Box Score | Season Stats
PITTSBURG, Kan. – Derek Koon's 36-yard field goal at the buzzer was wide right and Pittsburg State escaped their final home game of the season with a 17-14 victory over the Truman Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
After quarterback Phil Davis hit Kendrick Blue on a 15-yard scoring play with 4:50 left in the quarter, Pitt State did the Bulldogs a favor by burning just 19 seconds off the clock and having to punt the ball back.
Davis converted on two big plays in the final drive as the Bulldogs started from their own 15-yard line. He found Anthony Brown for 21 yards on a third and 12 then found Caleb Roberts down the middle on fourth and two to cross midfield.
Davis and Brown hooked up for 18 and 11 yards respectively to move the chains down to the 18 yard line as time clicked off the clock.
Donald Harvey nearly won the game for the 'Dogs as the receiver was judged to have bobbled the ball as he drug his foot in the endzone with under 10 seconds to play.
Pitt burned all three of their timeouts as Koon's waited to tie the game but pushed the ball slightly right from 36 yards as the clock expired.
Blue's touchdown to cut the lead to three with 4:50 to play in the game finished off a 12-play 60-yard drive that consumed 7:11. Davis converted on fourth and one by the nose of the football and also had a 16 yard rush to the Pitt 15. Blue caught a swing pass and dove for the pylon for the score.
Dallas Grier then converted on the first two-point conversion by the Bulldog this season to pull the 'Dogs to within three.
Davis finished with 210 yards passing on just 13 completions as the Bulldog's amassed 376 yards of total offense to just 241 by the Gorillas.
Davis and Will Mosquera each had over 70 yards on the ground as Mosquera had 16 for 74 yards and Davis added 71 yards on 22 rush attempts.
Pittsburg State was led by Terrance Isaac's 82 yards on the ground and Briceton Wilson's 55 rushing yards. The Gorilla quarterbacks were just six of 16 passing for 60 yards.
Pitt (5-5; 3-5 MIAA) opened the scoring as they used a short field off a wind aided punt by Eric Phillips to go up 3-0 on their first drive. Terrance Byrd stuffed Nate Morris for a two yard loss on third and two to force the field goal attempt.
Dallas Grier caught a 27 yard pass and Paul Taylor ran for 18 on a reverse but Truman had to settle for a 22-yard field goal to tie the game on their second drive of the game.
Koon gave Truman (4-6; 2-6 MIAA) the lead as the Bulldogs failed to punch it in after having first and goal at the seven yard line in the second quarter. Koon hit from 19-yards out with 7:44 left in the half.
Byrd picked up his second interception of the game on the Gorillas next drive as the Bulldog set up shop at the Pitt 44.
Davis ran for nine yards on the first play but left with debris in his eyes from the slide and was replaced by Conrad Schottel. The redshirt freshman ran a QB sneek to gain the first but a pass drop and a sack pushed the ball back to the 31. Mosquera gained nine on the ground on third down to set up a 45-yard attempt by Koon but the kicker pulled it left.
The Gorillas took the lead back right before half as they marched 75 yards in 10 plays highlighted by a 26 yard run by Wilson and a 16 yard run by Zac Dickey to the Bulldog four. Wilson scored from four yards out with 33 seconds left in the half and a 10-6 Gorilla lead.
Truman attempted an onsides kick coming out of the locker room and failed, however the 'Dog defense stopped Pitt on four straight plays to get the ball back on downs.
Pitt would take a 17-6 lead at the 4:58 mark of the third quarter when Morris scored from 12 yards out to cap off a 13-play 68-yard drive.
Truman will close out the 2010 season by hosting the University of Nebraska-Omaha at Stokes Stadium for senior day. Kick off is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. as the game will be televised from Kirksville as part of the MIAA Television package.
