PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team returns to the friendly confines of Carnie Smith Stadium Saturday (Oct. 4) to play host to Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Kickoff is set for 2:05 p.m. (CDT) with the contest airing on live television – in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area on KMCI, 38 The Spot – as the MIAA Football Game of the Week.

Pitt State enters Saturday's game with a  3-2 record (2-1 MIAA) and ranked No. 17 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The Gorillas have posted three straight victories after starting the season 0-2. Pitt State posted a 42-29 road win over Emporia State University last Saturday (Sept. 27).

Nebraska-Kearney is 4-1 (2-1 MIAA) on the season after a claiming a 31-24 road win over Washburn University the last time out. UNK is listed among team's receiving votes in this week's AFCA Division II poll.

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 an 11-5 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 Neb.-Kearney. He is 1-0 vs. the Lopers.

Ryan Held is in his third season directing the UNK program. Held spent the 2022 season as interim head coach and offensive coordinator at FCS member North Alabama. Before that, he was an assistant/running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Nebraska (2018-21) and assistant/running backs coach at Central Florida (2016-17).

Additionally, he has held head coaching stints at junior colleges Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Highland Community College; Division II Southwestern Oklahoma and Panhandle State; and NAIA Peru State.

He has an 11-16 record leading the Lopers and an 0-2 mark against the Gorillas.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 377-140-12 (.724) record in 529 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 175 of their last 209 regular season home games, posting a 175-33-1 (.840) record over the last 41 seasons.

UNK has posted a 6-9 (.400) road record the past three seasons under Coach Held.

The Pitt State - UNK Series
This will be the 28th meeting between the Gorillas and the Lopers in a series that dates back to the 1974 season and the 13th meeting between the two squads since 1988. Pitt State holds an 18-9 edge in the series.
Last year, quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. passed for 247 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver Kuron Parchmon and the Pitt State defense turned in a dominant performance in a 20-10 road win over UNK on Oct. 12.

Pitt State scored the game's first 10 points on a 39-yard field goal by Austin Schmitt midway through the first quarter and Dodson's five-yard scoring connection to Parchmon early in the second quarter.

UNK trimmed the margin to 10-7 on Reagan Jones' four-yard touchdown pass to Tuni Fifita, but Schmitt countered with a 22-yard field goal with 1:46 to play in the second quarter to send the Gorillas to the intermission with a 13-7 advantage.

Trey Prichard booted a 28-yard field goal for the Lopers to make it a 13-10 game with 5:29 remaining in the third. Dodson countered with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Parchmon with 53 seconds left in the third period.
Neither team scored in the final period. The Gorillas offense held the ball for the final 8:47 to seal the 10-point win.

Defensively, Pitt State limited UNK to 138 yards of total offense including just 34 net rushing yards on 24 carries. The Gorillas registered four quarterback sacks and six total stops behind the line of scrimmage in the contest.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 344 of its last 417 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 344-71-2 (.827) mark during the past 41 seasons (1985-2025). PSU is 180-30-1 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 265-69-1 (.793) 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.

Neb.-Kearney has posted a 47-82-0 (.364) record in conference action since joining the MIAA in 2012.

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 763-367-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,178 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 (666).
 ESU has a 565-561-45 (.502) record in 133 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt senior quarterback Jackson Berry has completed 87 of 155 passes (.561) for 1,039 yards (207.8 ypg) and five touchdowns in his first five starts for the Gorillas.

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 38 tackles and recorded two interceptions, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

The Bellmead, Texas native has registered 115 career tackles (71 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 senior running back Cleo Chandler Jr. rushed the ball 13 times for a career best 169 yards (3.1 ypc) and two touchdowns against Emporia State last week, earning MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honors Monday. He has rushed 51 times for 317 yards (6.2 ypc) and three scores on the season.

The Cleburne, Texas native has posted 313 career carries for 1,395 yards (4.5 ypc) and 18 touchdowns. Chandler (5-11, 215) rushed the ball 110 times for 467 yards (4.2 ypc) and four touchdowns  in 2024, earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors.

Redshirt senior Jaylen Fuksa returned three kickoffs for a 41.7 yard average against the Hornets last week to garner MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.

The Frisco, Texas native popped a 57-yard return and a 43-yard return among his key plays. Fuksa currently leads the MIAA in kickoff return average (24.3 ypr) on the season.

Fuksa also has posted 15 tackles (10 solo), one interception and three pass breakups from his cornerback position this season.

He has compiled 98 career tackles (65 solo), two interceptions and 28 pass breakups. Fuksa also sports a 27.4 yard average on 23 career kickoff returns.