No. 6 Gorillas Set to Open MIAA Play at Missouri Southern Saturday

PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Joplin, Mo., Saturday (Sept. 7) to open Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play against Missouri Southern State University.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (CDT) at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Pitt State, the No. 6 ranked team in the 2024 AFCA NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 poll, opened the 2024 campaign with an emphatic 19-3 home victory over No. 3 ranked Ferris State University last Saturday (Aug. 31) in week zero action at Carnie Smith Stadium.

The Gorillas are seeking their third straight MIAA crown after claiming MIAA Championships in both the 2022 and 2023 campaigns and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Divsion II playoffs each season.

Missouri Southern is 0-1 on the young season following an 18-11 road loss to Midwestern State University at Wichita Falls, Texas, last Saturday.

The Coaches
Tom Anthony is in his first year as head football coach at Pittsburg State University. Anthony returned to campus after a six-month absence to become the Gorillas 16th all-time head coach in December 2023.

Anthony, who served as Pitt State's defensive coordinator from 2020-22, replaced Brian Wright who accepted the head football coach position at NCAA FCS member Northern Arizona University.

Anthony joined Wright on his initial staff in December 2019 as defensive coordinator. He was elevated to the role of associate head coach/defensive coordinator prior to the 2022 season. Anthony helped fashion one of the top defensive units in NCAA Division II during his three years with the Gorillas. He stepped away from his position in June 2023 to pursue a non-coaching professional opportunity in Ohio.

In 2022, Anthony's Pitt State defensive squad led the MIAA in scoring defense (14.1 ppg) and ranked second in the conference in total defense (282.6 ypg), rushing defense (93.0 ypg), passing defense (189.6 ypg) and sacks (31). The Gorillas ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense and 19th nationally in total defense. Pitt State was one of just four defensive units to return four or more interceptions for touchdowns in 2022.

This will be Anthony's first match-up against Missouri Southern.

MSSU's Atiba Bradley is in his fourth full year leading his alma mater and his fourth year as a collegiate coach. Bradley guided the Lions to a 1-0 record during the Covid-19 altered 2021 spring season. He has an 13-22 (.371) mark leading MSSU.

Bradley returned to MSSU after serving most recently as defensive coordinator at NCAA Division II member McKendree University. He also served as co-defensive coordinator at the University of South Dakota from 2016-18.

This will be his fourth meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 0-3 vs. the Gorillas.

Pitt State Coaching Debuts
Dating back to the 1949 season, the past 10 Pitt State head coaches, including Coach Anthony, have posted an 8-2 record in their debut games leading the Gorillas.

Coach              Date               Opponent          Result
Carnie Smith   Sept. 16, 1949     vs. Missouri S&T          W, 27-7
Tom Lester     Sept. 16, 1967     vs. Central Oklahoma      W, 14-13
Ron Randleman      Sept. 11, 1976     vs. Northwest Missouri    L, 0-24
Bruce Polen        Sept. 11, 1982     vs. Lincoln               W, 43-0
Mike Mayerske      Sept. 8, 1984      vs. Arkansas Tech         W, 20-0
Dennis Franchione Sept. 14, 1985 @ Arkansas Tech           W, 24-13
Chuck Broyles      Sept. 1, 1990      vs. Truman                W, 64-30
Tim Beck           Aug. 28, 2010      @ Central Oklahoma    W, 31-20
Brian Wright       Oct. 31, 2020 vs. Nebraska-Kearney    L, 26-31
Tom Anthony        Aug. 31, 2024      vs. Ferris State        W, 19-3

The Pitt State - Missouri Southern Series
This will be the 56th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Lions in a series that dates back to the 1968 season – Southern's first year as a four-year school. Pitt State holds a commanding 45-9-1 advantage in the series.

The Gorillas are 22-6 vs. the Lions at Joplin, including 14 straight wins at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Pitt State and Southern have played every year since 1968 (except the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season), but the two teams began competing for the Miner's Bowl Trophy in 1986.

While the series has produced its share of close contests and memorable moments, the Gorillas have dominated the series, winning 35 of the 37 meetings. All told, Pitt State has averaged a 36-14 victory in the 37 meetings.

Last year, running back Antwan Squire rushed for a career best 127 yards and scored twice in leading No. 3 Pitt State to a 31-21 road win over MSSU at Fred G. Hughes Stadium on Oct. 14, 2023.

Running back Cleo Chandler Jr. and Noah Hernandez added second half touchdown runs as the Gorillas built a comfortable 28-7 margin with 14:56 to play in the game.

Defensively, Pitt State forced three turnovers and limited the Lions to 60 rushing yards on the day. Cornerback Rico Payton and safety Jasper Ogburn each snared an interception in the contest.

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

Pitt State has posted a 256-66-1 (.796) record against its MIAA opponents since joining the conference in 1989. The Gorillas have won 14 MIAA titles since joining the conference, including the consecutive MIAA crowns past two years (2022-23).

MSSU has posted a 117-205-0 (.363) record since joining the MIAA along with Pitt State in 1989.

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 753-362-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,163 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 (656) and Central Oklahoma (653).

MSSU has a 306-312-7 (.495) record in 57 seasons of intercollegiate play.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 333 of its last 402 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 333-67-2 (.831) mark during the past 40 seasons (1985-2024). PSU is 175-28-1 at home, 154-30-1 on the road and 4-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.

Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has compiled an impressive record in road games over the past 31 years.

The Gorillas have posted a 117-37-1 (.758) record in its last 155 road games (including post-season play) dating back to the start of the 1994 season. The Gorillas are 53-14 (.791) in their last 67 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010.

MSSU has compiled a 5-12 (.294) home record since the start of the 2021 season.

Scouting the Gorillas
Senior quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. has fashioned a 24-3 (.889) record as the Gorillas' starting quarterback.

Dodson (5-11, 202) completed 22 of 33 passes for 206 yards in the season opener against Ferris State. For his career, the Jacksonsville, Fla., native has completed 486 of 768 passes (.633) for 6,369 yards and 56 touchdowns in 32 games played.

Dodson is ranked No. 2 in Pitt State history for career passing yards and No. 3 for career touchdown passes.

Senior linebacker Thomas Cook was named the MIAA Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Gorillas season opener against Ferris State.
Cook enjoyed a career day against the Bulldogs, posting five tackles (four solo), including a quarterback sack. The Overland Park, Kan., native also forced a fumble and recovered another as Pitt State forced four takeaways in the contest.

Sophomore placekicker Austin Schmitt garnered MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week as well as NCAA Division II Special Teams Player of the Week honors against the Bulldogs.

The Grain Valley, Mo., native booted four field goals in the game, connecting on kicks from 33, 22, 36 and 36 yards. He had a fifth attempt blocked due to a high snap early in the second quarter.
Schmitt has converted 19 of 23 (.826) field goal attempts in 14 career games for the Gorillas.

Print Friendly Version