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Game Day Central
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Game Preview
PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Kansas City, Mo., to meet Northwest Missouri State University in The Fall Classic at Arrowhead XI Saturday (Oct. 13).
The game profiles the two dominant programs in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association over the last 23 seasons as the Gorillas and Bearcats have combined to win outright or share 21 of the last 23 conference titles. Pitt State and Northwest also have combined to win five NCAA Division II National Championships and make 12 appearances in the NCAA-II National Championship Game.
The contest also will pit an NCAA Division II top 10 match-up between two teams in the thick of the 2012 MIAA Championship race. Pitt State will carry the nation’s No. 1 ranking into Saturday’s match-up while Northwest climbed one spot to No. 7 in this week’s poll.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (CDT) at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.
The Records
Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, improved to 5-0 on the season and 5-0 in MIAA play after posting a 30-21 home win over Central Missouri last Saturday (Oct. 6). The Gorillas, one of three remaining unbeaten MIAA schools along with Emporia State and Missouri Western, scored the game’s final 13 points in the fourth quarter to rally from a 21-17 deficit with 14:54 to play in the contest.
Northwest improved to 5-1 on the year and 4-1 in MIAA play with a lopsided 70-7 road win over Central Oklahoma Saturday (Oct. 6). The Bearcats have posted four straight wins and Northwest has outscored its last two opponents, 136-13.
Ticket Information
Tickets for The Fall Classic at Arrowhead XI are available by calling the PSU Ticket Office at (620) 235-4796, the Northwest Ticket Office at (660) 562-1212 or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
Lower level tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for PSU & NW students as well as high school & under. Club seats are $37. The Family Pack (2 adult, 2 child tickets) is available for $60.
Parking for the game is $20 per car and $30 for RV/Bus parking.
Online Ticket Locations:
www.pittstate.edu/tickets www.ticketmaster.com
www.nwmissouri.edu/tickets
The Coaches
Tim Beck is in his third season as head coach at Pitt State. Beck, who has compiled a 24-7 (.774) career record, led his alma mater (PSU, ’88) to the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship, earning national coach of the year honors from Liberty Mutual, the Don Hansen Football Committee and FieldTurf™.
Beck became the school’s 14th all-time head football coach in December 2009, after serving for 23 seasons as an assistant coach for the Gorillas including 16 years as the team’s offensive coordinator from 1994-2009.
In his first season leading the Gorillas, Beck guided Pitt State to a 6-6 record and a victory in the 2010 Mineral Water Bowl. Last year, Beck led the Gorillas to the program’s second NCAA national championship and the school’s fourth national title overall in a 13-1 campaign. Pitt State captured the MIAA Championship and ultimately the NCAA-II National Championship with a 35-21 victory over Wayne (Mich.) State on Dec. 17, 2011.
During his 16 seasons as offensive coordinator, the Gorilla offense consistently ranked among the finest units in NCAA Division II.
In 2008, Beck was selected the inaugural NCAA Division II Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop.com, following a vote of his coaching peers.
In 2004, Beck’s offensive unit established itself as the most prolific squad in the history of NCAA football. PSU shattered a 118-year-old scoring record, scoring an amazing 837 points (55.8 ppg). His squad also set the NCAA all division records for rushing (5,320 yards) and total offense (8,976 yards).
Beck’s teams led Division II in scoring in two of the last six years (2004, 2006) and ranked in the top two nationally in total offense three times in the last six seasons (2004, 2005, 2006). His squads ranked among the national rushing leaders every season, leading Division II in 1995 (318.8 ypg) and 2004 (354.7 ypg). Beck’s “multiple choice” option attack also compiled 16,483 passing yards (216.9 ypg) and 143 aerial touchdowns during the last six years.
Pitt State averaged a staggering 38.8 points and 442.5 yards of total offense per game during his tenure as offensive coordinator.
Prior to assuming the offensive coordinator’s role, Beck served two years as Pitt State’s defensive coordinator (1992-93). He became a full-time assistant on the Pitt State staff in 1989, after serving first as a student assistant (1987) and then as a graduate assistant (1988).
This will be Beck’s fourth meeting vs. Northwest. He is 2-1 vs. the Bearcats.
Adam Dorrel is in his second season as head coach of his alma mater, after serving for seven seasons as an assistant coach on the Bearcats staff. He has compiled a 19-5 (.792) record leading Northwest.
Dorrel was named the Bearcats’ head coach on June 23, following the tragic passing of Northwest head coach Scott Bostwick earlier that month. Bostwick, a long-time Bearcat assistant, had succeeded legendary Northwest head coach Mel Tjeerdsma, who retired after leading the Bearcats to three NCAA-II National Championships (1998-99, 2009) and 183 victories in 17 seasons. Dorrel served the previous four seasons as offensive coordinator at Northwest, directing one of the top offenses in Division II.
This will be his third meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 0-2 vs. the Gorillas.
The Pitt State-Northwest Series
This will be the 46th meeting between the Gorillas and the Bearcats in a series that dates all the way back to the 1932 season.
Pitt State leads the competitive series 23-22-0. The Gorillas are 13-7-0 vs. the Bearcats at Pittsburg, while the Bearcats hold an 8-7-0 edge in games played at Maryville and a 7-3-0 advantage at neutral sites all-time.
Pitt State snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series by defeating Northwest twice in 2011, taking a 38-35 last-second victory in The Fall Classic at Arrowhead XI on Oct. 1 and a 41-16 win in Pittsburg in the NCAA-II national quarterfinals on Dec. 3.
The Fall Classic at Arrowhead Series
Date Result Attendance
10/17/02 NW, 29-7 26,695
11/15/03 NW, 20-19 20,342
11/6/04 Pitt, 21-17 25,542
10/29/05 Pitt, 56-35 21,044
11/4/06 NW, 41-14 22,561
10/6/07 NW, 37-34 (OT) 19,103
10/4/08 NW, 35-10 21,316
9/12/09 NW, 30-10 20,813
11/13/10 NW, 22-16 16,504
10/1/11 Pitt, 38-35 15,106
PSU’s Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 254 of its last 297 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 254-41-2 (.858) mark during the past 28 seasons (1985-2012).
PSU is 142-12-1 at home, 107-22-1 on the road and 4-7-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.
Pitt State in the AFCA Top 25 Poll
Pitt State has been ranked in Division II’s top 10 96 times in the last 172 polls and the Gorillas have been ranked in the top 25 poll in 148 of 172 weeks overall (dating back to the 1999 season).
Pitt State snapped an uncharacteristic streak of 22 weeks outside the top 25 when the Gorillas debuted at No. 25 in the first regular season poll of the 2011 season. PSU finished the 2011 season ranked No. 1 in the country and the Gorillas have been ranked No. 1 in the first six polls of 2012.
The Gorillas had been ranked among the top 25 teams in the AFCA Top 25 Poll for 106 consecutive weeks, including preseason and final polls, before falling from the national list for the first time on Nov. 6, 2007. Pitt State was the only Division II program to be ranked in all 106 polls since the AFCA began administering the Top 25 poll in 1999.
Ground Game PSU’s Bread and Butter…
Pitt State’s success can be directly linked to its ability to rush the football.
Since the 1986 season, PSU has rushed for 200-plus yards in 275 of 326 overall games. The Gorillas have posted a 244-30-1 (.889) record when they eclipse 200 yards rushing. Pitt State is an even more impressive 134-6-0 (.957) when it eclipses 300 yards rushing.
By contrast, PSU is just 23-28-1 (.452) in the handful of games when it has been held below 200 yards rushing.
Since 1986, PSU has rushed the ball for the highest yardage total among all NCAA Division II programs, with 94,124 yards (including postseason competition) for an average of 288.7 yards per game.
… But Don’t Overlook Passing Attack
While it’s no secret Pitt State’s offensive success has been predicated on running the football, the Gorillas have unleashed a potent passing attack to compliment their stalwart running game.
Since the start of the 2004 season, the Gorillas have passed for 22,023 yards and 163 TDs, averaging 203.9 passing yards and 1.7 touchdown passes per game in the last 97 outings.
Pitt State opened the 2012 campaign by passing for 378 yards, the eighth-best team total in school history and the Gorillas currently rank 21st nationally averaging 292.3 passing yards per game to date.
Quick Strike Offense
The Pitt State offense has exhibited a penchant for being a “quick strike” unit.
During the last eight seasons (2005-12), the Pitt State offense has generated 504 scoring drives (433 TDs, 71 FGs) and averaged just 2:53 of elapsed time per drive. [Overtime scoring drives not included in elapsed time figures.]
2005 97 scoring drives (86 TDs, 11 FGs) 2:40 elapsed time 2009 49 scoring drives (44 TDs, 5 FGs) 3:21 elapsed time
2006 79 scoring drives (72 TDs, 7 FGs) 2:14 elapsed time 2010 41 scoring drives (34 TDs, 7 FGs) 3:04 elapsed time
2007 64 scoring drives (55 TDs, 9 FGs) 3:02 elapsed time 2011 78 scoring drives (60 TDs, 18 FGs) 2:54 elapsed time
2008 69 scoring drives (61 TDs, 8 FGs) 3:23 elapsed time 2012 27 scoring drives (21 TDs, 6 FGs) 2:36 elapsed time
The Gorillas have been highly successful when they are quick out of the gates. Pitt State has scored on its opening drive 44 times (37 TDs, 7 FGs) in the last 91 games, posting a 42-2 (.955) record in those games. By contrast, Pitt State is 25-22 (.532) in games it doesn’t score on its opening drive during the same span.
Pitt State Displays Prolific Offense
The Pitt State offense has asserted itself as one of the top units in NCAA Division II the past nine seasons (2004-12).
Pitt State’s high octane “multiple choice” offense ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 nationally in both scoring and total offense in three of the last seven seasons.
In 2004, PSU staked its claim as the most prolific offense in the history of NCAA football, leading Division II in scoring (55.8 ppg), rushing (354.7 ypg) and total offense (598.4 ypg).
Pitt State broke the NCAA’s 118-year-old all-time all division scoring record with 837 points, besting the old mark of 765 points set by Harvard in 1886. The Gorillas also broke the all-time NCAA all division records for rushing (5,320 yards) and total offense (8,976 yards) in 2004.
Oklahoma set the previous rushing record (5,196 yards) in 1971, and Texas Tech held the previous total offense mark (7,576 yards) in 2003.
In 2005, Pitt State ranked second nationally in scoring and total offense, averaging 46.8 points and 536.0 total yards per game. The Gorillas also ranked seventh nationally in rushing, averaging 295.2 yards a game.
In 2006, Pitt State led NCAA Division II in scoring and ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense, averaging 44.8 points and 454.8 total yards per game in 2006.
In 2007, the Gorillas ranked 21st nationally in scoring and 19th nationally in total offense, averaging 37.4 points and 454.2 total yards per game. In 2008, Pitt State ranked 18th nationally in scoring (35.5 ppg) and 21st in the nation in total offense (432.6 ypg).
In 2009, the Pitt State offense averaged 29.4 points and 434.4 total yards per game, while the Gorillas averaged 22.8 points and 357.7 total yards per game in 2010.
In 2011, the Gorillas ranked sixth nationally in scoring (40.2 ppg) and 19th in the country in total offense (448.5 ypg).
The Gorillas currently rank ninth nationally in scoring (43.2 ppg) and 10th in the country in total offense (485.0 ypg) and 17th in passing offense (307.4 ypg).
Pitt State All-Time Winningest Division II Program
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are in their 105th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 661-326-48 overall record, winning 66.2 percent of their 1,035 all-time games.
Pittsburg State is one of just 17 NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 500 all-time victories and the Gorillas are just one of three schools to have reached the 600-win plateau. Tuskegee is second on the all-time list with 635 victories, followed by Hillsdale (600), Central Oklahoma (591) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (583).
Team Wins
1. Pittsburg State 661
2. Tuskegee 635
3. Hillsdale 600
4. Central Oklahoma 591
5. Texas A&M-Kingsville 583
(Includes games as NAIA members)
Abenoja, Brown Among National Leaders
Sophomore quarterback Anthony Abenoja and junior wide receiver/return specialist John Brown each rank among the NCAA Division II national leaders in several statistical leaders after five weeks of play.
Abenoja (6-3, 218) enters Saturday’s action against Lincoln ranked 26th nationally in total offense (289.6 ypg) and eighth in the country in passing efficiency (165.50 rating).
The Overland Park, Kan., native has completed 92 of 139 passes (.662) for 1,385 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions. He’s also carried the ball 30 times for 63 yards (2.1 ypc) and two scores.
Abenoja needs 278 passing yards to break into the top 10 on Pitt State’s single-season passing charts. He also needs five completions to reach the top 10 for single-season completions.
Abenoja earned MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honors in his first career start vs. Northeastern State on Aug. 30 when he completed 26 of 36 passes for a school record 378 yards and two TDs.
Brown (5-11, 171) enters Saturday’s contest leading Division II in all-purpose yards (233.0 ypg). He also ranks eighth in the country in receiving yards (108.6 ypg). In special teams play, the Homestead, Fla., native ranks fifth nationally in punt returns (17.7 ypr) and 12th nationally in kickoff returns (29.6 ypr).
Brown earned MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week honors against NSU when he totaled 270 all-purpose yards against the River Hawks. He followed that up with a 312-yard performance against UCO, just missing the top five all-time all-purpose yard games in school history.
Brown climbed into third place on Pitt State’s career receiving chart with his 157-yard effort against UCM last Saturday. He now has 92 career catches for 1,759 yards (19.2 ypc), and he needs 69 receiving yards pass Gene Wayenberg, Jr. for second place on the list.
PSU Single Game Passing C-A TDs Yards Opponent, Date
1. Anthony Abenoja 26-36 2 378 @ Northeastern State, Aug. 30, 2012
2. Andy Majors 20-28 2 358 @ Southwest Baptist, Oct. 15, 2005
3. Andy Majors 23-49 2 334 vs. Delta State, Aug. 27, 2005
PSU Career Receiving Rec Yards
1. Ronnie West, 1990-91 123 2521
2. Gene Wayenberg, Jr., 1980-81 75 1827
3. John Brown, 2011-pr. 92 1759
Dreiling eclipses 300 career tackles
Junior linebacker Nate Dreiling climbed to sixth place on Pitt State’s career tackle charts after making seven stops against Southwest Baptist on Sept. 15.
Dreiling (6-4, 229) has posted double-digit tackles in 21 of 31 career games for the Gorillas, including 10 stops in Pitt State’s win over UCM last Saturday. The Hutchinson/Victoria, Kan., native now has 336 career tackles. He needs 24 stops to move past Andrew Poling (1996-99) for fifth place on PSU’s all-time tackles chart.
PSU Career Tackles Total
1. Chris Brown, 1992-95 470
5. Andrew Poling, 1996-99 359
6. Nate Dreiling, 2011-pr. 336
Odds & Ends
• The Pitt State defense has registered two or more interceptions in
seven of its last nine games and the Gorillas have registered 2+
INTs in 11 of the last 19 contests dating back to the start of the
2011 season.
• Pitt State has displayed a balanced offensive attack. The Gorillas
have run the ball 57 percent of the time (208 attempts), while
passing the ball 43 percent of the time (155 attempts).
Scouting the Bearcats
Offensively, the Bearcats are averaging 45.8 points and 463.5 total yards per game this season, generating 262.3 yards through the air and 201.2 yards per game on the ground.
Northwest ranks seventh nationally in scoring and 24th in the country in total offense.
The Bearcats, who have defeated their last two opponets by a combined margin of 133-13, scored in all phases on play last Saturday, posting a defense score as well as a kickoff return touchdown in special teams.
Senior quarterback Trevor Adams (6-1, 200) has completed 69 of 115 (.600) passes for 1056 yards with 11 TDs and six INTs this season. Adams, who has started four of six games played for the Bearcats, ranks 14th nationally in passing efficiency (158.3 rating).
Junior running back James Franklin (5-9, 185) has carried the ball 66 times for 336 (56.0 ypg) yards through six games, while senior running back Jordan Simmons (5-9, 185) has recorded 229 yards on 44 carries (5.2 ypc) this season.
Senior wide receiver Tyler Shaw has been Adams’ favorite target. Shaw (6-0, 180) has hauled in 27 catches for 529 yards (88.2 ypg) and seven touchdowns. Simmons has made 26 catches for 247 and four touchdowns. Shaw has averaged 123.3 all-purpose yards per game, while Simmons is right behind at 122.0 yards per game.
Sophomore linebacker DJ Gnader (6-2, 225) leads the Bearcat defense with 44 tackles, including 2.0 tackles-for-loss.
Sophomore defensive end Matt Longacre (6-3, 240), has recorded a team-best 6.0 TFLs and 5.0 quarterback sacks on the year.
Senior linebacker Collin DeBuysere (6-4, 230) has made 38 tackles (13 solo) with 3.5 TFLs, two interceptions and a fumble he returned 86 yards for a TD.
Junior cornerback Brandon Dixon (6-0, 195) has registered a team-leading four interceptions and seven passes defended.
As a team, the Bearcats led the MIAA in turnover margin (+8). Northwest is allowing 11.7 points and 302.3 total yards per game.
