PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University football team will return to the friendly confines of Carnie Smith Stadium for the second time in as many weeks as the Gorillas play host to Emporia State University Saturday (Sept. 5) to open Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (CDT).

Pitt State is 0-1 on the young season. The Gorillas dropped a 42-14 home decision to No. 1 ranked Ferris State University last Thursday (Aug. 27) in the season opener. Pitt State slid six spots, from No. 4 to No. 10, in this week's AFCA NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released Wednesday (Sept. 2).

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.

Emporia State opened the 2026 campaign with a 36-30 road win over Minot State University last Thursday (Aug. 27) at Minot, N.D. The Hornets posted a 5-6 overall record in 2025, including a 4-5 mark in MIAA play last year.

Saturday's match-up is Pitt State's annual Family Day Game. The Gorillas have played before "Sellout" crowds in 15 straight Family Day games since 2010 (no Family Day game in 2020 due to Covid-19), averaging 10,355 fans per contest.

The Coaches
Tom Anthony is in his third year as head football coach at Pittsburg State University. He has an 18-7 (.720) 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 match-up against Emporia State. He is 1-1 vs. the Hornets.

ESU's Garrin Higgins is in his 19th year leading the Hornets and his 24th year as a collegiate coach. Higgins (ESU, '92) has compiled a 119-90 (.569) record leading his alma mater as well as a 170-99 (.632) career mark. He is 4-12 (.250) vs. Pitt State.

The Pitt State - Emporia State Series
This will be the 104th 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 66-35-2 advantage in the series. The Gorillas are 32-18-1 vs. the Hornets in Pittsburg. Pitt State is 37-8 in its last 45 meetings against ESU.

Last year,  Zahmari Palode-Gary and Cleo Chandler Jr. combined to rush for 353 yards and four touchdowns to help power Pitt State to a 42-29 road win over Emporia State on Sept. 27 at Francis G. Welch Stadium.

The No. 18 ranked Gorillas rushed out to a 14-0 lead in the contest and then withstood a 16-point flurry that saw the Hornets push in front, 16-14. Pitt State rallied for a 21-16 halftime advantage and the Gorillas never trailed again in the contest.

Chandler scored on runs of 68 and seven yards. His 68-yard TD scamper on the game's second scrimmage play staked Pitt State to an early 7-0 lead 49 seconds into the game. He posted a career best 168 yards on 13 carries on the afternoon.

Palode-Gary also enjoyed a breakout game, rushing 16 times for 183 yards and scoring on runs of 16 and 74 yards in the fourth quarter.

All told, the Gorillas piled up 395 rushing yards on 47 attempts.

Quarterback Jackson Berry completed 14 of 22 passes for 88 yards, including a 10-yard TD pass to wide receiver Jaelon Travis. Backup QB Jake Wolff also tossed his first career touchdown on a four-yard first quarter connection to wide receiver Greyson Holbert.

Safety Ryan Medeiros made a team-leading six tackles and added two of the Gorillas nine pass breakups in the contest. Quincy Miner added three PBUs. Antione Nunn Jr. made a pair of tackles and recovered an onside kickoff attempt on the opening play of the second half.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 380-141-12 (.725) record in 532 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 178 of their last 213 regular season home games, posting a 178-34-1 (.838) record over the last 42 seasons.

Emporia State is 18-16 (.529) in its last 34 road games dating back to the start of the 2019 season. 

PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 350 of its last 424 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 350-72-2 (.828) mark during the past 42 seasons (1985-2026). PSU is 183-31-1 at home, 162-32-1 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 272-69-1 (.797) 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).

ESU has posted a 170-154-0 (.525) record 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 119th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 770-369-48 overall record, winning 66.9 percent of their 1,187 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 723 victories, followed by Hillsdale (676), Carson-Newman (672) and Central Oklahoma (671).

 Ferris State has a 530-446-42 (.541) record in 116 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Redshirt junior quarterback Jake Wolff made his debut as Pitt State's starting quarterback in the Gorillas season opener against Ferris State. The Overland Park., Kan., native has seen action in eight career games for Pitt State.

Redshirt senior wide receiver Greyson Holbert caught seven passes for a team-leading 81 yards in the season opener against FSU. Holbert (Overland Park) has 79 career receptions for 756 yards and two touchdowns in 40 games played for the Gorillas. He also has rushed the football 24 times for 229 yards (9.5 ypc) and two scores.

Redshirt senior wide receiver Kuron Parchmon enters Saturday's match-up against ESU with 89 career receptions for 1,325 yards (14.9 ypc) and nine touchdowns. Parchmon (5-11, 185) had five grabs for 70 yards in the Gorillas' season debut last week. The Ferguson, Mo., native has compiled 1,614 all-purpose yards in 36 career games for Pitt State.

Sophomore safety Quintin Kirby posted a career best 10 tackles against Ferris State last week. Kirby (St. Louis, Mo.) 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 86 career tackles (31 solo) in 15 career games played for the Gorillas. Carr (Clyde, Texas) has added 10 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He posted six tackles, including a pair behind the line of scrimmage, against the Bulldogs last week.

Redshirt sophomore Tyler Antle punted seven times for a 46.9-yard average in the Pitt State season opener, with four kicks traveling 50+ yards on the night.  The Frontenac native has 55 career punts for a 41.3-yard average, placing 21 kicks inside the opponent 20 yard line.