PITTSBURG — Two of the nation's premier NCAA Division II Football programs -- the Ferris State Bulldogs and the Pittsburg State Gorillas -- who will meet in the 2025 season opener on Thursday night (Aug. 28), have announced the continuation of one of the country's top non-league match-ups as the two D2 powers have agreed to a two-year contract extension.

The two teams will face each other this Thursday evening, Aug. 28, in the season opener at FSU's Top Taggart Field to complete a two-year contract after playing the initial match-up a year ago in Pittsburg. The series has now been extended with week zero match-ups set for 2026 in Kansas and 2027 back in Big Rapids.

Pitt State will entertain the Bulldogs in the 2026 season opener at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg, Kan., before paying a return trip to Big Rapids to face the Bulldogs at Top Taggart Field in the 2027 season opener.

"This is a marquee match-up to open the year in NCAA Division II football and we're excited to continue this outstanding partnership with Pittsburg State," said FSU Athletics Director Steve Brockelbank. "This series showcases two great programs and is a great opportunity for student-athletes on both sides to compete against high-quality competition. It's also exciting for the fans and alumni from both institutions."
 
Pitt State Vice President for Athletics Jim Johnson echoed those sentiments.
 
"These are two programs that carry tremendously high expectations with them every year, and the cultures within the Gorillas and Bulldogs programs lend themselves for a great series," Johnson said. "Historically, Pittsburg State has embraced these type of non-conference series with similar rivalries developed with elite teams like North Dakota State and North Alabama who have since moved up to the FCS level. We embrace this opportunity to continue to grow this series with the Bulldogs."

Pitt State and Ferris State will meet for the third time in program history this Thursday night in the season opener at Top Taggart Field. The Gorillas and Bulldogs faced off in the second round of the 2022 NCAA-II playoffs in Big Rapids where FSU scored a hard fought, 17-14, victory over Pitt State en route to capturing its second NCAA Division II National Championship. Last fall, in 2024, the Gorillas handed Ferris State its lone loss by posting a 19-3 victory at Carnie Smith Stadium in the season opener before FSU went on to win 14-straight games while winning a third national title in four years.
 
"There's no doubt Pittsburg State is a great program and it's a huge challenge to open a year, but its an awesome way to begin the season and we look forward to continuing this match-up the next couple of years," said FSU head coach Tony Annese. "Both of the previous games we've played against them have been big tests and we expect much the same over the next few seasons."
 
Last fall's match-up ushered in the Tom Anthony era for Pitt State. Anthony, who served as the Gorillas defensive coordinator from 2020-22, became the program's 16th all-time head coach prior to last year and led the Gorillas to an 8-3 overall record and the program's third consecutive trip to the NCAA D2 Playoffs in his initial campaign.
 
"Ferris State is one of the premier programs in the country. To be able to open up the season against them for the next two years will be a great test for us," said PSU head coach Tom Anthony. "Anytime two great non-conference teams can play each other to open the season brings a new level of excitement to college football."

The Bulldogs made their nation-leading 10th consecutive appearance in the NCAA-II playoffs (2014-19, 2021-24) last fall and have reached the D2 Playoffs 15 times in program history. Ferris is 30-12 (.714) in 42 postseason games.

The all-time winningest program in Division II history, Pitt State has made 20 NCAA postseason appearances highlighted by NCAA-II National Championships in 1991 and 2011 and national runner-up finishes in 1992, 1995 and 2004.

Ferris State heads into this Thursday's season opener against the Gorillas as the nation's consensus preseason #1 team in the national polls while Pittsburg State is ranked ninth by the American Football Coaches Association and #10 by D2Football.com.