Gorillas shocked by Statesman

#17 Delta State Shocks #2 Pitt State, 44-31 PITTSBURG -- Delta State University jumped out to a 30-7 lead early in the third quarter than held on in a wild final period of action as the visiting Statesmen claimed a 44-31 victory over Pittsburg State University Saturday (Aug. 27) at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium. The Gorillas (0-1), the preseason #2 team in NCAA Division II, scored 17 straight points to pull within 30-24 of the 17th-ranked Statesmen with 10:54 to play in the fourth quarter. PSU got the ball back with 8:32 to play but had the drive end in DSU territory when Andy Majors` pass for Marques Nelson was knocked into the air and intercepted. The Gorillas forced another Delta State punt with 3:47 remaining in the game, but the Statesmen held Pitt State and forced the Gorillas to punt from their end zone. Jeremy Ricks then blocked Grant Stephenson`s punt and Steven Davis recovered it in the Gorillas endzone for a touchdown and a 37-24 Delta State advantage with 2:38 to play in the game. Majors, who completed 23 of 49 passes for a school record 344 yards, led Pitt State down the field, capping a 10-play drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Nelson with 1:23 to play in the game. The Statesmen recovered a subsequent onside kick attempt by the Gorillas, but backup quarterback Tony Gratton -- who entered the game for an injured DSU starter Scott Eyster -- and wide receiver Chad Ridley fumbled an exchange on an end around, creating an 18-yard loss. DSU punted to the Gorillas with 33 seconds to play, with Spencer Strickland booting a 52-yard punt that pinned PSU at its own 4. Two plays later the Statesmen sealed the victory when Majors was sacked by Michael Eubanks and Johnnie Keys scooped up the loose ball and carried it into the endzone from five yards out for a touchdown. The loss was the Gorillas` first in a season-opening home game at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium since 1976. A sellout crowd of 8,947 fans witnessed the contest