KEARNEY, Neb. – The Pittsburg State University football team rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to secure a 34-27 overtime victory over the University of Nebraska-Kearney Saturday (Oct. 3) at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.
The Gorillas (1-4, 1-2 MIAA) secured their first win of the season by limiting the Lopers (0-5, 0-3 MIAA) to three second-half points. UNK had rattled off 24 straight points in the second quarter after trailing 3-0 to Pitt State following the game's opening drive.
Quarterback
Bobby Bacon completed 25 of 35 passes for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the second-half rally. Running back
Diego Cearns carried the ball 20 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns, including a one-yard plunge in overtime that proved to be the decisive score.
Austin Schmitt booted a pair of field goals: a 42-yard kick that capped a 10-play drive to open the scoring in the contest and a 22-yard kick that tied the game, 27-27, with 2:43 remaining in regulation.
Cearns had a key 14-yard run on the second play of overtime to spark Pitt State's scoring drive. Bacon then connected with wide receiver
Kuron Parchmon on an eight-yard pass down to the UNK 1 to set up Cearns' TD run.
The Gorillas defense stopped the Lopers offense on four plays from inside the Pitt State 13 yard line in OT to complete the comeback victory.
Linebacker
Blake Carr smacked UNK running back Calin Arndt for a four-yard loss on a 2
nd-and-7 play from Pitt State 10 yard line. Safety
Quintin Kirby then snuffed out a pass from quarterback Ziggy Harper to Arndt for a two-yard gain to the Pitt State 12; and Harper misfired on a pass attempt on 4
th-and-9 at the Pitt State 12 to end the game.
Carr led the Pitt State defense with 10 tackles, including a quarterback sack and four stops behind the line of scrimmage. Kirby added nine stops, while defensive end
Ely Wilcox added seven tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
Parchmon and wide receiver
Greyson Holbert made seven receptions apiece in the contest. Parchmon had a game-high 75 yards, while Holbert added 65 yards. Wide receiver
T.J. Starks and tight end
Luke Niggemann each had touchdown grabs. Starts posted five catches for 51 yards in the game.
The Gorillas will wrap up a four-game road swing next Saturday (Oct. 10) with a Noon (CDT) match-up against Washburn University at Topeka.
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