PITTSBURG — The 15th-ranked Pittsburg State University football team compiled 354 passing yards in a 56-14 victory over Lincoln University Saturday (Oct. 5) at Carnie Smith Stadium.

Back-up quarterback Mak Sexton completed 14 of 17 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns for the unbeaten Gorillas (5-0, 5-0 MIAA). Starter Brandon Mlekus rushed for 47 yards and a score and added a 45-yard touchdown connection to wide receiver Lorenzo West.

Sexton connected to touchdown tosses of 22 yards to West, 36 yards to wide receiver Bryce Murphy and 19 yards to wide receiver Elijah Harris.

Pitt State scored 42 unanswered points against the winless Blue Tigers (0-5, 0-5 MIAA) after the game was tied 7-7 with 12:39 to play in the second quarter.

The two teams sat through a one hour, 14 minute delay due to weather. The game was stopped with Pitt State leading 7-0 with 4:31 remaining in the first quarter.

Running back Tucker Horak also rushed for a pair of scores for Pitt State, including a 55-yard jaunt midway through the third quarter. He finished with a team-leading 69 yards on four carries. Mlekus added 47 yards on eight rushes, while Wilbur Cooper Jr. rushed six times for 41 yards.

Murphy posted his first 100-yard receiving game snaring seven catches for 114 yards. Harris and West each had three receptions for 72 yards on the day.

The Pitt State defense registered six quarterback sacks and 12 stops behind the line of scrimmage in the contest. The Gorillas also forced a pair of fumbles, both by defensive tackle Simanu'a Thomas.

Linebacker Kaden Roy made a game-high 11 stops including 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Defensive end Cole Morris recorded a pair of quarterback sacks and he returned a fumble 21 yards for a defensive score for the Gorillas.

Lincoln's Hosea Franklin carried the ball 29 times for 244 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown run. The Gorilla defense limited LU quarterbacks Chancellor Johnson and Desmond Hunter to six of 17 passes for 55 yards in the contest. LU's Javier Moreno missed a pair of field goals in the contest and the Pitt State defense also twice held the Blue Tigers on downs.

The Gorillas will travel to Kansas City, Mo., next Saturday (Oct. 12) for a match-up of unbeaten teams when they face No. 7 ranked Northwest Missouri State University at Arrowhead Stadium. The Bearcats defeated Emporia State University, 34-23, at Emporia Saturday.