PITTSBURG — Fifth-ranked Pittsburg State University overcame a 21-0 deficit and rallied in the second half for a 59-42 victory over 13th-ranked Harding University in the first round of the NCAA Division II national playoffs Saturday (Nov. 22) at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.

The win sends the MIAA co-champion Gorillas (11-1) to the second round of the 24-team playoffs, where they will face unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Minnesota State University-Mankato (11-0) next Saturday (Nov. 29). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (CST) at Blakeslee Stadium in Mankato, Minn.

Senior quarterback Anthony Abenoja, one of 36 players vying for the 2014 Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II National Player of the Year, completed 25 of 45 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns in Pitt State's comeback win. He also added a rushing touchdown against the Bisons (9-2).

Harding got on the scoreboard first on senior fullback Alapeti Magalei's 25-yard run with 7:09 to play in the first quarter. After a quick 3-and-out by the Gorillas, Romo Westbrook broke loose on a 70-yard TD scamper on the next play to make it 14-0 Bisons with 5:19 remaining in the opening stanza.

Westbrook again got loose on an 81-yard scoring run at the 7:42 mark of the second quarter to stretch the Bisons lead to 21-0, before Abenoja and the Gorillas began to engineer a comeback.

Abenoja capped a 55-yard drive with a nine-yard scoring run to make it 21-7 with 5:31 to play in the first half.

Two plays later, Magalei committed the first of four Harding fumbles, coughing the ball up at the Bisons 31 yard line. Abenoja bought time on a 2nd-and-goal play from the HU 9 and found redshirt freshman Austin Panko for a TD pass to make it a 21-14 game with 2:06 remaining in the second period.

The Pitt State defense forced a Harding 3-and-out and Abenoja then drove the Gorillas 58 yards in 41 seconds, teaming with senior wide receiver Gavin Lutman on a game-tying 18-yard TD pass.

The Gorillas continued their scoring run in the third period. Abenoja tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Panko to give Pitt State a 28-21 edge with 7:47 to play in the third quarter. Two plays later, sophomore defense end Heath Wilson recovered a fumble at the HU 31, and the Gorillas got on the scoreboard again with a double reverse pass from senior wide receiver Bradley Argabright to Panko.

Senior placekicker Connor Frazell booted a 38-yard field goal to stretch Pitt State's lead to 38-21 with 2:06 to play in the third period.

The Bisons trimmed the deficit to 38-28 when senior quarterback Keenan Kellett tossed a 50-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Donatella Luckett with 14:11 to play in the game.

Pitt State countered with an 11-play, 75-yard drive culminated by redshirt freshman running back Michael Rose's 14-yard run with 9:07 to go.

Abenoja added a nine-yard TD pass to sophomore wide receiver Kyle Swartz for a 52-35 advantage with 2:37 remaining in the game.

Wilson punctuated the win by scopping up a Kellett fumble at the HU 28 yard line and running it into the end zone with 2:24 remaining for a 59-35 lead.

The Bisons scored the game's final points with 16 seconds to go when Kellett hit redshirt freshman wide receiver Andrew Dather with a 13-yard TD pass.

Kellett completed nine of 17 passes for 307 yards, with Luckett catching four passes for a game-high 201 yards. Westbrook carried the ball 11 times for a game-high 156 rushing yards for the Bisons, who finished the game with 536 yards of total offense.

Rose carried the ball 11 times for a team-leading 49 yards for the Gorillas, who overcame five quarterback sacks to finish the game with 152 rushing yards. Junior wide receiver Marquise Cushon added six catches for 97 yards and two rushes for 42 yards in the contest.

Senior safety Jason Peete made a team-leading eight tackles for the Gorillas, including 3.5 tackles-for-loss. Wilson also had seven tops with 0.5 TFL and two fumble recoveries.