PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Hays, Kan., Saturday (Sept. 19) for a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association match-up against Fort Hays State University. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (CDT) at Lewis Field Stadium.

Pitt State is 0-3 (0-1 MIAA) on the season. The Gorillas, the preseason No. 4 team in NCAA Division II, dropped back-to-back home games to No. 1 Ferris State University, 42-14, on Aug. 27 and to Emporia State University, 21-10, on Sept. 5. Pitt State dropped a hard-fought 24-23 decision to the University of West Alabama last Saturday (Sept. 12) at Livingston, Ala.

The Gorillas made their fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Division II national playoffs a year ago. Pitt State is seeking its fourth MIAA crown in five seasons (2022, 2023, 2025) after claiming a share of the 2025 MIAA Championship.

Fort Hays State is 1-1 on the season and coming off a bye week. The Tigers claimed a 35-14 road win over Angelo State to open the season on Aug. 27, before falling, 35-17, at home to No. 5 Colorado State University-Pueblo on Sept. 3.

FHSU posted a 6-5 record last year, including a 5-4 mark in MIAA play.

The Coaches
Tom Anthony is in his third year as head football coach at Pittsburg State University. He has an 18-9 (.667) 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. FHSU. He's 2-0 against the Tigers.

Chris Brown is in his 15th season as head coach at FHSU. Brown (Pitt State, 1996) has compiled an 96-63-0 (.604) 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 14th meeting vs. his alma mater. Brown is 5-8 vs. Pitt State.

The Pitt State - Fort Hays State Series
This will be the 84th 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 51-23-9 advantage in the series. The Gorillas are 25-12-6 vs. the Tigers at Hays all-time. Pitt State is 25-5-1 in its last 31 overall meetings against Fort Hays State.
Last year, Pitt State exploded for 21 fourth quarter points to rally for a 31-16 victory over Fort Hays State on Sept. 20 before a sellout Family Day crowd of 9,766 fans at Carnie Smith Stadium.

The No. 18 ranked Gorillas trailed 16-10 to the upset minded Tigers before Pitt State quarterback Jackson Berry tossed a 78-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Greyson Holbert. The one-play scoring drive came immediately after the Gorillas defense forced FHSU into a quick three-and-out series.

The opportunistic Pitt State defense forced turnovers in each of the next two Tigers offensive possessions to gain separation with cornerback Jaylen Fuksa snaring an interception and defensive end James Smith pouncing on a fumble in plus territory.

The Pit State offense cashed in on both subsequent drives with Luke Niggemann scoring on runs of four and five yards out of the Wildcat formation. Niggemann's final TD run – his third trip to the end zone on the day – came with 1:32 to play in the game, effectively sealing the win.

Berry completed 10 of 22 passes for 179 yards in the contest, with Holbert making a career best six receptions for 121 yards and the long scoring connection. Running back Cleo Chandler Jr. rushed 11 times for 63 yards. Niggemann carried the ball four times for 17 yards, including three touchdown scampers. He staked the Gorillas to a 10-3 lead with a three-yard second quarter scoring jaunt.

Linebacker Steven Ward II and safety Jordan Rogers made eight tackles apiece to pace the Pitt State defense. Cornerback Antione Nunn Jr. recorded a first quarter interception that halted a FHSU drive deep in Pitt State territory. Defensive end Elijah Morton logged 1.5 of the Gorillas 4.0 quarterback sacks in the contest.

Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has compiled an impressive record in road games over the past 33 years.

The Gorillas have posted a 125-41-1 (.751) record in its last 167 road games (including post-season play) dating back to the start of the 1994 season. The Gorillas are 61-18 (.772) in their last 79 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010.

FHSU has compiled a 49-31 (.613) home record in the past 15 seasons under Coach Brown, including a 10-2 mark the past three years (2024-26).

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 350 of its last 426 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 350-74-2 (.824) mark during the past 42 seasons (1985-2026). PSU is 183-32-1 at home, 162-33-1 on the road and 5-9-0 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 272-70-1 (.794) 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).

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 770-371-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,189 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 724 victories, followed by Hillsdale (678), Carson-Newman (674) and Central Oklahoma (671).

FHSU has a 508-497-44 (.505) record in 114 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has utilized three quarterbacks through the first three games of the season:  redshirt junior Jake Wolff , redshirt freshman Bobby Bacon and freshman Billy Middleton III.

Wolff started the first two games under center, completing 39 of 60 passes (.650) for 349 yards (174.5 ypg) and one touchdown. The Overland Park, Kan., native has seen action in nine career games for Pitt State. He missed the West Alabama contest due to injury.

Bacon (Iowa, City) made his first collegiate start against UWA, passing for 122 yards and a touchdown. Middleton (Glenn Heights, Texas) also completed two passes for 19 yards against UWA and rushed the ball eight times for 50 yards.

Redshirt senior wide receiver Greyson Holbert caught two passes for 68 yards and a touchdown the last time out vs. West Alabama. Holbert (Overland Park) has 83 career receptions for 841 yards and three touchdowns in 42 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 11 receptions for 206 yards (18.7 ypc) and a touchdown 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 87 yards last week vs. UWA. He currently ranks 10th in the MIAA in receiving yards (68.7 ypg). Starks transferred to Pitt State in January from NCAA Division I Arkansas State.

Sophomore safety Quintin Kirby posted a career best 10 tackles against Ferris State. Kirby (St. Louis, Mo.) added eight stops, including 2.0 TFLs, and an interception vs. UWA last week. He leads the team and ranks seventh in the MIAA with 23 tackles (15 solo). 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 Blake Carr has registered 105 career tackles (37 solo) in 17 career games played for the Gorillas. Carr (Clyde, Texas) has added 12.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He posted 10 tackles, including 2.5 behind the line of scrimmage, against ESU on Sept. 5.

Redshirt sophomore Tyler Antle has punted 19 times for a 45.6-yard average in Pitt State's first three games, with nine kicks traveling 50+ yards to date.  The Frontenac native has 67 career punts for a 41.9-yard average, placing 25 kicks inside the opponent 20 yard line.