GORILLAS ROLL LIONS IN U.S. CELLULAR MINER`S BOWL

October 16, 2004 #2 Pitt State Smacks MSSU, 59-7, in U.S. Cellular Miner`s Bowl VII PITTSBURG -- Germaine Race rushed for 189 yards and three touchdowns to fuel the Pittsburg State University offense, and the Gorilla defense limited Missouri Southern State University to just seven points in a lopsided 59-7 decision in the U.S. Cellular Miner`s Bowl VII at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium Saturday (Oct. 16). The second-ranked Gorillas improved to 8-0 on the season and 6-0 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play, while the Lions dropped to 4-4 overall (3-3 MIAA). Pitt State, the top offensive unit in NCAA Division II in scoring and total offense, set a new MIAA record for points in a regular season with 539, despite three games remaining on the Gorillas` regular season schedule. Race carried three times for 43 yards on PSU`s initial offensive series of the game, capping the brisk-paced drive with a 25-yard scamper with 11:49 remaining in the first quarter. It marked the seventh time in eight games the Gorilla offense has scored on its opening drive of the game on the season. Race added a 14-yard TD run on PSU`s second series, before Harlon Hill Trophy hopeful Neal Philpot made it a 21-0 game with a six-yard TD pass to fullback Joe Taylor with 11 seconds remaining in the initial period. MSSU had a chance to become the first team this season to notch first-quarter points on the scoreboard against the Gorillas, but Nathan Emert`s pass intended for Craig Winfrey fell incomplete at the 1:58 mark of the first quarter. The Lions did close to 21-7 on Emert`s nine-yard TD toss to Nate Proctor with 10:19 to play in the second quarter, but the Gorillas closed the half with 10 straight points to make it a 31-7 game. After PSU`s Jeremy Neville intercepted an Emert pass at the PSU with 6:23 to play in the second quarter, Philpot engineered a nine-play, 99-yard drive, which was culminated by his 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brandon Twito with 1:42 to play in the half. MSSU quickly drove into PSU territory in the waning minute, but consecutive sacks of Emert -- including a 13-yard sack by Chris Jaax on fourth down -- gave the ball back to the PSU offense on downs at the MSSU 48. Philpot then led PSU into field goal territory and Nathan Alleman connected on a 32-yard kick with two seconds left in the half. Race scored extended PSU`s margin with a three-yard TD run at the 7:32 mark of the third period, and free safety Vernard Veasley added a special teams touchdown 55 seconds later when Casey Warlop blocked an MSSU punt at the Lions 17 yard line and Veasley scooped it up at the 5 and ran it in for a 45-7 lead. No. 2 quarterback Andy Majors teamed with Tim Austin for a 19-yard TD pass with 1:43 to play in the third quarter and Majors capped the Gorillas scoring with a nine-yard run with 9:12 to play in the game. Philpot completed 11 of 14 passes for 146 yards and two TDs and became PSU`s all-time leading passer in the game with 4,937 career yards. He also rushed 11 times for 79 yards to move into eighth place on the MIAA`s all-time rushing chart with 3,596 career rushing yards. For MSSU, Emert completed 22 of 32 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown with one interception. He did not play in the second half after suffering an injury on the Lions` final offensive play of the first half. Mick Majors completed 11 of 19 passes for 115 yards with one interception in the second half for the Lions. The Pitt State offense piled up 632 yards of total offense in the game, including 387 ground yards on 46 carries (8.4 ypc). The Gorilla defense limited MSSU to just 28 yards rushing, on 30 carries. Defensive end Ryan Meredith was unofficially credited with 12 tackles (seven solo) with three TFLs and 1.0 quarterback sack -- one of five sacks by the Gorillas in the game. Linebacker Chad Miller added 11 tackles (seven solo) with two TFLs and 1.0 quarterback sack. Courtesy: PSU Sports Information