WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Pittsburg State University football team scored 21 points in the pivotal third quarter to gain separation and eventual claim a 48-35 road win over the University of Central Missouri Saturday (Nov. 8) at Audrey J. Walton Stadium.

The Gorillas (8-2, 7-1 MIAA) posted their eighth consecutive win to head into the regular season finale next Saturday (Nov. 15) seeking a share of the 2025 MIAA Championship. Pitt State trails MIAA leader Northwest Missouri State University (9-1, 8-0 MIAA), which clinched a share of the conference crown with a 38-7 win over Missouri Western State University Saturday, by one game in the league standings.

Quarterback Jackson Berry passed for 296 yards and two touchdowns against the Mules (4-6, 4-4 MIAA), while running back Zahmari Palode-Gary rushed for 144 yards and a pair of scores.

Safety Jordan Rogers jumped a slant route and returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown on the third play of the second half to break a 14-14 tie. After UCM knotted the score at 21-21 on its next possession, the Pitt State offense struck for a 67-yard scoring jaunt by Palode-Gary and a 71-yard scoring connect from Berry to wide receiver Tyjuan Atkins Jr. on back-to-back offensive plays.

The Gorillas added a 30-yard field goal from Austin Schmitt at the 13:30 mark of the fourth quarter for a 38-21 advantage; and Pitt State struck again 46 seconds later when linebacker Steven Ward II forced a fumble and defensive end Ely Wilcox converted it into a 25-yard scoop and score play.

Berry completed 14 of 26 passes in the game for a season-high 296 yards. He connected with tight end Luke Niggemann on a six-yard TD pass for the game's first points early in the second quarter. Atkins hauled in four passes for a season best 142 yards. Running back Cleo Chandler Jr. also caught five passes for 82 yards in the game.

Schmitt raised his NCAA Division II leading field goal total to 17 on the season with his 30-yarder and a 42-yard kick with 3:02 to play in the game.

The Pitt State defense forced four takeaways in the game – all in the second half. Cornerback Kristian Cross had a key interception in the end zone to halt a potential UCM scoring drive. Safety Jasper Ogburn also registered an interception on UCM's final offensive series.

Ward posted a career best 14 tackles to go along with his forced fumble in the contest, while safety Reginald King Jr. added 10 stops. Defensive lineman Jeremy Sharp registered 1.5 quarterback sacks and 2.0 tackles-for-loss on the afternoon.

The Gorillas and Bearcats will meet at 1:30 p.m. (CST) next Saturday at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.