PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team scored 21 unanswered fourth quarter points to pull away for a 34-7 season opening victory over Washburn University Thursday (Aug. 31) at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.

The No. 4 ranked Gorillas, the defending MIAA Champions, scored twice in a 23-second span midway through the final stanza to seal the win against the Ichabods.

Running back Cleo Chandler Jr. capped a 10-play, 69-yard drive with a 14-yard scoring jaunt with 6:44 remaining in the contest. Quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. added a 2-point conversion pass to tight end Devon Garrison for a 27-7 advantage. Garrison made an acrobatic one-handed catch into the boundary midway through the drive to set up Chandler's touchdown gallop.

Two plays later, defensive lineman Jeremy Sharp stripped Washburn running back Taylon Peters at the Ichabods 13 yard line and defensive lineman Isaiah Alexander scooped up the loose ball and barreled into the end zone for the game-clinching score.

Freshman placekicker Austin Schmitt booted a pair of first half field goals, from 23 and 45 yards, in the first half to stake the Gorillas to a 6-0 halftime advantage. His second kick came as time expired in the first half as the Gorillas drove 55 yards on 11 plays to showcase their two-minute offense.
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Linebacker Jack Barkley paced a tenacious Pitt State defense with a career best 14 tackles, including 3.5 tackles-for-loss, a quarterback sack and another QB pressure. Defensive backs Antione Nunn Jr. and Jordan Rogers added a pair of interceptions and the Gorillas halted three WU drives on downs in Pitt State territory in the contest.

Dodson completed 13 of 25 passes for 138 yards with Garrison leading the Gorillas receivers with three catches for 65 yards. Antwan Squire carried the ball 11 times for 64 yards, including a three-yard TD run on the first play of the fourth quarter. Noah Hernandez added five carries for a team-leading 66 yards. Chandler finished the game with eight rushes for 56 yards. Dodson also added 20 net rushing yards, including a one-yard scoring plunge that staked Pitt State to a 13-0 lead with 12:09 to play in the third quarter.

Washburn managed just 217 total yards in the game. Kellen Simoncic completed 23 of 40 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. Peters carried the ball 20 times for 40 net yards.

The Gorillas will travel to Hays, Kan., to battle Fort Hays State University next Thursday (Sept. 7). The Tigers blanked Northeastern State University, 56-0, at Tahlequah, Okla., in their season opener.