PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will return to the friendly confines of Carnie Smith Stadium Saturday (Nov. 1) for an Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association match-up against Missouri Southern State University. Kickoff for the Gorillas Senior Day and Hall of Fame Game is set for 2 p.m. (CDT).

Pitt State enters Saturday's game with a 6-2 record (5-1 MIAA) and ranked No. 9 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The Gorillas have posted six straight victories after starting the season 0-2. Pitt State is coming off a bye week after posting a 44-20 road win over Missouri Western State University in its last action on Oct. 25.

Missouri Southern is 3-5 (1-5 MIAA) on the season. The Lions dropped a 19-12 home decision to Missouri Western in its last action last Saturday (Oct. 25).

At halftime of Saturday's game, PSU Athletics will honor its Hall of Fame Class of 2025. This year's class includes: 1994 Softball Team; Gretchen (Clark) Love, women's track & field, 2010-11; Zac Dickey, football, 2009-10; Dennis Franchione, head football coach, 1985-89; Lizzy Jeronimus, women's basketball, 2012-15; Phil Schepens, football, 1992-95; Leah (Shireman) Smith, women's track & field, 2003-05; Shane Tafoya, football, 1990-91.

The Gorillas also will honor their outgoing 24-member senior class during pre-game activities 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 14-5 (.737) 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 Southern. He is 1-0 vs. the Lions.

MSSU's Atiba Bradley is in his fifth full year leading his alma mater and his fifth 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 18-36 (.333) mark leading MSSU. Bradley is 0-4 vs. Pitt State.

The Pitt State - Missouri Southern Series
This will be the 57th 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 46-9-1 advantage in the series.

The Gorillas are 24-3-1 vs. the Lions in Pittsburg. 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 36 of the 38 meetings. All told, Pitt State has averaged a 36-14 victory in the 38 meetings.

Last year, quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. passed for 278 yards and four touchdowns to help lead Pittsburg State to a 42-17 road win over Missouri Southern on Sept. 7 at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

After falling behind 7-0 sixty seconds into the contest, Dodson led Pitt State on a quick five-play, 75-yard drive with Cleo Chandler Jr. hauling in a 30-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7 with 12:43 to play in the initial period. Noah Hernandez, who rushed 13 times for a game-high 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns, added a five-yard scoring jaunt to put the Gorillas in front, 14-7, with 9:06 to play in the opening stanza.

Pitt State added a 70-yard Dodson to wide receiver Jack Roberts scoring connection and a 49-yard Dodson to tight end WIlliam Huggins scoring play to take a 28-10 lead to halftime.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 379-140-12 (.725) record in 531 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 177 of their last 211 regular season home games, posting a 177-33-1 (.841) record over the last 41 seasons.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 347 of its last 420 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 347-71-2 (.829) mark during the past 41 seasons (1985-2025). PSU is 182-30-1 at home, 161-32-1 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 268-69-1 (.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 Southern has posted a 119-218-0 (.353) 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 766-367-48 overall record, winning 66.9 percent of their 1,181 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 (673), Carson-Newman (669) and Central Oklahoma (668).

MSSU has a 311-326-7 (.488) record in 58 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt senior quarterback Jackson Berry has completed 139 of 230 passes (.600) for 1,711 yards (213.9 ypg) and eight touchdowns for the Gorillas. He also has rushed the ball 62 times for 179 yards and three scores.

He currently ranks sixth in the MIAA in passing yards (213.9 ypg), fourth in the league in total offense (236.3 ypg) and third in the conference in passing efficiency (130.1 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 55 tackles (25solo) and recorded two interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

The Bellmead, Texas native has registered 132 career tackles (75 solo), 12 interceptions and 24 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 (36).

Redshirt junior running back Zahmari Palode-Gary has rushed the ball 89 times for 585 yards (6.6 ypc) and seven touchdowns in seven games played on the year.

The Kansas City, Mo., native currently ranks second in the MIAA in rushing, averaging 83.6 yards per game. He posted three straight 100-yard rushing games between Sept. 27 (vs. ESU) and Oct. 11 (vs. WU); and he carried the ball 13 times for 54 yards and three scores against MWSU the last time out (Oct. 25).

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 earned MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week honors for second time in as many weeks following his efforts against MWSU.

Schmitt booted three field goals, including a pair of 50+ yard kicks, against the Griffons. His 56-yard kick midway through the third quarter was a career long. He scored 16 points against WU on Oct. 11, booting a pair of field goals and scoring a TD on a successful fake field goal attempt.


The Grain Valley, Mo., native leads the conference in field goals (12) and scoring (8.5 ppg). Schmitt is the only D2 kicker with three kicks of 50+ yards this season.
Redshirt senior linebacker Steven Ward II posted a career best 10 tackles (four solo), including three stops behind the line of scrimmage, against MWSU. For the season, he has compiled 52 tackles (27 solo), with 5.5 tackles-for-loss and four pass breakups.
The Nixa, Mo., native has made 76 tackles in 19 career games. He also has 8.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 quarterback sacks and seven PBUs to his credit.