PITTSBURG, Kan. — Quarterback Anthony Abenoja and wide receiver Gavin Lutman teamed up for a record-breaking afternoon as No. 18 Pittsburg State University shook off a slow start, and a 10-0 deficit, to roll to a 45-17 victory over Emporia State University Saturday (Oct. 11) before 10,845 partisan Homecoming fans at Carnie Smith Stadium.

Abenoja tossed five touchdown passes, including four to Lutman, to spark the Pitt State rally. Lutman finished the game with 10 receptions, setting new Pitt State and MIAA single-game receiving records with 268 yards.

Lutman hauled in a 53-yard scoring grab from Abenoja to get the Gorillas on the board with 10:01 to play in the second quarter. Pitt State (5-1, 5-1 MIAA) fell behind 10-0 after ESU (3-3, 3-3 MIAA) capitalized on a 50-yard run by Antonio Brown to set up a field goal and Lundell Johnson returned a blocked field goal attempt 77 yards for a touchdown.

After missing a 35-yard attempt into a steady wind on the Gorillas opening drive and having a 28-yarder blocked for a defensive score, Connor Frazell knotted the score at 10-10 with a successful 19-yard field goal with 2:35 to play in the first half.

One play later, Taye Irvin sacked ESU quarterback Ty Reasnor and jarred the ball loose. Colby Hall recovered it at the ESU 22. Abenoja then found Lutman open on the ensuing playfor a 17-10 Pitt State edge with 2:21 to play in the second quarter.

The Hornets tried to counter, driving 53 yards to the PSU 23, but Irvin forced Brown into a fumble and Avery Adair recovered it for the Gorillas at the PSU 22 with 1:06 remaining in the half.

Three plays later, Lutman got behind coverage and Abenoja hit him in stride for a 75-yard strike that sent Pitt State to the locker room with a 24-10 advantage.

Abenoja added an 18-yard scoring strike to Marquise Cushon to stretch the lead to 31-10 with 5:44 remaining in the third quarter.

ESU got it back to a two-possession game with 2:00 remaining in the third quarter when Brown broke loose from initial contact and scampered 33 yards to the end zone on a 4th-and-2 play, but Abenoja and Lutman slammed the door on a Hornet comeback try as Pitt State went 58 yards in six plays with Lutman snaring a 25-yard TD pass with 2 seconds left in the third quarter.

Dre Holman capped Pitt State's scoring with a three-yard scoring run with 6:44 to play in the game.

Abenoja completed 26 of 39 passes for 438 yards in the contest, finishing the game four yards off matching his Pitt State single-game passing mark of 442 yards from the 2013 season against Lincoln. Holman led Pitt State's ground gainers with 12 carries for 58 yards.

Lutman topped the former Pitt State receiving record of 238 yards set by Kendall Fisher against Emporia State in a 44-14 victory on Oct. 17, 2009. He also bested the former MIAA receiving mark of 254 yards set by Missouri Southern's Rod Smith on Oct. 19, 1991.

The Gorillas finished Saturday's contest with 445 passing yards and 146 more yards on the ground – rolling up a season-high 591 total yards in the contest.

Linebacker Spencer Brown made a game-high 12 tackles to pace the Pitt State defense, including a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage. Safeties Deron Washington and Keeston Terry added eight and seven tackles, respectively. Nose guard Taye Irvin chipped in with three tackles and two forced fumbles.

The Gorillas, who entered the game's as the nation's top scoring defense, limited the Hornets to 266 total yards, nearly 200 yards below their season average.

Pitt State will travel to Maryville, Mo., to face unbeated and No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State University. The Bearcats defeated Lindenwood University, 51-20, at St. Charles, Mo., Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium next week.