Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard scores a touchdown during the first half of their game against Northern Iowa at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

YOUNGSTOWN — There won’t be any second chances when the Youngstown State football team takes the field against Yale on Saturday.

Win and advance to face Montana State, or lose and go home. Those are the only two outcomes.

The Penguins are aware of this fact, and the word “focus” has been said by Penguins head coach Doug Phillips a couple times since the FCS playoff brackets were released on Sunday.

“It just means a lot that we get to spend one more week together. The second half this past Saturday (against Northern Iowa), that’s what we talked about, fighting for an extra week with our brothers,” YSU junior linebacker Carston Marshall said. “I think it’s great that we get to have a home playoff game here in Youngstown.”

Saturday (ESPN+/570 WKBN) will be Yale’s first playoff appearance in program history. The Ivy League traditionally ended its football activities after the final regular season game, but the conference announced it would allow its teams to participate in the postseason on Dec. 18.

It will also be the first time the Penguins have faced an Ivy League foe.

“First time in the school’s history that we played Yale. People have been saying it’s the ‘Battle of the Y’s’,” Marshall said. “I think it’ll be an entertaining matchup, for sure.”

The Penguins will go against a dynamic offense in Yale, who enters the game ranked 40th in the FCS in yards per game (382.4) and 35th in rushing yards per game (176.1).

The Bulldogs (8-2) are powered by running back and Walter Payton finalist Josh Pitsenberger, who is fifth in the FCS in rushing yards per game (123.8). Receiver Nico Brown enters leading the FCS in receiving yards per game (108.7).

Meanwhile, YSU (8-4) is ranked 74th in total defense (388.2 yards per game), and is coming off a 35-32 win over Northern Iowa. The Penguins led 28-3 at halftime before the Panthers tried for the comeback.

“This is a big opportunity,” Marshall said. “We obviously want to put together four quarters, which I feel we haven’t done a whole lot this year. We’ve had halves, three quarters, but after an experience like last week, we’re focused on playing four quarters of football.”

Phillips said the team is well-coached, in addition to the talent on the team.

“You gotta be solid in all phases of the game. You gotta play great complimentary football,” Phillips said. “So for me, every team we play has a version of that. But the one thing you probably see more than anything that jumps out – you’re talking about fundamentals and discipline – they do that each and every play. Their SATs and ACTs are pretty high.”

Phillips told his players to “be where your feet are and be in the moment.” So the Penguins know what Saturday means, and they know what a win will bring.

“It’ll mean a lot,” YSU sophomore running back Jaden Gilbert said. “We just have another opportunity to move on.”