PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Kansas City, Kan., Saturday (Nov. 14) to meet Northwest Missouri State University in the regular season finale at Sporting Park, home to Sporting KC of Major League Soccer. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

Pitt State will bring a 4-6 record (4-4 MIAA) into its final game of the 2026 season. The Gorillas have won four of their last six games after an uncharacteristic 0-4 start to the campaign. Pitt State prevailed, 41-38, over the University of Central Missouri in its home finale last Saturday (Nov. 7) at Carnie Smith Stadium. Kicker Austin Schmitt booted the game-winning 32-yard field goal as time expired in the contest.

NWMSU enters Saturday's match-up at 8-1 overall, 7-1 in MIAA play and ranked No. 7 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The Bearcats clinched at least a share of the 2026 MIAA Championships with their 45-13 road win over Missouri Western State University last week. A NWMSU win Saturday would give the Bearcats the outright conference crown and avoid a potential logjam at the top of the standings.

Saturday's game will mark the eighth time the Gorillas and Bearcats will meet in a regular season finale match-up. Pitt State is 5-2 in those games, including:  a 40-0 win on Nov. 16, 1996, at Maryville that forced a share of the MIAA crown w/ NWMSU; a 21-17 win on Nov. 6, 2004, at Arrowhead Stadium in a winner takes all match-up of unbeaten squads; and a 27-14 win on Nov. 15, 2025, at Sporting Park that forced a share of the MIAA crown w/ NWMSU. 

The Coaches
Tom Anthony is in his third year as head football coach at Pittsburg State University. He has a 22-12 (.647) career record leading the Pitt State program.

Anthony guided the Gorillas to a 10-3 record as well as the program's third MIAA title in four seasons and Pitt State's fourth consecutive NCAA Division II playoffs berth in 2025, He posted an 8-3 record and led the Gorillas to an NCAA-II playoff berth in his debut season as head coach in 2024.

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 third meeting vs. NWMSU. He's 2-0 against the Bearcats.

John McMenamin is in his second season as head coach at NWMSU and his fourth year as a collegiate head coach. McMenamin (NWMSU, '02) has led his alma mater to a 17-4 (.810) record and he has a 24-7 (.774) career mark.

McMenamin previously served as head coach at NCAA Division II Wayne State College in 2020-21. More recently, he served as offensive co-coordinator at Tulane University during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He also served as offensive coordinator at MIAA rival University of Central Missouri from 2015-19.

This will be McMenamin's second meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 0-1 against the Gorillas.

The Pitt State - Northwest Missouri Series
This will be the 59th meeting between the Gorillas and the Bearcats in a series that dates all the way back to the 1932 season. The competitive series is tied, 29-29-0, with Pitt State owning wins in each of the last four match-ups.

Last year, Pitt State scored 24 unanswered first-half points and held off NWMSU in the second half for a 27-14 victory on Nov. 15. The Gorillas captured a share of the 2025 MIAA Championship with the victory over the Bearcats in front of 12,264 fans at Sporting Park, home of Sporting KC of the Major Soccer League.

The Gorillas won a share of their third MIAA title in the last four seasons (2022, 2023, 2025), marking the program's 15th all-time MIAA crown since joining the conference in 1989.

The opportunistic Pitt State defense forced four fumbles in the first half and turned those takeaways into 21 points, after falling behind 7-0 four minutes into the game.

Quarterback Jackson Berry tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jaelon Travis to knot the score at 7-7 with 6:20 to play in the initial quarter. The five-play, 47-yard drive was set by senior cornerback Kristian Cross forcing and recovering a fumble.

Berry struck again for a deep scoring strike to wide receiver Tyjuan Atkins Jr. four minutes later, at the 2:08 mark of the first quarter, to stake the Gorillas to a 14-7 lead. That scoring drive was set up by redshirt freshman defensive lineman Osahon Ogbeveon's strip sack on NWMSU quarterback Chris Ruhnke that was recovered by redshirt freshman defensive end Elijah Morton.

Freshman safety Quintin Kirby delivered another dagger to the Bearcats at the 4:31 mark of the second quarter. Kirby picked up a ball that was displaced from wide receiver Madixx Morris by senior linebacker Steven Ward II at the PSU 29 yard line; and Kirby returned it 71 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 advantage.

The Gorillas forced a three-and-out possession by Northwest and tacked on a 28-yard field goal by junior placekicker Austin Schmitt with 32 ticks remaining before the intermission.
Neither team scored in a defense heavy third period.

The Bearcats broke their scoreless drought on Ruhnke's five-yard scoring pass to tight end Gannon Gragert with 7:46 to play in the fourth quarter, but the Gorillas countered with a 10-play, 78-yard drive capped by Schmitt's 30-yard field goal to effectively seal the victory.

Berry completed 13 of 29 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns in the contest, while redshirt junior running back Zahmari Palode-Gary rushed the ball 18 times for 109 yards. Redshirt junior wide receiver Kuron Parchmon made four receptions for 75 yards to go along with Atkins' 78-yard scoring haul.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Blake Carr posted a team-leading 10 tackles.

Pitt State in the MIAA
Pitt State has enjoyed consistent success in the MIAA during the past three decades. Pitt State has posted a 276-73-1 (.790) record against its MIAA opponents since joining the conference in 1989. The Gorillas have won 15 MIAA titles since joining the conference, including MIAA crowns in three of the last four seasons (2022, 2023, 2025).

Northwest Missouri has posted a 277-64-0 (.812) record in conference action since 1989. The Bearcats clinched a share of the 2026 MIAA Championship last week, the program's 33rd MIAA regular season championship all-time.

Either Pitt State or Northwest has won outright or shared the MIAA crown 32 times in the last 37 seasons (1989-2026, no MIAA title awarded in 2020).

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 354 of its last 433 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 354-77-2 (.820) mark during the past 42 seasons (1985-2026). PSU is 186-32-1 at home, 163-36-1 on the road and 5-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.

All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are playing in their 119th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 774-374-48 overall record, winning 66.7 percent of their 1,196 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 728 victories, followed by Hillsdale (683), Carson-Newman (679) and Central Oklahoma (674).

NWMSU has a 655-422-33 (.605) record in 111 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt freshman quarterback Bobby Bacon has passed for 1,229 yards (307.3 ypg) and four touchdowns in Pitt State's last four outings.

Bacon was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 19 after passing for 384 yards and accounting for three touchdowns in the Gorillas 45-42 win vs. Missouri Western. He completed 21 of 28 passes for 301 yards and three TDs vs. Central Oklahoma on Oct. 24 and 19 of 34 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns against Central Missouri last week.

Bacon (Iowa City, Iowa) has started the last eight games under center. He has completed 152 of 251 passes (.606) for 2,029 yards (253.6 ypg) and 13 touchdowns in eight games played. Bacon passed for the seventh-highest yardage total in school against MWSU and he became the first Pitt State QB since 2016 to post back-to-back 300-yard passing games with 301 yards vs. UCO.

Redshirt senior wide receiver Greyson Holbert became the 10th player in school history to eclipse 100 career receptions and 1,000 career receiving yards on Oct. 17. Holbert (Overland Park, Kan.), who made seven catches for 90 yards against UCO, now has 121 career catches for 1,222 yards and three touchdowns in 49 games played for the Gorillas. He also has rushed the football 24 times for 229 yards (9.5 ypc) and two scores.

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver T.J. Starks has 33 receptions for 572 yards (17.3 ypc) and four touchdowns in his debut season for the Gorillas. Starks (Jonesboro, Ark.) had four grabs for 102 yards vs. ESU (Sept. 5) and he added five catches for 51 yards and a score vs. UNK (Oct. 3). Starks transferred to Pitt State in January from NCAA Division I Arkansas State.

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Blake Carr and sophomore safety Quintin Kirby lead the Gorillas defense with 72 and 68 tackles, respectively.

Carr (Clyde, Texas) has registered 153 career tackles (57 solo) in 24 career games played for the Gorillas. He has added 20.0 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 quarterback sacks, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles. He posted a career high with 13 tackles against the Mules last week.

Kirby (St. Louis, Mo.) has twice posted a career best 10 tackles this season:  vs. Ferris State (Aug. 27) and vs. UCM (Nov. 7). Kirby saw action in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2025. He made 27 stops (14 solo), one fumble recovery and one forced fumble last season.

Redshirt sophomore Tyler Antle has punted 46 times for a 44.9-yard average, with 15 kicks traveling 50+ yards to date including a career best 74 yarder vs WU (Oct. 10).  He leads the MIAA and ranks fourth in Division II in punting this season. The Frontenac native has 94 career punts for a 42.6-yard average, placing 35 kicks inside the opponent 20 yard line.

Senior Austin Schmitt has converted 14 of 20 field goal tries on the season. Schmitt, who set the Pitt State career record for field goals against UNK on Oct. 3, ranks eighth in Division II this season in field goals per game (1.4 pg). The Grain Valley, Mo., native has converted 54 of 76 (.711) career kicks.