PITTSBURG --
Austin Schmitt booted a 32-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Pittsburg State University football team to a 41-38 victory over the University of Central Missouri Saturday (Nov. 7). The Gorillas (4-6, 4-4 MIAA) rallied from a 17-3 halftime deficit with 38 second half points to knock off the Mules (6-4, 5-3 MIAA) on Salute to Service and Senior Day at Carnie Smith Stadium.
Quarterback
Bobby Bacon passed for 348 yards and four touchdowns and added a two-yard scoring run with 2:00 remaining in regulation that knotted to score at 38-38.
The Pitt State defense surrendered 609 yards of total offense against UCM's potent offensive attack, but the Gorillas made a key stop in the game's final 120 seconds and
Spencer Ward broke loose with a 36-yard punt return to give Bacon and the Pitt State offense a chance to finish off the comeback win.
With 22 seconds remaining in regulation, Bacon connected with wide receiver
T.J. Starks for a 35-yard pass play from the Pitt State 45 yard line to the UCM 20. Running back
Diego Cearns added a five-yard gain to set the ball at the UCM 15 before Schmitt delivered the game-winning kick.
Bacon tossed a 45-yard touchdown pass to
Kuron Parchmon on the opening drive of the second half and struck again with a 49-yard home run ball to Starks 65 seconds of game clock later to turn the 17-3 deficit into a tie game with 12:31 to play in the third quarter. The quick strike to Starks came one play after Pitt State safety
Jasper Ogburn intercepted an errant pass from UCM quarterback Jordan Pachot, who finished the game with 441 passing yards.
Four plays later, Pitt State linebacker
Blake Carr, who made a career best 14 tackles in the game, poked the ball loose from Pachot on a scramble play to give the Gorillas the ball at the UCM 49. Bacon capped the ensuing five-play drive with a 17-yard scoring pass to tight end
Jaydon Knight to complete a 21-point scoring run and stake Pitt State to a 24-17 lead.
Freshman running bck
Syre Padilla returned from injury to rush for a team-leading 71 yards on eight carries. Cearns added 12 rushes for 64 yards as the Pitt State offense produced a season-best 156 yards on the ground in the game.
In addition to Carr's career best numbers, four other Pitt State defenders registered career best double-digit tackle totals:Â redshirt sophomore linebacker Peyton Wehner (12), freshman safety
Jorian Guinn Jr. (11), sophomore safety
Quintin Kirby (10) and redshirt sophomore safety
Spencer Ward (10).
Pitt State will close out the regular season next Saturday (Nov. 14) when the Gorillas travel to Kansas City, Kan., to battle Northwest Missouri State University. Kickoff is set fr 1:30 p.m. (CST) at Sporting Park.
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