PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to St. Joseph, Mo., Saturday (Oct. 18) for an Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association road match-up against Missouri Western State University. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (CDT) at Spratt Memorial Stadium.

Pitt State enters Saturday's game with a  5-2 record (4-1 MIAA) and ranked No. 12 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The Gorillas have posted five straight victories after starting the season 0-2. Pitt State claimed a 34-10 home win over Washburn University last Saturday (Oct. 11).

Missouri Western is 1-5 (0-4 MIAA) on the season. The Griffons, who have dropped four straight games, dropped a 27-7 road decision against the University of Nebraska-Kearney last Saturday.

The Coaches
Tom Anthony is in his his second year as head football coach at Pittsburg State University. He guided the Gorillas to an 8-3 record during his debut season in 2024, including guiding Pitt State to the program's third straight trip to the NCAA Division II national playoffs. He has a 13-5 (.722) career mark.

Anthony returned to campus in December 2023 after a six-month absence to become the Gorillas 16th all-time head coach.

He served as Pitt State's defensive coordinator from 2020-22 under former head coach Brian Wright, helping the Gorillas fashion a 21-7 record and an MIAA title and NCAA-II playoff appearance in 2022.

Anthony was elevated to the role of associate head coach/defensive coordinator prior to the 2022 season. He helped fashion one of the top defensive units in NCAA Division II during his three years with the Gorillas.

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.

In 2021, Anthony's squad led the MIAA in interceptions (14) and the Gorillas ranked second in the conference in scoring defense (19.5 ppg), total defense (341.2 ypg) and rushing defense (120.5 ypg).

This will be Anthony's second match-up against Western. He is 1-0 vs. the Griffons.

Tyler Fenwick is in his third year leading the Griffons after serving the previous three seasons as head coach at NCAA Division II member Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He also spent  six years as head coach at Missouri University of Science & Technology from 2013-18. Fenwick has a 66-64 (.508) record as a collegiate head coach. This will be Fenwick's third meeting against Pitt State. He is 1-1 against the Gorillas.

Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has compiled an impressive record in road games over the past 32 years. The Gorillas have posted a 123-39-1 (.758) record in its last 163 road games (including post-season play) dating back to the start of the 1994 season. The Gorillas are 59-16 (.787) in their last 75 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010.

MWSU has posted a 7-8 (.467) home record the past three seasons under Coach Fenwick.

The Pitt State - Missouri Western Series
This will be the 51st all-time meeting between the Gorillas and Griffons in a series that dates back to the 1970 season. Pitt State holds a 37-13 (.740) advantage in the series, including a 19-7 mark in games played at St. Joseph, Mo.

Last year, Pitt State scored 21 consecutive second-half points to help pull away for a 31-20 victory over Missouri Western on Oct. 5 at Carnie Smith Stadium.

Tight end Luke Niggemann, a redshirt freshman and former prep quarterback at Girard High School, scored a pair of rushing touchdowns out of the 'wildcat' formation to help spark the Gorillas past the Griffons.

Linebacker Alex Gaskill also intercepted an errant pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown to help trigger the Pitt State scoring surge.

The Gorillas, who led 10-6 at halftime, fell behind 13-10 five minutes into the third period when Kody Kirk tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jonas Bennett.

Quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. completed 16 of 26 passes for 230 yards in the game. Wide receiver Kuron Parchmon caught four passes for 70 yards, while wide receiver Jack Roberts added seven grabs for 61 yards.

Running back Noah Hernandez carried the ball 17 times for a game-high 74 yards, including a four-yard touchdown scamper with three seconds remaining in the first quarter. Running back Cleo Chandler Jr. added 15 rushes for 53 yards.

Placekicker Hayden Koscicki booted a 23-yard first quarter field goal to give Pitt State an early 3-0 lead in the contest.

Gaskill made a team-leading six stops, while defensive lineman Cole Sample added five tackles. Defensive lineman Jeremy Sharp posted Pitt State's lone quarterback sack in the game.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 346 of its last 419 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 346-71-2 (.828) mark during the past 41 seasons (1985-2025). PSU is 182-30-1 at home, 160-32-1 on the road and 4-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.

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

Pitt State has posted a 267-69-1 (.794) record against its MIAA opponents since joining the conference in 1989. The Gorillas have won 14 MIAA titles since joining the conference, including consecutive MIAA crowns in 2022 and 2023.

Missouri Western has posted a 193-143-1 (.574) record in conference action since joining the MIAA in 1989.

All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are playing in their 118th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 765-367-48 overall record, winning 66.9 percent of their 1,180 all-time games.

Pittsburg State is one of just two NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 700 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 721 victories, followed by Hillsdale (672), Carson-Newman (667) and Central Oklahoma (667).

MWSU has a 321-273-9 (.540) record in 56 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt senior quarterback Jackson Berry has completed 125 of 208 passes (.601) for 1,516 yards (216.6 ypg) and seven touchdowns in his first seven starts for the Gorillas. He also has rushed the ball 56 times for 143 yards and three scores.

He currently ranks fifth in the MIAA in passing yards (216.6 ypg) and efficiency (128.6 rating).

Berry (6-0, 201), who transferred to Pitt State in January from NCAA Division I Southern Utah University, also has 38 carries for 109 net yards (2.9 ypc) and a touchdown on the ground on the season. He passed for a season-high 294 yards in the season opener against Ferris State.

The Prosper, Texas native completed 129 of 205 passes (.629) for 1,558 yards (155.8 ypg) and 12 touchdowns with just three interceptions at SUU last year.

Redshirt senior safety Jordan Rogers has made a team-leading 52 tackles (24 solo) and recorded two interceptions, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

The Bellmead, Texas native has registered 129 career tackles (74 solo), 12 interceptions and 23 pass breakups. A two-time All-MIAA performer, Rogers (5-10, 188) recorded 42 tackles, four interceptions and eight PBUs as a junior in 2024.

He currently ranks in seventh place in Pitt State history in career interceptions (12); and Rogers ranks fifth all-time in passes defended (35).

Redshirt junior running back Zahmari Palode-Gary posted his third straight 100-yard rushing game against the Ichabods last Saturday (Oct. 11).

The Kansas City, Mo., native rushed the ball 27 times for a game high 156 yards against WU. Palode-Gary, who carried the ball 17 times for 184 yards and two scores against Emporia State on Sept. 27, has a team-leading 531 rushing yards in six games played. He's currently ranked third in the MIAA in rushing (88.5 ypg).

Palode-Gary transferred to Pitt State in August from Garden City Community College where he was an honorable mention All-Jayhawk Conference performer in 2024.

Junior placekicker Austin Schmitt scored a game high 16 points in the win against Washburn. Schmitt (Grain Valley, Mo.) booted field goals of 42 and 33 yards in the contest as well as all four of his PAT tries. He also scored his first career touchdown when he rushed the ball eight yards on a successful fake field goal attempt with 5:00 to play in the game.

Schmitt has made an MIAA leading nine field goals on the season. He has made 30 of 42 (.714) career field goal attempts.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Blake Carr logged a career best 10 tackles, including a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage against the Ichabods last Saturday. Carr (Clyde, Texas)helped the Gorillas limit the Ichabods to 170 total yards in the game, including a scant 26 net rushing yards on 22 carries. He also recorded one of Pitt State's six pass breakups in the contest.