PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Tahlequah, Okla., Saturday (Sept. 30) to battle Northeastern State University in week five MIAA action. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (CDT) at Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium.

Pitt State, the No. 3 team in this week's AFCA NCAA Division II Top 25 poll [for complete poll, see page 4], is 4-0 on the season after posting a 33-14 Family Day victory over the University of Nebraska-Kearney last Saturday (Sept. 23) at Carnie Smith Stadium. The Gorillas also own wins over Washburn University (34-7), Fort Hays State University (40-14) and the University of Central Missouri (38-37).

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.

Northeastern State is 0-4 on the season. The RiverHawks, who have been shutout in three of their first four contests, dropped a 42-0 road decision to Missouri Southern State University last Saturday (Sept. 23) at Joplin, Mo.

The Coaches
Brian Wright is in his fourth season as head coach at Pittsburg State.

He was hired as the program's 15th all-time head coach on December 7, 2019. Wright 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. In 2022, 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.

Wright has a 26-6 (.813) record leading the Gorillas and a 30-6 (.833) mark as a collegiate head coach.

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 mark Wright's fourth match-up against UNK. He is 1-2 against the Lopers.

NSU's J.J. Eckert is in his fifth year leading his alma mater. He has a 3-34 (.081) record. Eckert (NSU, '97) spent the previous 12 seasons as head coach at Kilgore College, compiling a 72-53 record in the NJCAA ranks for the Rangers. Prior to that, he served as head coach at Garden City Community College for two years (2005-06). This will be his fourth meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 0-3 vs. the Gorillas.

The Pitt State - Northeastern State Series
This will be the 38th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the RiverHawks in a series that dates back to the 1912 season.

Pitt State holds a 23-12-2 advantage in the series. The Gorillas have won all 11 of the contests between the two schools since 1970.

Last year, the Pitt State defense scored twice before the Gorillas offense could even touch the ball to set the tone early in a 49-14 Family Day victory over NSU on Sept. 17.
Antione Nunn Jr. energized the crowd by jumping an out route on the RiverHawks second offensive play and returning the interception 26 yards for a touchdown 55 seconds into the contest.

After the  Gorillas forced NSU to punt three plays later at its 31 yard line, Kaizer Newell busted through the middle of the RiverHawks line and blocked Tyler Crawford's punt. Newell scooped up the bounding ball at the NSU 6 and ran into the end zone for a touchdown and a 14-0 Pitt State lead with 11:48 to play in the first quarter.

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 745-360-48 overall record, winning 66.7 percent of their 1,153 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 711 victories, followed by Hillsdale (658), Carson-Newman (651) and Central Oklahoma (649).

NSU has a 448-474-30 (.486) record in 105 seasons of intercollegiate play.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 327 of its last 395 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 327-66-2 (.830) mark during the past 38 seasons (1985-2023). PSU is 172-28-1 at home, 151-29-1 on the road and 4-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.

Gorillas on the Road
Historically, Pitt State has compiled an impressive record in road games.

The Gorillas have posted a 114-35-1 (.763) record in its last 150 road games (including post-season play) dating back to the start of the 1994 season.

The Gorillas are 50-12 (.806) in their last 62 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010, including a 14-3 (.824) record in four seasons under head coach Brian Wright.
NSU has compiled a 1-17 (.056) home record since the start of the 2019 season.

Scouting the Gorillas
Junior quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. improved to 17-1 (.944) as the Gorillas starter following Pitt State's week four home win vs. Nebraska-Kearney. Dodson completed 19 of 26 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown in the contest.

The Jacksonville, Fla., native has completed 326 of 542 career passes (.601) for 4,416 yards and 42 touchdowns. He ranks fourth in Pitt State history for career TD passes and eighth for career passing yards.

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

Redshirt sophomore Kolbe Katsis became just the sixth receiver in Pitt State history to record a 200-yard game after catching nine passes for 200 yards and a touchdown vs. UCM on Sept. 16.

For the season, Katsis has a team-leading 26 grabs for 316 yards (12.2 ypc) and one touchdown. He ranks second in the MIAA in receptions (6.5 pg) and third in the league in receiving yards (79.0 ypg).

For his career, the Owasso, Okla., native has 48 catches for 821 yards (17.1 ypc) and six touchdowns.

Katsis was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts vs. UCM.

Sophomore safety Jordan Rogers recorded his fourth interception of the season against the Lopers last Saturday.

The Bellmead, Texas, native has logged a takeaway in each of Pitt State's first four games of the 2023 campaign. He currently leads the MIAA and is tied for second place in Division II in interceptions (1.0 pg).

For the season, Rogers has made 11 tackles (eight solo) with 2.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 quarterback sack and one pass breakup.

Freshman placekicker Austin Schmitt is 7-for-8 on field goal attempts early in the season, booting a pair of kicks in three of Pitt State's first four games.

The Grain Valley, Mo., native also has connected on all 14 of his PAT trys. He's scored a team-leading 35 points to date (8.8 ppg).