Truman State avoided going 0-for-the-MIAA and sent Pittsburg State to its first losing season in 32 years.
The Bulldogs scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter that left Pitt State playing catch-up all afternoon and handed the Gorillas a 28-21 loss on Saturday at Stokes Stadium.
It is the Bulldogs’ first win over Pitt State since a 17-14 win on Nov. 15, 1980 in St. Joseph, Mo. The Gorillas and the Bulldogs would not meet again until Truman entered the MIAA in 1989. That year, Pitt State started its 20-year winning streak with a 43-0 road win.
Truman exploited a leaky secondary by throwing for 283 yards. Phillip Davis completed 16 of 19 passes for 243 of those yards and a pair of touchdowns, while the Gorillas turned the ball over three times.
Truman State racked up 429 yards of total offense, despite 13 penalties for 106 yards.
The Bulldogs scored twice in the first quarter when Phil Kenney made the most of his only pass of the day, a 15-yard touchdown strike to Albert Coker with 5 minutes, 54 seconds remaining. Harnish Ayora added a 1-yard touchdown run later in the quarter and Davis hit Coker for a 19-yard score in the second.
Then Pitt State started to claw its way back.
Cardell Clemons scored on a 1-yard run in the second and on an 8-yard dash in the third.
However the Bulldogs were able to keep Pitt State at arms-length. Davis threw his second touchdown pass to Vanness Emokpae on an 8-yard strike in the fourth to make the score 28-14.
PSU’s Jeff Smith connected on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Martin Burke with 7:40 remaining. Truman iced the win, however, with a 13-play, 44-yard drive to run out the clock.
The Gorillas close out the 2009 campaign with a 5-6 mark overall and 3-6 in the MIAA.
It is the first losing season for the Gorillas under head coach Chuck Broyles in his 20 years at the helm.
Pitt State was led by Clemons’ 106 yards on the ground on 13 carries. Terrance Isaac had 79 yards on 13 carries. Isaac also added 33 yards on three receptions.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. —
