PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Emporia, Kan., Saturday (Sept. 27) for an Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association match-up against Emporia State University.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (CDT) at Fracis G. Welch Stadium.

Pitt State enters Saturday's game with a 2-2 record (1-1 MIAA) and ranked No. 18 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The Gorillas posted a 31-16 victory over Fort Hays State University last Saturday (Sept. 20) at Carnie Smith Stadium.

Emporia State is 1-2 (0-1 MIAA) on the season after a dropping a 34-20 road decision against the University of Nebraska-Kearney the last time out. 

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 10-5 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 Emporia State. He is 0-1 vs. the Hornets.

ESU's Garrin Higgins is in his 18th year leading the Hornets and his 23rd year as a collegiate coach. Higgins (ESU, '92) has compiled a 114-86 (.570) record leading his alma mater as well as a 165-95 (.635) career mark. He is 4-11 (.267) vs. Pitt State.

Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has compiled an impressive record in road games over the past 32 years.

The Gorillas have posted a 122-39-1 (.756) record in its last 162 road games (including post-season play) dating back to the start of the 1994 season. The Gorillas are 58-16 (.784) in their last 74 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010.

ESU has posted an 18-5 (.783) home record the past five seasons under Coach Higgins.

The Pitt State - Emporia State Series
This will be the 103rd all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Hornets in a series that dates all the way back to the 1915 season. The Pitt State-Emporia State series is the ninth-longest rivalry in NCAA Division II football.

Pitt State holds a commanding 65-35-2 advantage in the series. The Gorillas are 32-17-1 vs. the Hornets in Pittsburg.
Pitt State is 36-8 in its last 44 meetings against ESU.

Last year, Gunnar Gundy threw a pair of touchdowns and rushed for a third to lead No. 21 Emporia State to a 24-21 road win over No. 4 Pittsburg State on Sept. 14 at Carnie Smith Stadium. 

The Gorillas led 7-0 midway through the first quarter, but the Hornets rattled off 17 straight points to take a 17-7 lead at the intermission.

Pitt State's Noah Hernandez scored on a one-yard run with 9:14 to play in the fourth quarter to draw within three points at 17-14. The Gorillas defense forced the Hornets to punt the ball away with 5:51 remaining in the game, but ESU's Cade Stephenson intercepted an errant pass one play later. Gundy scrambled for a 16-yard scoring scamper on the next play to stake ESU to a 24-14 advantage with 5:45 to go.

The Gorillas countered by driving 75 yards in eight plays with Chad Dodson Jr. hitting Jack Roberts for a 13-yard scoring connection with 3:29 remaining. The Pitt State defense then forced a quick three and out, but the Hornets forced Dodson into four straight incomplete passes to seal the victory.

Dodson finished the game 24 of 41 passing for 345 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted three times. Kuron Parchmon caught six passes for 90 yards, including a 19-yard first quarter TD reception. Hernandez carried the ball 16 times for 99 yards.

In addition to three takeaways, the Hornets defense held the Gorillas on downs three times. Pitt State's reserve placekicker Gentry Cole also missed a pair of first half field goals from 36 and 30 yards. The Gorillas Austin Schmitt missed the game due to an injury.

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 343 of its last 416 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 343-71-2 (.827) mark during the past 41 seasons (1985-2025). PSU is 180-30-1 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 264-69-1 (.792) 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.

Emporia State has posted a 166-150-0 (.525) record in conference action since joining the MIAA in 1991.

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 762-367-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,177 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 (666) and Central Oklahoma (666).

 ESU has a 565-561-45 (.502) record in 133 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt senior quarterback Jackson Berry has completed 75 of 135 passes (.556) for 956 yards (239.0 ypg) and four touchdowns in his first four starts for the Gorillas.

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

The Bellmead, Texas native has registered 107 career tackles (65), 12 interceptions and 23 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 (35).

Redshirt senior safety Reginald King Jr. was selected the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against Grand Valley State on Sept. 20. 

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 season. He has 57 career catches for 896 yards and seven scores. Parchmon logged 30 receptions for 502 yards and thee touchdowns in 2024.

Redshirt junior wide receiver Greyson Holbert logged his first career 100-yard receiving game against Fort Hays State last week, making six grabs for 121 yards including a 78-yard go-ahead scoring connection from Berry.

The Overland Park, Kan., native has a team-leading 21 catches for 291 yards (13.9 ypc) to date. He has 34 career receptions for 380 yards (11.2 ypc). Holbert also has posted 16 career carries for 197 yards (12.3 ypc) and one score.