BRISTOL, Conn. — Pittsburg State University was ranked the No. 45 college football program over 150 years Thursday (Aug. 15) in a top 50 list that spanned all levels of college football published by ESPN. The Gorillas are the only active member of NCAA Division II included in the prestigious list.

Pitt State enters the 2019 football season with 713 all-time victories, leading NCAA Division II and ranking 32nd among all college football programs in wins.

Pitt State has recorded only 22 losing seasons during its 111-year history and the Gorillas notched 31 straight winning seasons between 1978 and 2008. Pitt State has won a total of 31 league titles, including 16 championships in the last 34 years.

The Gorillas captured NAIA national championships in 1957 and 1961 and Pitt State captured NCAA Division II national championships in 1991 and 2011. The Gorillas have finished as the national runner-up four times:  1981, 1992, 1995, 2004.

Alabama was ranked No. 1 on the list. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC rounded out the top five.