October 3rd, 2026 4:05pm
KEARNEY, Neb. – The Pittsburg State University football team rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to secure a 34-27 overtime victory over the University of Nebraska-Kearney Saturday (Oct. 3) at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.
The Gorillas (1-4, 1-2 MIAA) secured their first win of the season by limiting the Lopers (0-5, 0-3 MIAA) to three second-half points. UNK had rattled off 24 straight points in the second quarter after trailing 3-0 to Pitt State following the game's opening drive.
Quarterback Bobby Bacon completed 25 of 35 passes for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the second-half rally. Running back Diego Cearns carried the ball 20 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns, including a one-yard plunge in overtime that proved to be the decisive score.
Austin Schmitt booted a pair of field goals: a 42-yard kick that capped a 10-play drive to open the scoring in the contest and a 22-yard kick that tied the game, 27-27, with 2:43 remaining in regulation.
Cearns had a key 14-yard run on the second play of overtime to spark Pitt State's scoring drive. Bacon then connected with wide receiver Kuron Parchmon on an eight-yard pass down to the UNK 1 to set up Cearns' TD run.
The Gorillas defense stopped the Lopers offense on four plays from inside the Pitt State 13 yard line in OT to complete the comeback victory.
Linebacker Blake Carr smacked UNK running back Calin Arndt for a four-yard loss on a 2nd-and-7 play from Pitt State 10 yard line. Safety Quintin Kirby then snuffed out a pass from quarterback Ziggy Harper to Arndt for a two-yard gain to the Pitt State 12; and Harper misfired on a pass attempt on 4th-and-9 at the Pitt State 12 to end the game.