown to cap a seven-play, 75-yard opening drive, and the Penguins (3-2, 1-1 Missouri Valley) went 96 yards in 13 plays for a 14-0 lead when Rushton scored on a 2-yard run early in the second quarter.

Thomas Burks kicked a 33-yard field goal just before halftime to get the Salukis, ranked No. 5 in the FCS coaches poll, on the board. But Andrew Lastova answered with a 22-yarder that made it 17-3 going into the fourth. King scored on a 1-yard run and Rushton added a touchdown from 2-yards out to cap the scoring.

The Penguins limited Southern Illinois (4-1, 1-1) to 100 total yards, including six yards rushing on 23 attempts. In the second half the Salukis had eight yards and just one first down.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll