Youngstown State will look to put its first loss of the season behind it on Saturday at 2 p.m. when Duquesne comes to Stambaugh Stadium, and Doug Phillips has made it clear he wants a response rather than a hangover. The Penguins are back home after a defeat at Kentucky exposed defensive problems, while Duquesne arrives with its own early-season questions after a season-opening loss at Air Force.
The timing matters because this is still a formative part of the year for both teams. Youngstown State opened against Mercyhurst as both programs were breaking in new coaching staffs and new players, but the trip to Kentucky was a sharper test and brought the first setback of the campaign. Duquesne, meanwhile, is also trying to settle in after opening its season with a loss at Air Force.
Phillips wants adversity to bring the Penguins together
Phillips has framed the setback as something his team must use properly. He said he sometimes looks for early adversity because it can bring a group together, and he hopes these games do exactly that. More importantly, he has pointed to league play as the true checkpoint, warning that the team cannot afford regrets later in the year.
His message for this week was straightforward: take the loss, absorb the punch and see how the team responds. In other words, this is not just about recovering physically from Kentucky. It is about whether Youngstown State can learn quickly enough to stop the same issues resurfacing down the line.
The defensive response has to improve
The biggest concern coming out of Kentucky was defensive. Youngstown State gave up more than 500 total yards, allowed 8.3 yards per play and surrendered 301 yards and four touchdowns through the air. That is the kind of performance that forces a reset, especially this early in the season.
Graydon Rollins said there were slight improvements from Week 1 to Week 2, but also areas where the defense slipped back in spots where it had been stronger against Mercyhurst. His answer was to return to basics: leverage, tackling and communication. He was blunt that a defense cannot be good without communication, and that is exactly the area Youngstown State now needs to sharpen.
Ryan Riemedio offered the same general message about moving on quickly, saying the focus has to be on getting the previous game out of the head and switching to the next week. That is the right mindset for a team that cannot afford to let one defeat linger.
Why Duquesne adds another layer
This matchup has extra edge because Duquesne beat Youngstown State for the first time ever in 2024, a 28-25 win in which the Dukes trailed 17-7 before scoring three straight touchdowns. That result will not decide Saturday’s game, but it does add some context to a meeting that already matters because both sides are still early in the season.
For Youngstown State, the chance is simple: respond at home, tidy up the defensive issues and show the loss at Kentucky was a setback, not a trend. For Duquesne, it is another opportunity to build after its own opening loss. Either way, the next answer comes on Saturday at 2 p.m., and the Penguins will be judged not just on the result, but on how they handle the moment.
The game will be available on + and 570 WKBN.
