GORILLAS ONE STEP AWAY FROM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

December 4, 2004 BAMA BOUND: #1 Pitt State Defeats #14 UND, 31-19, in Natl Semifinals PITTSBURG -- Top-ranked Pittsburg State University scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to break open a 14-13 game and secure a 31-19 victory over 14th-ranked University of North Dakota before a sellout crowd of 9,983 fans in "The Pitt", Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium Saturday (Dec. 4) in the NCAA Division II national semifinals. The Gorillas (14-0) advance to the 2004 NCAA Division II National Championship game in Florence, Ala., on Dec. 11 to meet third-ranked Valdosta State University, a 45-21 winner against #23 West Chester University in the other semifinal matchup at Valdosta, Ga., Saturday. Pitt State, which captured the 1991 NCAA-II national title, returns to the championship game for the first time since 1995 and the fourth time in school history (1991-92, `95). Senior quarterback Neal Philpot rushed for 122 yards and tossed three touchdown passes in the game, including a 12-yard scoring pass to junior tight end Brandon Twito that essentially sealed the win with 2:31 to play in the game. Philpot`s clinching pass came on 4th-and-2 at the UND 12 and the Gorillas leading 24-13. The play capped a nine-play, 63-yard drive that consumed five minutes and seven seconds of precious time off the scoreboard. The Fighting Sioux (11-3) mustered a 12-play scoring drive to make it 31-19 on Adam Roland`s 1-yard run with 43 seconds remaining, but Pitt State recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt and ran out the clock. Pitt State, which has shattered NCAA all-division records for scoring (806 points) and total offense (8,605 yards) in its magical run this season, took some time to get itself untracked against a North Dakota defensive unit that entered the game leading Division II in point allowed (10.8 ppg). UND got on the board first when Roland capped a short drive with a 12-yard run with 5:40 to play in the first quarter. Pitt State countered to knot the score with 4 seconds to play in the initial period when Philpot tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Jermaine Carpenter. The Fighting Sioux rebounded to take a 10-7 lead of Jeff Glas` 30-yard field goal at the 9:17 mark of the second quarter, but Philpot and sophomore running back Germaine Race promptly led the Gorillas down the field, moving back in front, 14-10, on Race`s 3-yard run with 6:38 remaining in the half. Race finished the game with a game-high 19 carries for 158 yards, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the 13th time in 14 games for Pitt State, which compiled 304 total rushing yards in the game on 46 carries. The Gorillas moved within 40 rushing yards of breaking yet another NCAA all-division record -- this one, the University of Oklahoma`s 1971 record of 5,196 rushing yards. Pitt State now has 5,157 yards on the year. The Fighting Sioux scored again on their opening possession of the second half, trimming PSU`s lead to 14-13 on a 32-yard field goal by Glas. Philpot put the Gorillas in front for good with 45 seconds left in the third period when he tossed a 19-yard TD pass to Carpenter, who had four catches for 46 yards in the game. Nathan Alleman added a 28-yard field goal with 9:32 to play in the game to make it a 24-13 margin. Alleman originally misfired on a 32-yard field goal attempt on the drive, but UND was flagged for a personal foul, leaping, penalty on the kick to extend the Gorillas` offensive series. Following Alleman`s kick, the UND offense was forced into a three-and-out series, and the Fighting Sioux punted the ball away with 7:38 to play in the game, giving Philpot time to engineer Pitt State`s game-clinching scoring drive. Sophomore quarterback Chris Belmore completed 19 of 31 passes for 264 yards in the game for the Fighting Sioux, and Roland had a team-high 71 yards rushing with two scores. Senior linebacker Jimmie Taylor logged a team-high 16 tackles for Pitt State, while sophomore defensive end Ryan Meredith had six tackles, with two forced fumbles and two of the Gorillas` three quarterback sacks in the game. Courtesy: PSU Sports Information