PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will return to the friendly confines of Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Saturday (Nov. 11) to face the University of Central Oklahoma in the regular season finale. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (CST).

The Gorillas are 9-1 on the season (8-1 MIAA) and a half-game behind the University of Central Missouri in the MIAA standings.

A Pitt State victory over the Bronchos Saturday would secure the Gorillas a share of the 2023 MIAA Championship – the program's second straight MIAA title. Pitt State has captured 13 MIAA crowns since joining the MIAA, and the NCAA Division II ranks, in 1989. UCM (9-1, 9-1 MIAA), which plays a non-conference game against Lincoln University this week, clinched at least a share of the 2023 MIAA crown last week.

The Gorillas suffered their first loss of the season last Saturday (Nov. 4) in a 31-30 road decision against No. 23 ranked Missouri Western State University.

Pitt State slid six spots to No. 8 in this week's American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released Monday (Nov. 6). Also on Monday, the Gorillas dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 in the final set of NCAA Super Regional Rankings. The top seven teams in Super Region Three at the end of the season qualify to the 28-team NCAA Division II national playoff field.

Pitt State captured the 2022 MIAA Championship while posting a 12-1 record a year ago. The Gorillas advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II national playoffs before falling to eventual national champion Ferris State, 17-14.

Central Oklahoma is 5-5 overall and 4-5 in MIAA play after posting a 41-7 home win over Washburn University last Saturday (Nov. 4). The Bronchos have won three of their last four games, after a 2-4 start to the season.

The Coaches
Brian Wright is in his fourth season as head coach at Pittsburg State. He has a 31-7 (.816) record leading the Gorillas and a 35-7 (.833) mark as a collegiate head coach.

Wright was hired as the program's 15th all-time head coach on December 7, 2019. He led the Gorillas to a 2-2 record during the abbreviated 2020 season; and he guided Pitt State to an 8-3 mark in 2021.

Last year, Wright led the Gorillas to a 12-1 record and an 11-0 unblemished MIAA Championship, garnering 2022 MIAA Coach of the Year honors. He led Pitt State to a 12-1 record as the Gorillas made their 19th all-time trip to the NCAA-II postseason. Pitt State dropped a 17-14 decision to eventual national champion Ferris State University in the second round of the NCAA-II playoffs.

Wright came to Pitt State after serving the previous four seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Toledo.

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 be Wright's third meeting against UCO. He is 2-0 vs. the Bronchos.

Adam Dorrel is in his second season at UCO. He took over the Bronchos program after serving as head coach for five seasons at Abilene Christian. Prior to ACU, Dorrel led his alma mater, Northwest Missouri, to three NCAA Division II National Championships and fashioned a 76-8 record leading the Bearcats from 2011-16.

He has a 111-53-0 (.677) career coaching record. This will be his ninth meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 4-4 against the Gorillas.

The Pitt State - Central Oklahoma Series
This will be the 20th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Bronchos in a series that dates all the way back to the 1915 season.

Pitt State holds a 14-4-1 advantage in the series, including six straight wins and 11 victories in the last 12 meetings. The Gorillas are 7-3 against the Bronchos in games played in Pittsburg.

Last year, Pitt State jumped out to a 24-0 halftime advantage and rode that momentum to a 38-7 victory on Oct. 29 at Chad Richison Stadium.

Running back Caleb Lewis carried the ball 18 times for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Gorillas pounded out 198 yards on the ground in the contest. Quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. also completed 12 of 23 passes for 163 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Carter.

Pitt State in the MIAA
Pitt State has enjoyed consistent success in the MIAA during the past three decades.

Pitt State has posted a 255-66-1 (.796) record against its MIAA opponents since joining the conference in 1989. The Gorillas have won 13 MIAA titles since joining the conference, including the 2022 MIAA crown last year.

With a win Saturday, Pitt State will clinch a share of the 2023 MIAA Championship.

UCO has posted a 54-63-1 (.462) record since joining the MIAA at the start of the 2012 season.

All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are competing in their 116th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 750-361-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,159 all-time games.

Pittsburg State is one of just nine 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.

Tuskegee is second on the Division II all-time list with 714 victories, followed by Hillsdale (663), Carson-Newman (655) and Central Oklahoma (653).

UCO has a 653-449-47 (.589) record in 117 seasons of intercollegiate play.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 332 of its last 401 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 332-67-2 (.833) mark during the past 39 seasons (1985-2023). PSU is 174-28-1 at home, 154-30-1 on the road and 4-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 370-137-12 (.724) record in 519 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 169 of their last 201 regular season home games, posting a 169-31-1 record (.843) over the last 38 seasons. Pitt State posted an unblemished 7-0 record at home in 2022 and the Gorillas have won their last 11 home games.

UCO is 2-8 (.200) in its last 10 road games dating back to the start of the 2022 season under Coach Dorrel.

Gorillas Play Ahead
Pitt State has capitalized on first half leads to take control of several games this season.

The Gorillas, who lead all NCAA Division II squads in time of possession (34:26), have trailed for just 16:34 of game clock in their last six games. Pitt State has played in the lead for an average of 44:17 per game in those contests.

While the Gorillas have scored on their opening drive just twice this season – vs. MSSU on Oct. 14 and vs. MWSU on Nov. 4 – the Pitt State defense has allowed just 58 first-half points to date (5.8 ppg).

Pitt State has trailed in just five games this season for a total of 86 minutes, 10 seconds out of a possible 600 minutes overall.

Scouting the Gorillas
Junior quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. leads a Pitt State offense that averages 36.4 points and 415.6 total yards per game on the season.

Dodson has compiled a 22-2 (.917) record as the Gorillas starter.

He completed 20 of 24 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. He has completed 173 of 248 passes (.698) for 2,068 yards and 15 TDs on the season.

The Jacksonville, Fla., native has completed 421 of 673 (.626) career passes for 5,642 yards and 51 touchdowns. He ranks third in Pitt State history for career TD passes and foutth for career passing yards.

Dodson earned third-team All-MIAA honors in 2022, passing for 2,975 yards and 29 TDs.

Senior tight end Devon Garrison caught five passes for 90 yards against Missouri Western last week to set the Pitt State career receiving record for a tight end.

The Elk River, Minn., native now has 83 catches for 1,369 yards (16.5 ypc) and 14 touchdowns. Blaise Bauer (1985-88) formerly held the Pitt State record with 44 receptions for 1,284 yards.

For the season, Garrison has 39 grabs for a team-leading 643 yards (16.5 ypc) and five touchdowns. He ranks second in NCAA Division II in tight end receiving yards and third nationally in tight end scoring. Garrison also ranks seventh in the MIAA in receiving yards (64.3 ypg).

Senior running back Antwan Squire has carried the ball a team-leading 101 times for 540 yards (5.3 ypc) and six touchdowns in nine games played. He also has caught 16 passes for 150 yards (9.4 ypc) and one TD.

The Suitland, Md., native ranks eighth in the MIAA in rushing, averaging 60.0 yards per game. He carried the ball 31 times for 135 yards (4.4 ypc) and one touchdown in six games played in 2022.

Freshman placekicker Austin Schmitt is 11-for-13 on field goal attempts on the season. He ranks second in the MIAA and 10th in D2 in field percentage (.846 pg).

The Grain Valley, Mo., native has scored a team-leading 72 points to date (7.2 ppg).

The Pitt State defense has allowed an MIAA low 16.9 points per game on the season and just 290.6 total yards per game to date.

Redshirt junior linebacker Jack Barkley leads the Pitt State defense with 70 tackles (34 solo) on the season. The Tulsa, Okla., native also has 8.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 quarterback sacks and three pass breakups to his credit.

Barkley ranks fourth in the MIAA in stops this season, averaging 7.0 tackles per game. He earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 5, after posting a career-best 14 tackles (seven solo) and 3.5 tackles-for-loss in the Gorillas' 34-7 season opening win over Washburn (Aug. 31).

For his career, Barkley has compiled 135 tackles (55 solo) with 10.5 tackles-for-loss, one interception and four pass breakups.

Redshirt junior linebacker Luke Jennings was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 23 after posting seven tackles (four solo), a pass breakup and a forced fumble against NWMSU.

Jennings, an All-MIAA selection in 2022, returned to the Pitt State lineup Oct. 7 after missing four games. The Gardner, Kan., native has made 34 tackles (14 solo) in six games played on the season.

Sophomore safety Jordan Rogers leads the MIAA and ranks seventh in NCAA Division II this season with five interceptions. The Bellmead, Texas, native logged a takeaway in each of Pitt State's first five games, including a "pick six" against NSU on Sept. 30.

For the season, Rogers has made 23 tackles (17 solo) with 4.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 quarterback sack and three pass breakups.

Scouting The Bronchos
Senior quarterback Stephon Brown and junior quarterback Dawson Herl have shared time directing the Central Oklahoma offense. Brown (6-5, 220) has completed 83 of 127 passes (.634) for 926 yards and two touchdowns in seven games played, while Herl (6-3, 180) has completed 102 of 168 passes (.607) for 1,492 yards and 13 touchdowns in nine games played. Brown also has rushed the ball 76 times for 255 net yards (3.4 ypc) and five scores.

Junior running back Trevon Woolfolk (6-1, 225) has  rushed the ball 136 times for 795 yards (5.8 ypc) and nine touchdowns to lead a Bronchos ground game that averages 167.0 rushing yards per game.
Sophomore wide receiver Terrill Davis (6-0, 180) has caught 38 passes for 513 yards (13.5 ypc) and four TDs, while sophomore tight end Oscar Hammond (6-4, 210) also has made 33 receptions for 463 yards (14.0 ypc) and four scores.

UCO is averaging 251.5 passing yards and 418.5 total yards per game on the season. The Griffons are scoring 28.7 points per game.

Defensively, UCO is allowing 27.4 points, 153.2 rushing yards and 377.1 total yards per game.

Junior linebacker Connor Johnson (6-3, 210) has logged a team-leading 60 tackles (45 solo), including 9.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He also has recorded an interception and six pass breakups on the season.

Junior linebacker Noah West (6-3, 245) has made 24 tackles (12 solo) with 6.0 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 quarterback sacks and one interception, while sophomore cornerback J.K. Moore (6-1, 190) has recorded 36 tackles (28 solo), two interceptions and eight pass breakups.

Sophoore Grayson Miller (5-10, 200) has punted 19 times for a 41.6 yard average, placing five kicks inside the opponent 20 yard line.

Junior Nicky Quevedo (6-4, 210) has converted 10 of 13 field goal attempts on the season. Quevedo has scored a team-leading 65 points (6.5 ppg).