Box Score
 
JOPLIN, Mo. – Seventh-ranked Pittsburg State University scored 41 unanswered points after an early 3-0 deficit and rolled to a 41-10 victory over Missouri Southern State University Saturday (Nov. 1).
 
The Gorillas (8-1, 8-1 MIAA) claimed their fifth straight victory, while snapping the Lions (4-5, 4-5 MIAA) two-game win streak. Pitt State also secured its 27^th Miner's Bowl victory over Southern in 29 years. A modest crowd of 6,978 fans took in the contest at Fred G. Hughest Stadium.
 
Quarterback Anthony Abenoja passed for 267 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of scoring strikes to wide receiver Gavin Lutman.
 
Backup quarterback Ramsey Hamilton also rushed for a pair of scores and place kicker Connor Frazell booted a pair of first-half field goals.
 
Safety Jason Peete registered a pair of interceptions against Southern's Scott Lathrop.
 
The Lions drove the ball 63 yards on the game's opening drive, but settled for a 29-yard Brock Renken field goal when the Pitt State defense stiffened at its own 12.
 
The Gorillas countered with an efficient seven-play, 70-yard drive. Hamilton scored from a yard out to put Pitt State in front, 7-3, with 4:51 to play in the opening period. Pitt State made it 14-3 when Abenoja hit Lutman for a 16-yard scoring play that capped an 87-yard drive.
 
Frazell added kicks of 35 and 29 yards in the second quarter to swell the margin to 20-3 at halftime. A Peete interception set up Frazell's second kick with 1:14 remaining in the second period.
 
The Gorillas immediately stretched their margin in the third quarter, taking the opening drive 84 yards. Hamilton scored on a three-yard run. Abenoja added a 13-yard TD pass to Lutman and a 39-yard score to Marquise Cushon early in the fourth quarter to stretch make it a 41-3 game with 14:16 to play in the game.
 
MSSU broke up the 41-point run with a 56-yard scoring pass from Lathrop to Anthony Cannon, who finished the game with six catches for a game-high 160 yards.
 
The Gorillas finished the game with 438 total yards. Pitt State gained 171 yards on the ground, including a game-high 73 yards from redshirt freshman Michael Rose.
 
Heath Wilson made a game-high 11 tackles including a quarterback sack and two tackles-for-loss.
 
The Lions finished the game with 292 total yards with 133 yards coming against Pitt State reserves in the final period after the Gorillas had built the 38-point margin.
 
Pitt State will return to Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium to face the University of Central Missouri for Senior Day next Saturday (Nov. 8) at 2 p.m. (CST).