PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will return to the friendly confines of Carnie Smith Stadium for the second time in as many weeks as the Gorillas play host to Fort Hays State University Saturday (Sept. 20) in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play.

Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (CDT).

Pitt State enters Saturday's game with a 1-2 record (0-1 MIAA) and ranked No. 18 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The Gorillas secured a 17-14 victory over No. 3 Grand Valley State University last Saturday (Sept. 13) at Carnie Smith Stadium.

Fort Hays State is 2-1 (1-0 MIAA) on the young season after a claiming a 26-7 home win over the University of Nebraska-Kearney the last time out. The Tigers also recorded a dramatic 35-34 road win over No. 5 ranked Colorado State University-Pueblo on Sept. 6. FHSU 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 8-5 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 Fort Hays State. He is 1-0 vs. the Tigers.

Chris Brown is in his 14th season as head coach at FHSU. Brown (Pitt State, 1996) has compiled an 91-58-0 (.611) record leading the Tigers. Brown, a three-time All-America free safety for the Gorillas from 1993-95, came to FHSU after serving as defensive coordinator at Washburn from 2002-10. This will be his 13th meeting vs. his alma mater. Brown is 5-7 vs. Pitt State.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 376-140-12 (.723) record in 528 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 174 of their last 208 regular season home games, posting a 174-33-1 (.839) record over the last 41 seasons.

Fort Hays State has posted an 18-16 (.529) road record since the start of the 2018 season.

The Pitt State - Fort Hays State Series
This will be the 83rd all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Tigers in a series that dates all the way back to the 1915 season.

Pitt State holds a commanding 50-23-9 advantage in the series. The Gorillas are 26-11-3 vs. the Tigers in Pittsburg all-time. Pitt State is 24-5-1 in its last 30 overall meetings against Fort Hays State.

Last year, wide receiver Jack Roberts' diving catch in the corner of the end zone with 1:00 to play in regulation gave No. 7 Pitt State its first lead of the game and lifted the Gorillas to an 18-17 victory over Fort Hays State on Oct. 19 in Pittsburg.

The visiting Tigers stunned the sellout crowd of 9,265 fans at Carnie Smith Stadium most of the afternoon, leading on the scoreboard for more than 44 minutes of the play clock. With FHSU leading 17-12, Pitt State defensive lineman Malik Berry tipped a Caleb Heavner third down pass attempt high into the air and Gorillas safety Jordan Rogers snared the ball at the FHSU 32 and returned in 11 yards, giving the Gorillas the ball at the FHSU 21 with 2:51 to play in the game.

Pitt State, victimized earlier in the contest by a pair of red zone turnovers, cashed in finally with the go-ahead score. Quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. delivered an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Kuron Parchmon that gave the Gorillas first-and-goal at the FHSU 1. After a muffed snap set the Gorillas back to the five yard line, Dodson delivered two plays later by hitting Roberts with the winning connection.

Dodson finished the game 18 of 35 passing for 197 yards and an interception. He completed five balls to Parchmon for a game-high 68 yards. Dodson was Pitt State's leading ground gainer with eight rushes for 43 yards.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 342 of its last 415 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 342-71-2 (.827) mark during the past 41 seasons (1985-2025). PSU is 179-30-1 at home, 159-32-1 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 263-69-1 (.791) 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.

Fort Hays State has posted an 85-91-0 (.483) record in conference action since joining the MIAA in 2006

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 761-367-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,176 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 (671), Carson-Newman (665) and Central Oklahoma (665).

FHSU has a 503-492-44 (.505) record in 113 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt senior quarterback Jackson Berry has completed 65 of 113 passes (.575) for 777 yards (259.0 ypg) and three touchdowns in his first three starts for the Gorillas.

Berry (6-0, 201), who transferred to Pitt State in January from NCAA Division I Southern Utah University, passed for 294 yards with one interception and an interception against the Bulldogs. He also rushed the ball seven times for 15 net yards in the game.

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 22 tackles and recorded two interceptions, two pass breakups and a forced fumble early in the season.

The Bellmead, Texas native had registered 99 career tackles (60), 12 interceptions and 22 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 (34).

Redshirt senior safety Reginald King Jr. was selected the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against GVSU last Saturday. 

King recorded the game-sealing interception with 5:04 to play in the game. The Grandview, Mo., native snared the errant pass from GVSU's Andrew Schuster at the PSU 38 yard line and returned it 23 yards to the GVSU 39. The Gorillas offense then picked up three first downs to run out the clock and claim the win. King added a pair of pass breakups and three tackles in the contest as the Pitt State defense limited the high powered Lakers offense to 206 total yards and 56 net rushing yards.

Redshirt junior wide receiver Kuron Parchmon recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game against Central Oklahoma on Sept. 6, catching five passes for 103 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown grab.

The Ferguson, Mo., native has 12 receptions for 244 yards (20.3 ypc) and three touchdowns on the young season. He has 57 career catches for 896 yards and seven scores. Parchmon logged 30 receptions for 502 yards and thee touchdowns in 2024.