# 1991 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

The 1991 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 21, 1991, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 25–17.

## Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1991 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket. The location of the final, the Georgia Southern Eagles' Paulson Stadium, had been predetermined via a three-year agreement the university reached with the NCAA in February 1989.

### Youngstown State Penguins

Youngstown State finished their regular season with an 8–3 record. Unseeded in the tournament and ranked 13th in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll, the Penguins defeated Villanova, top-seed Nevada, and Samford to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Youngstown State in a Division I-AA championship game.

### Marshall Thundering Herd

Marshall also finished their regular season with an 8–3 record (5–2 in conference). Unseeded and ranked eighth in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll, the Thundering Herd defeated Western Illinois, third-seed Northern Iowa, and second-seed Eastern Kentucky to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Marshall in a Division I-AA championship game, having lost in 1987.

## Game summary

After a low-scoring first half, Youngstown State held a 3–0 lead at halftime. Marshall then scored all of their points in the third quarter, taking a 17–6 lead. Youngstown State rallied for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and a 25–17 win.

### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | YSU | MU |
| 2 | | | | | YSU | 23-yard field goal by Jeff Wilkins | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | 10:14 | | | | MU | Troy Brown 13-yard touchdown reception from Michael Payton, Dewey Klein kick good | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | | | | | MU | Ricardo Clark 13-yard touchdown reception from Payton, Klein kick good | 3 | 14 |
| 3 | | | | | YSU | 37-yard field goal by Wilkins | 6 | 14 |
| 3 | 0:00 | | | | MU | 42-yard field goal by Klein | 6 | 17 |
| 4 | | | | | YSU | Herb Williams 33-yard touchdown reception from Ray Isaac, 2-point pass failed | 12 | 17 |
| 4 | 7:09 | 8 | 80 | | YSU | Ryan Wood 3-yard touchdown run, 2-point run failed | 18 | 17 |
| 4 | | 3 | 14 | | YSU | Tamron Smith 5-yard touchdown run, Wilkins kick good | 25 | 17 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 25 | 17 |

### Game statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Penguins | 0 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 25 |
| Thundering Herd | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Statistics | YSU | MU |
| First downs | 16 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 65–319 | 85–412 |
| Rushes–yards | 50–121 | 42–49 |
| Passing yards | 198 | 363 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 9–15–0 | 30–43–2 |
| Time of possession | 32:35 | 27:25 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Youngstown State | Passing | Ray Isaac | 9–15, 198 yds, 1 TD |
| Youngstown State | Rushing | Tamron Smith | 30 car, 88 yds, 1 TD |
| Youngstown State | Receiving | Andre Ballinger | 4 rec, 89 yds |
| Marshall | Passing | Michael Payton | 30–43, 363 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Marshall | Rushing | Glenn Pedro | 13 car, 50 yds |
| Marshall | Receiving | Ricardo Clark | 8 rec, 154 yds, 1 TD |