FARGO - A hearbreaking loss ended a season of heartbreaks for North Dakota State's football team.

Youngstown State quarterback Brandon Summers found Dominique Barnes open in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left as the Penguins came from behind to beat NDSU 39-35 on Saturday at the Fargodome.

The Bison ended their season at 3-8, a rare bad season for this storied program.

To make it worse, NDSU seemed to have a win wrapped up Saturday. The Bison led 35-24 after Pat Paschall's 3-yard touchdown run with 7:59 left in the game.

But Youngstown, another storied program that finished a frustrating 6-5 this season, managed to claw back.

"We were playing well enough to get beat," NDSU coach Craig Bohl said of the game and the season.

Losses included by three to Sam Houston State, by three to Illinois State and by four to Missouri State.

"It seems that we always came up short this season in every aspect," Paschall said

Paschall didn't come up short. The senior from St. Louis rushed for 140 yards on 27 carries. It was the 10th time this season and 14th time in his NDSU career that he rushed for over 100 yards.

Paschall went into the game leading the NCAA Division I Championship Subdivision in rushing and left the game with a chance to win a national rushing title.

Paschall didn't get long gains Saturday, as he was known to get in previous games. "It wasn't his best game, but he did a lot of things right," Bohl said.

The Bison did a lot of things right on offense. They outgained Youngstown 470 to 355 in total yards, thanks in part to Paschall and freshman quarterback Jose Mohler.

Mohler passed for 238 yards, completing 16 of 23, and rushed for 56 yards.

Mohler also came up with a few big plays. A 38-yard pass to Warren Holloway set up NDSU's first touchdown. And a 32-yard gain by Mohler set up the second touchdown, a 21-yard pass from Mohler to Holloway.

"Things were rolling. They were going on all cylanders," Mohler said if when he and the Bison got hot.

But Summers and the Penguins were going on all cylanders when it counted.

Summers, who didn't start the game because he was hurting and didn't practice much this past week, drove Youngstown 75 yards to a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 5:13 left to narrow NDSU's lead to 35-32.

Then, after the Bison went three and out for the first time in the game, Summers drove the Penguins 70 yards, culminating in the touchdown with :22 left.

Summers finished with 259 yards passing.

"Two teams fought to the end. What more can you ask of young guys?" Youngstown coach Jon Heacock said.

Heacock said he didn't have any doubts that his team could come back and win.

"I'm always a believer in my team," he said. "Our players don't quit."

Bohl said he is also an optimist, about next year, especially with a long list of fairly talented underclassmen.

"Right now, it doesn't feel good," he admitted.

Mohler put it best. "We're a young team. On this football team, there were only four seniors on offense. And the coaches here do a good job recruiting. There is no doubt in my mind we can get back on top."

YSU 7 14 0 18 - 39

NDSU 0 21 7 7 - 35

First Quarter

YSU-Jones 5 pass from Kanetsky (Blose kick), 10:59.

Second Quarter

NDSt-Paschall 1 run (Jo.Obarski kick), 12:33.

YSU-D.Barnes 6 pass from Summers (Blose kick), 7:14.

NDSt-Paschall 1 run (Jo.Obarski kick), 4:41.

YSU-L.Wicks 79 blocked field goal return (Blose kick), 1:25.

NDSt-Holloway 21 pass from Mohler (Jo.Obarski kick), :46.

Third Quarter

NDSt-Veldman 27 pass from Mohler (Jastram kick), 6:08.

Fourth Quarter

YSU-FG Blose 28, 14:23.

NDSt-Paschall 3 run (Jastram kick), 7:59.

YSU-Pitts 4 pass from Summers (Smith pass from Summers), 5:13.

YSU-D.Barnes 5 pass from Summers (Blose kick), :22.

A-14,301.

YSU NDSt

First downs 19 24

Rushes-yards 33-67 40-232

Passing 289 238

Comp-Att-Int 26-38-0 16-23-2

Return Yards 0 16

Punts-Avg. 3-36.0 2-27.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-1

Penalties-Yards 4-35 4-40

Time of Possession 31:07 28:53

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Youngstown St., Smith 25-101, Campbell 1-(minus 1), D.Barnes 1-(minus 2), Team 1-(minus 2), Kanetsky 2-(minus 13), Summers 3-(minus 16). N. Dakota St., Paschall 27-140, Mohler 7-56, McNorton 3-21, Ojuri 2-11, Voigtlander 1-4.

PASSING-Youngstown St., Summers 23-34-0-259, Kanetsky 3-4-0-30. N. Dakota St., Mohler 16-23-2-238.

RECEIVING-Youngstown St., Jones 10-98, D.Barnes 5-77, Pitts 3-41, Smith 3-11, Lee 2-29, D.Brown 2-21, K.Banna 1-12. N. Dakota St., Veldman 4-65, Holloway 3-88, Bruhn 3-15, Williams 2-35, Vandal 2-18, Voigtlander 1-9, Smith 1-8.

Records: YSU 4-4 Missouri Valley, 6-5 overall; NDSU 2-6, 3-8.