SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Jacob Clark threw three touchdown passes, the last was his second to Lance Mason with eight seconds to play, as Missouri State edged Youngstown State 38-31 on Saturday to open Missouri Valley Football Conference play.
Clark set up the winning score with a 38-yard keeper around the left side to the Penguins’ 7 on third down. After he ran for two more yards, Clark faked a handoff up the middle and then zipped the ball to the wide-open Mason in the back of the end zone.
Youngstown State scored a pair of touchdowns on 76-yard drives in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 31.
Clark was 21-of-29 passing for 325 yards. He also led the Bears (3-2) with 63 yards on the ground. He connected with Jayden Becks for a 57-yard touchdown for a 14-7 lead and Mason’s 30-yard touchdown made it 21-14. Jmariyae Robinson had 104 yards on just three catches.
Beau Brungard was 18-of-31 passing for 180 yards and kept the ball 16 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns for Youngstown State (1-4). His 9-yard run capped a game-opening, 15-play, 75-yard drive. His other score was a 44-yard burst that tied the score at 31 with 5:46 to play.
Missouri State got close to field goal range but was forced to punt with the ball downed inside the 5. When the Bears stopped the Penguins after one first down they got the ball back on the 37 with 1:02 to go.
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