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PITTSBURG —
Pittsburg State dropped 15 spots from 7 to 22 in the AFCA Division II poll released Monday, the largest drop of any team remaining in the top 25.
The Gorillas have fallen 21 spots after back-to-back losses, 31-21 to Northwest Missouri in the Fall Classic at Arrowhead XI and 63-14 to Missouri Western on Homecoming Saturday.
The 49-point loss was the worst loss since 2009 and the worst home loss since 1914 (10 years before the current PSU home stadium opened).
The previous worst loss in Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium was 46-0 to Emporia State on Nov. 4, 1950. Harry Truman was U.S. President, U.S. troops vacated Pyongyang in North Korea, Markie Post (Christine on “Night Court”) was born and Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander died that day.
With regional alignments shifted in Division II, Pitt State may find itself on the outside looking in come playoff time.
The Gorillas and the 13 other Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association schools are in the Central region along with schools from the Great American Conference (Ouachita Baptist, Harding, Henderson State, East Central, Arkansas Tech, Arkansas-Monticello, Southeastern Oklahoma, Southwestern Oklahoma, Southern Arkansas, Southern Nazarene, Northwestern Oklahoma, Oklahoma Panhandle) and the Northern Sun Conference (Minnesota State-Mankato, Minnesota-Duluth, Sioux Falls, Winona State, St. Cloud State, Wayne State, Northern State, University of Mary, Bemidji State, Augustana, Southwest Minnesota, Upper Iowa, Concordia-St. Paul, Minot State, Minnesota-Crookston, MSU-Moorhead).
The GAC schools are only eligible for at-large bids this school year (2012-2013) and become eligible for automatic bids next school year (2013-2014). The GAC became the 23rd NCAA-II conference in 2011.
Currently, four MIAA schools (No. 5 Northwest Missouri, No. 12 Missouri Western, No. 15 Emporia State, No. 16 Washburn), three GAC schools (No. 9 Henderson State, No. 19 Harding, No. 20 Ouachita Baptist) and three NSC schools (No. 7 Minnesota State-Mankato, No. 8 Minnesota-Duluth, No. 21 Sioux Falls) rank higher in the AFCA poll.
The first regional rankings were released Monday and Pitt State was not in the 10 spots in Super Region 3: 1. Minnesota State-Mankato (8-0), 2. Henderson State (8-0), 3. Harding (6-1), 4. Emporia State (8-0), 5. Northwest Missouri (7-1), 6. Minnesota-Duluth (7-1), 7. Winona State (6-2), 8. Sioux Falls (7-1), 9. Missouri Western (7-1), 10. Ouachita Baptist (6-1).
In the course of two weeks, the Gorillas have gone from undefeated and No. 1 in the country to two losses and No. 22. Over the last six quarters of football, Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western combined to outscore Pitt State 94-28. Northwest unreeled 31 unanswered points in the second half and Western delivered 56 unanswered over a stretch from 7:41 in the first quarter to 11:08 remaining in the game when Trezz Tillman scored from 2 yards out.
Pittsburg State dropped 15 spots from 7 to 22 in the AFCA Division II poll released Monday, the largest drop of any team remaining in the top 25.
The Gorillas have fallen 21 spots after back-to-back losses, 31-21 to Northwest Missouri in the Fall Classic at Arrowhead XI and 63-14 to Missouri Western on Homecoming Saturday.
The 49-point loss was the worst loss since 2009 and the worst home loss since 1914 (10 years before the current PSU home stadium opened).
The previous worst loss in Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium was 46-0 to Emporia State on Nov. 4, 1950. Harry Truman was U.S. President, U.S. troops vacated Pyongyang in North Korea, Markie Post (Christine on “Night Court”) was born and Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander died that day.
With regional alignments shifted in Division II, Pitt State may find itself on the outside looking in come playoff time.
The Gorillas and the 13 other Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association schools are in the Central region along with schools from the Great American Conference (Ouachita Baptist, Harding, Henderson State, East Central, Arkansas Tech, Arkansas-Monticello, Southeastern Oklahoma, Southwestern Oklahoma, Southern Arkansas, Southern Nazarene, Northwestern Oklahoma, Oklahoma Panhandle) and the Northern Sun Conference (Minnesota State-Mankato, Minnesota-Duluth, Sioux Falls, Winona State, St. Cloud State, Wayne State, Northern State, University of Mary, Bemidji State, Augustana, Southwest Minnesota, Upper Iowa, Concordia-St. Paul, Minot State, Minnesota-Crookston, MSU-Moorhead).
The GAC schools are only eligible for at-large bids this school year (2012-2013) and become eligible for automatic bids next school year (2013-2014). The GAC became the 23rd NCAA-II conference in 2011.
Currently, four MIAA schools (No. 5 Northwest Missouri, No. 12 Missouri Western, No. 15 Emporia State, No. 16 Washburn), three GAC schools (No. 9 Henderson State, No. 19 Harding, No. 20 Ouachita Baptist) and three NSC schools (No. 7 Minnesota State-Mankato, No. 8 Minnesota-Duluth, No. 21 Sioux Falls) rank higher in the AFCA poll.
The first regional rankings were released Monday and Pitt State was not in the 10 spots in Super Region 3: 1. Minnesota State-Mankato (8-0), 2. Henderson State (8-0), 3. Harding (6-1), 4. Emporia State (8-0), 5. Northwest Missouri (7-1), 6. Minnesota-Duluth (7-1), 7. Winona State (6-2), 8. Sioux Falls (7-1), 9. Missouri Western (7-1), 10. Ouachita Baptist (6-1).
In the course of two weeks, the Gorillas have gone from undefeated and No. 1 in the country to two losses and No. 22. Over the last six quarters of football, Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western combined to outscore Pitt State 94-28. Northwest unreeled 31 unanswered points in the second half and Western delivered 56 unanswered over a stretch from 7:41 in the first quarter to 11:08 remaining in the game when Trezz Tillman scored from 2 yards out.
Opponents have outscored Pitt State 101-91 after halftime, 52-21 last two weeks. A telling difference between last season and this season: the National Championship team outscored its opponents 247-122 in the second half, including 110-17 in the third quarter.
The Gorillas, long identified with running the football, were outrushed by Northwest and Western 399-255. Western averaged 7.1 yards per carry and Pitt State 3.6.
With Pitt State attempting 91 passes its last two weeks, opposing pass rushers have more opportunities to pressure sophomore quarterback Anthony Abenoja. Northwest and Western combined for nine sacks.
Over the last two weeks, John Brown and Andrew Castaneda have 33 catches for 333 yards and three TDs, accounting for over 65 percent of the receptions against Northwest and Western.
With 21 catches against Northwest and Western, propelled by a school single-game record 13 Saturday, Brown now ranks No. 1 in the MIAA and 12th in NCAA-II with 7.4 receptions per game. He remains the NCAA-II leader in all-purpose yardage with 223.7 yards per game.
Brown stands with Shjuan Richardson of Emporia State (59), Dallas Grier of Truman State (55) and Ronrei Lloyd of Central Missouri (51) as the lone MIAA receivers in the 50 receptions club. Over his PSU career, Brown ranks No. 2 behind Ronnie West in receptions and receiving yards.
Despite Brown’s outstanding individual performances the last two weeks, the Gorillas have not won either football game.
Western’s passing offense dissected the Gorillas. Travis Partridge completed nine passes and four of them went for TDs. The Griffons averaged 23.7 yards per completion and 38.5 yards per touchdown. Partridge finished the game with a passing efficiency of 286.4.
At the press conference Saturday, junior linebacker Nate Dreiling mentioned “moment-of-truth plays.” Over the last six quarters, opponents have made more “moment-of-truth plays” than Pitt State, plain and simple.
