PITTSBURG STATE GORILLAS (7-4)
PITTSBURG, Kan.—The Pittsburg State University football team has accepted an invitation to represent the MIAA in the fifth annual Agent Barry Live United Bowl against Arkansas Tech University from the Great American Conference (GAC).
The Gorillas (7-4) and the Wonder Boys (8-3) will meet at noon Saturday at Razorback Stadium in Texarkana, Ark.
Pitt State enters the bowl on a five-game winning streak after opening the season with a 2-4 record. The Gorillas started their five-game streak after a hard-fought 21-17 road loss to undefeated Fort Hays State University, the eventual 2017 MIAA champion. Pitt State knocked off two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion Northwest Missouri State University, 20-10, on Oct. 28 at Carnie Smith Stadium, snapping the Bearcats’ 38-game winning streak.
The Gorillas are coached by Tim Beck, who is entering his eighth season as head football coach and his 31st year on the Pitt State staff. Beck’s record is 60-23 as head coach. He served for 16 years as the Pitt State offensive coordinator before becoming the Gorillas’ 14th head football coach on Dec. 9, 2009.
“After we got on a roll, there late and won five in a row to become bowl eligible, we were excited,” Pittsburg State University head football coach Tim Beck said. “It felt great because at one point we were 2-4 and didn’t have a lot of experience defensively. We felt like we were getting better, and we knew we were getting close. We found a way to get past Missouri Western and gained more confidence after the Northwest Missouri win.
After we got that win after the three-game losing streak, we gained more confidence and continued to play good ball at the end of the year.”
The Gorillas have compiled 34 playoff victories in 25 trips to the NAIA or NCAA Division II playoffs, capturing NAIA National Championships in 1957 and 1961 and NCAA Division II National Championships in 1991 and 2011. Pitt State also has finished as the national runner-up four times in program history (1981, 1992, 1995, 2004).
PSU is averaging 30.3 points per game, while holding opponents to 20.7 points.
Pitt State, the only NCAA Division II football program with 700 all-time victories (704-345-48), will make its 32nd appearance in postseason play—its fourth berth in a sanctioned NCAA Division II bowl game.
The Gorillas had 16 players named to All-MIAA honors.
“We’re a little older offensively and younger on the defensive side of the ball,” Beck said. “It makes us feel good for the future. The opportunity to play again and get some extra practices in, will help springboard us into next year.”
The Wonder Boys have a 6-8 postseason record. ATU finished as the NAIA national runner-up in 1971. The Wonder Boys have made three appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, most recently in 2009. ATU posted a 51-35 win over Eastern New Mexico University in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl in its last postseason appearance on Dec. 5, 2015.
ATU opened the 2017 season with back-to-back wins over NCAA Division II top 25 opponents, beating No. 22 University of Southern Arkansas (28-21) on Aug. 31 and No. 23 Henderson State University (26-3) on Sept. 9. The Wonder Boys came up short in a bid for a share of the 2017 GAC Championship in a hard fought, 24-17, loss to Harding University in the regular season finale Nov. 11.
This will be the 11th meeting between the Gorillas and the Wonder Boys, who also are making their first trip to the Agent Barry Live United Bowl. Pitt State has won the last four meetings, which took place between 1983-86.
Adult general admission tickets are $10, while student general admission tickets are $4. Tickets are available online at liveunitedbowl.com. Gates to the stadium open at 10 a.m. on game day.