PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will make its 22nd all-time appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday (Nov. 22) when the Gorillas host Chadron State College of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in a first-round game at Carnie Smith Stadium.

Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, qualified for the 32-team playoffs after finishing the regular season with an 9-2 record (8-1 MIAA) and claiming a share of the 2025 MIAA Championship. The Gorillas, ranked No. 6 in the final regular season AFCA/Division II Top 25 poll, posted a 27-14 victory over Northwest Missouri State University at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., last Saturday (Nov. 15).

Chadron State qualified for post-season play by finishing the regular season with an 8-3 record (8-1 RMAC). The Eagles, who are making their ninth all-time NCAA playoff appearance, finished the regular season as the RMAC runner-up after falling, 30-27, in two overtimes on the road against Colorado State University-Pueblo last Saturday. CSC, the No. 22 team in NCAA Division II, had won eight straight games after an 0-2 start to the season.

Kickoff for Saturday's game is set for 1 p.m. (CST).

Tickets
Tickets are $12 for reserved seats, $10 for general admission and $5 for PSU Students (with I.D.). All tickets on game day will be $12. The PSU Ticket Office is open until the close of business Friday (Nov. 21). Online ticket sales are available at www.pittstate.edu/tickets.

For additional ticket information, please call (620) 235-4796.

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 17-5 (.773) 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 first meeting against Chadron and his second NCAA playoff game. He is 0-1 in postseason play.

Jay Long is in his 14th season as head coach at Chadron and his 17th year as a collegiate head coach. Long (Chadron, '01) has led his alma mater to a 62-46 (.574) record and he has a 77-61 (.558) career mark.

Long previously served as head coach at NCAA Division II Black Hills State University in 2009-11. This will be Long's first meeting vs. Pitt State and his first NCAA postseason contest.

The Pitt State - Chadron State Series
This will be the fourth meeting between the Gorillas and the Eagles in a series that dates back to the 2008 season. Pitt State holds a 3-0 record against CSC.

The two squads first met on Sept. 6, 2008, at Chadron, Neb., with Pitt State claiming a 38-31 road win. Pitt State quarterback Mark Smith (now the Gorillas wide receivers coach) broke loose for the decisive 61-yard touchdown run with 1:45 to play in the game to break a 31-31 tie. Smith passed for 214 yards and three touchdowns in the game to lead the No. 14 ranked Gorillas past the No. 8 ranked Eagles.

In 2009, No. 5 ranked Pitt State scored 28 points in the second quarter to pull away from No. 7 Chadron State in a 41-13 decision in Pittsburg on Sept. 5. Quarterback John McCoy rushed for 112 yards and two TDs and passed for 212 yards and three scores in the lopsided win.

In the last meeting on Sept. 4, 2010, the Gorillas jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead and rode that early momentum to a 14-3 win at Carnie Smith Stadium. Running back Terrance Isaac rushed for a game-high 115 yards and linebacker Nate Dreiling, who led Division II in tackles that season, made 16 stops in the game, including 2.5 tackes-for-loss.

PSU vs. RMAC Foes
The Gorillas own a 14-3 (.824) all-time record against current members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Pitt State is 3-0 all-time against Chadron State; 2-0 vs. Western Colorado; 1-0 vs. Colorado Mesa; 1-0 vs. Colorado Mines; 0-1 vs. Adams State (1988 NAIA Semifinals); and 7-2 vs. CSU-Pueblo.
Pitt State competed in the RMAC for seven seasons, from 1969-75, before joining the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) in 1976.

The Gorillas claimed their only RMAC title by defeating Western New Mexico, 52-6, in the 1970 RMAC Championship Game at Silver City, N.M.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 380-140-12 (.726) record in 532 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have posted a 27-9 (.750) all-time record in home playoff games, including a 20-6 (.769) mark in NCAA-II postseason play. Pitt State is 11-2 in home playoff games since 2001.

Chadron is 38-37 (.507) in its last 75 road games dating back to the start of the 2012 season under Coach Long.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 350 of its last 423 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 350-71-2 (.830) mark during the past 41 seasons (1985-2025). PSU is 183-30-1 at home, 162-32-1 on the road and 5-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.

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 769-367-48 overall record, winning 67.0 percent of their 1,184 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 723 victories, followed by Hillsdale (676), Carson-Newman (671) and Central Oklahoma (670).

 Chadron has a 556-402-15 (.604) record in 114 seasons of intercollegiate play.

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

Pitt State has posted a 272-69-1 (.797) record against its MIAA opponents since joining the conference in 1989. The Gorillas have won 15 MIAA titles since joining the conference, including three MIAA crowns in the last four seasons (2022, 2023, 2025).

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt senior quarterback Jackson Berry has completed 192 of 320 passes (.600) for 2,417 yards (219.7 ypg) and 13 touchdowns for the Gorillas. He also has rushed the ball 77 times for 226 yards and three scores.

Berry was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Year Tuesday (Nov. 18). He also garnered MIAA Player of the Week accolades for a seocnd straight week after passing for 228 yards and a pair of scored in the Gorillas' win over Northwest Missouri last Saturday (Nov. 15). Berry also passed for a season-best 296 yards and two TDs vs. UCM on Nov. 8 to gain the conference's weekly honor.
He currently ranks third in the MIAA in total offense (240.3 ypg) and fourth in the league in passing yards (219.7 ypg) and passing efficiency (133.7 rating). Berry's 2,417 passing yards also ranks eighth all-time on Pitt State's single season chart.

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.

Junior placekicker Austin Schmitt was named the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year Tuesday.

Schmitt leads the MIAA and NCAA Division II with 19 field goals on the season (1.73 pg). He's converted 19 of 27 kicks on the year and he's also made 38 of 39 PAT tries. The Grain Valley, Mo., native has scored an MIAA leading 101 points (9.2 ppg).

Schmitt has been selected the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week four times this season:  vs. Washburn on Oct. 11; vs. Missouri Western on Oct. 25; vs. Missouri Southern on Nov. 1; and vs. Central Missouri on Nov. 8.

For his career, Schmitt has converted 40 of 53 (.755) field goals and scored 219 points (8.1 ppg) in 27 career games played.

Redshirt senior safety Jordan Rogers has made 69 tackles (32 solo) and recorded three interceptions, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles to earn first-team All-MIAA honors.
Rogers returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown against UCM on Nov. 8.

The Bellmead, Texas native has registered 148 career tackles (82 solo), 13 interceptions and 26 pass breakups. A three-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 fourth place in Pitt State history in career interceptions (13) and passes defended (39).

Redshirt junior running back Zahmari Palode-Gary has rushed the ball 135 times for 843 yards (6.2 ypc) and nine touchdowns in 10 games played on the year, earning first-team All-MIAA honors.
The Kansas City, Mo., native currently leads the MIAA in rushing, averaging 84.3 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 18 times for 140 yards and two scores against UCM on Nov. 8.

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.

Redshirt junior wide receiver Kuron Parchmon (Ferguson, Mo.) has caught 34 passes for 555 yards (16.3 ypc) and three touchdowns in 10 games played, while redshirt junior wide receiver Greyson Holbert (Overland Park, Kan.) has 53 receptions for 539 yards (10.2 ypc) and two scores. Parchmon (55.5 ypg) and Holbert (49.0 ypg) rank sixth and ninth in the MIAA in receiving yards, while Holbert also ranks fourth in the league in receptions.

Parchmon, a first-team All-MIAA selection, has 79 career receptions for 1,207 yards and seven touchdowns. Holbert, a third-team All-MIAA honoree, has 66 career grabs for 628 yards and two scores.

Senior linebacker Steven Ward II (Nixa, Mo.) has posted a team-leading 77 tackles (36 solo) with 7.0 tackles-for-loss, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles. A second-team All-MIAA performer, Ward ranks seventh in the MIAA in tackles (7.0 pg). Senior safety Reginald King Jr. (Grandview, Mo.) also has made 55 tackles (36 solo), one interception and seven pass breakups. He was a first-team All-MIAA selection.

Redshirt sophomore tight end Luke Niggemann (Girard, Kan.) has seven receptions for 56 yards (8.0 ypc) and one touchdown. He also has rushed the ball 25 times for 119 yards (4.8 ypc) and three scores. Niggemann garnered third-team All-MIAA honors.

In addition to his receiving totals this season, Niggemann has 49 career carries for 268 yards (5.5 ypc) and 10 touchdowns.

Senior Drew Daniels (Andover, Kan.), redshirt senior Carter Stanchfield (Paola, Kan.) earned first-team All-MIAA honors at offensive line and redshirt senior Coby James (Midlothian, Texas) was named to the third-team All-MIAA squad. The trio have helped pave the way up front for a Pitt State offense that has averaged 30.6 points and 417.1 yards of total offense (195.0 rushing). The Gorillas have allowed just 15 quarterback sacks in 329 pass attempts on the season.

Redshirt senior defensive lineman Jeremy Sharp (Peculiar, Mo.) has 32 stops (13 solo) with 8.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 quarterback sacks on the season, while redshirt senior defensive end James Smith (Lawrenceville, Ga.) has logged 26 tackles (14 solo) with 8.0 TFLs and 4.0 QB sacks. Sharp garnered first-team All-MIAA honors and Smith was a third-team All-MIAA selection. Redshirt junior defensive end Ely Wilcox Wilcox (Augusta, Kan.) also was named to the honorable mention All-MIAA squad. He has compiled 28 tackles (13 solo), 5.5 TFLs and 3.5 QB sacks. Sharp and Smith are tied for seventh place in the MIAA in QB sacks.

Redshirt senior Jaylen Fuksa (Frisco, Texas) earned All-MIAA honors as a defensive back and as a return specialist. Fuksa has posted 22 tackles (six solo) with one interception and four pass breakups in nine games played. He also has averaged 26.8 yards on 14 kickoff returns this season.

A three-time All-MIAA performer, Fuksa has made 105 career tackles (71 solo), two interceptions and 31 pass break-ups. He also has averaged 28.1 yards on 27 career kickoff returns.

Redshirt senior running back Cleo Chandler Jr. and redshirt senior return specialist Ryan Medeiros also earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors for their play during the 2025 regular season. Chandler (Cleburne, Texas) has 92 carries for 508 yards (5.5 ypc), ranking eighth in the conference (56.4 ypg). Medeiros (Prosper, Texas) has averaged 5.2 yards on 30 punt returns on the season. He's also logged 40 tackles (20 solo) with one interception and two PBUs. He ranks fourth in the league in punt returns.

Chandler has 354 career carries for 1,586 yards (4.5 ypc) and 18 touchdowns. He also has 45 career receptions for 384 yards and two scores.

Notable Nuggets
•    Pitt State has trailed for just 12:12 of game clock in the Gorillas' last seven games.
•    After surrendering two TDs & 1 FG on the opening drive of its first four games, the Pitt State
    defense has held its opposition scoreless on its game-opening drives in six of its last seven contests.
•    The Pitt State defense has forced 21 turnovers on the season; and the Gorillas have generated
    97 points off turnovers (8.8 ppg), including three defensive scores.
•    Pitt State's balanced offense has averaged 417 yards of total offense. The Gorillas have run the
    ball 57 percent of the time (443 of 772 plays) for 195 yards per game, while Pitt State has passed
    (329 of 772 plays) for 222 yards per game.