PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Nacogdoches, Texas Saturday (Nov. 14) to face NCAA FSC member Stephen F. Austin State University.
Kickoff is set for 4:05 p.m. (CST) at Homer Bryce Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN3.
Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, is competing in its 113th season of intercollegiate football at the institution. The Gorillas have accumulated 720 victories, posting a 720-355-48 overall mark.
Pitt State is 1-1 on the season. The Gorillas claimed a 20-7 road win over Missouri Western State University last Saturday (Nov. 7) at St. Joseph, Mo. Pitt State opened the season with a hard fought 31-26 home loss to the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Oct. 31.
Stephen F. Austin is 5-3 on the season. The Lumberjacks have won five straight games after opening the season 0-3. SFA is coming off a 24-6 road win over Eastern Kentucky University last Saturday (Nov. 7) at Richmond, Ky.
The Coaches
Brian Wright is in his first season as head football coach at Pitt State. He was hired as the program's 15th all-time head coach on December 7, 2019.
Wright, who is 1-1 leading the Gorillas and 5-1 overall as a head coach, came to Pitt State after serving the past four seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Toledo.
In his four seasons with the Rockets, Wright helped guide offenses that have been among the best in the Mid-American Conference while boasting four NFL draft picks.
Prior to coming to Toledo, Wright coached at Florida Atlantic for four seasons as the Owls' offensive coordinator. He stepped in as interim head coach for the final four games of the 2013 season, leading the Owls to four consecutive victories and bowl eligibility (6-6) for the first time since 2008.
Prior to his stint at Florida Atlantic, Wright spent two seasons at Montana State as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Before heading west to Montana State, Wright served nine years at perennial FCS power Youngstown State.
Wright joined the Penguins' staff in 2001 as quarterbacks coach, also working as offensive coordinator from 2005-09. He began his collegiate coaching career at Walsh (Ohio) University as a graduate assistant in 1995-96.
After a year as a graduate assistant at YSU in which the Penguins won the NCAA Division I-AA national title, Wright returned to Walsh in 1998 and served until 2000.
Saturday's action will mark Wright's first match-up against Stephen F. Austin.
Colby Carthel is in his second season directing the SFA program and his eighth year as a collegiate head coachCarthel previously served as head coach at Texas A&M University-Commerce from 2013-18, leading the Lions to a 14-1 record and the 2017 NCAA Division II National Championship. He has an 8-12 (.400) record at SFA and a 67-30 (.691) career coaching record. This will be his first meeting vs. Pitt State.
Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has posted a 102-32-1 (.759) record in its last 135 road games (including post-season play) dating back to the start of the 1994 season. The Gorillas are 38-9 (.809) in their last 47 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010.
The Pitt State - SFA Series
This will be the first all-time meeting between the Gorillas and Lumberjacks.
Gorillas vs. FCS Opponents
This will be fifth time Pitt State has played an NCAA FCS opponent since the Gorillas joined NCAA Division II in 1989. Pitt State has a 3-1 record against FCS foes.
Date Opponent Result
Nov. 4, 1989 @Arkansas State W, 34-13
Sept. 7, 1996 @Eastern Illinois L, 31-41
Aug. 28, 1997 @Missouri State W, 9-8
Oct. 5, 2014 vs. Abilene Christian W, 28-20
All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are competing in their 113th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 720-355-48 overall record, winning 66.3 percent of their 1,123 all-time games.
Pittsburg State is one of just seven NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 600 all-time victories and the Gorillas became just the 33rd program – the first Division II institution – across all levels of college football to reach the 700-win plateau. The Gorillas entered the 2020 ranked 32nd among all college football programs in all-time victories.
Tuskegee is second on the Division II all-time list with 696 victories, followed by Hillsdale (645), Carson-Newman (642) and Central Oklahoma (638).
SFA has a 406-527-31 (.437) record in 94 seasons of intercollegiate play.
Last Week's Action
Pittsburg State capitalized on a stifling defensive performance as the Gorillas scored a 20-7 road win over MIAA rival Missouri Western Saturday (Nov. 7) at Spratt Memorial Stadium.
The Gorillas (1-1) jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the contest and did not allow any offensive points scored by the Griffons (0-2).
Quarterback Mak Sexton tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to running back Drew Winn on the opening drive of the game and he added a 17-yard scoring toss to wide receiver Jalen Martin early in the third quarter. Placekicker Jaden Snyder added field goals of 41 and 23 yards to compete the Gorillas scoring.
The Pitt State defense limited MWSU to 180 yards of total offense and just 43 net rushing yards. The Gorillas recorded a pair of drive stopping interceptions and also partially blocked a punt that played a key role in field possession.
Sexton finished the game 18 of 32 passing for 141 yards. Winn carried the ball 13 times for a game high 79 yards, while running back Tyler Adkins added 23 carries for 50 yards. Martin had a team-leading seven receptions for 66 yards.
Linebacker Morgan Selemaea made a team-leading seven tackles and added a blocked punt. Safety Markel Roby and linebacker Jack Barkley registered interceptions. Linebacker Alex Gaskill made three stops, including two tackles-for-loss.
Inside The Pitt State Offense / Defense
Sophomore quarterback Mak Sexton had a strong season debut vs. UNK, passing for a career high 398 yards and three touchdowns. Sexton's passing total was the fifth-highest in school history.
The Leander, Texas native has completed 43 of 78 passes (.551) for 539 yards (269.5 ypg) and five touchdowns with no interceptions on the season. He has logged 173 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception (dating back to Oct. 26, 2019).
For his career, Sexton has completed 166 of 303 (.548) career passes for 2,2233 yards and 18 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Redshirt freshmen wide receivers Christian Carter and Dylan White both enjoyed 100-yard receiving games in their first career games for the Gorillas against UNK. Carter, a Lee's Summit, Mo., native, had eight catches for a game high 153 yards and a touchdown. White, a local product from Pittsburg High School, added four grabs for 105 yards including a 73-yard touchdown catch.
Senior running back Tyler Adkins has carried the ball a team-leading 38 times for 121 yards (3.2 ypc, 60.5 ypg) and one touchdown on the season. The Broken Arrow, Okla., native has 347 career carries for 1,723 yards (5.0 ypc) and 16 touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Kaden Roy was credited with eight tackles (three solo), including 1.5 tackles-for-loss, vs. UNK. The Webb City, Mo., native has posted 117 career tackles (59). He has enjoyed five career games with double digit tackles.
After starting 10 games at quarterback in 2019, junior Brandon Mlekus made his first career start at free safety for the Gorillas against UNK. The Frontenac native shared the team tackles lead (with redshirt freshman linebacker Luke Jennings) with 10 stops in the game. Mlekus saw action in 10 games in a reserve role at safety in 2018, making 11 tackles (four solo), one pass break-up and one fumble recovery that year.
Senior linebacker Morgan Selemaea posted seven tackles (one solo) and a blocked punt last week vs. MWSU. The Harrisonville, Mo., native has made 28 career starts with 142 career tackles (91 solo), 24.0 tackles-for-loss, 13.0 quarterback sacks, six interceptions, 12 pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Scouting the Lumberjacks
Junior quarterback Trae Self leads the Lumberjacks offense. Self (6-4, 190) has completed 121 of 198 passes (.611) for 1,635 yards (204.4 ypg) and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions. He also has carried the ball 53 times for 118 net yards and three scores.
Redshirt fresman running back Jaquarion Turner and senior running back Da'Leon Ward have led SFA's gound attack. Turner (5-11, 202) has rushed the ball 90 times for 410 yards (4.6 ypc) and three TDs, while Ward (5-10, 180) has carried the ball 56 times for 265 yards (4.7 ypc) and three scores in five games played.
Sophomore wide receiver Xavier Gipson has been Self's favorite. Gipson (5-9, 170) has 41 catches for 687 yards (17.0 ypc) and seven touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Remi Simmons (5-11, 185) also has 18 grabs for 371 yards (20.6 ypc) and three scores.
As a team, the Lumberjacks are scoring 27.4 points per game and compiling 374.9 yards of total offense (241.4 ypg passing).
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Brevin Randle (5-11, 228) leads the Lumberjacks with 53 tackles (28 solo), 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 quarterback sacks and one interception.
Junior defensive end B.J. Thompson also has made 23 tackles (eight solo) with 6.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 quarterback sacks.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Bruce Harmon has 12 tackles (10 solo) and a team-leading three interceptions.
As a team, SFA is allowing 20.1 points per game and 351.3 yards of total offense (196.5 ypg passing).
On special teams, redshirt freshman placekicker Chris Campos (5-10, 220) has converted 11 of 15 field goals (.733), including making his last seven attempts on the year.
Sophomore Max Quick (5-10, 185) has punted 31 times for a 39.7 yard average.
Gipson and redshirt freshman Zach Nwachukwu (5-8, 186) each have returned a punt for a touchdown on the season. Gipson is averagng 11.7 yards per punt return.
