The #20 Emporia State football team couldn’t overcome a 30-3 deficit in a 33-25 defeat at #3 Pittsburg State at Carney Smith Stadium in Pittsburg, Kan. on Saturday afternoon. The Hornets drove for a field goal to begin the game before allowing 30 unanswered Gorilla points. Pittsburg State scored 20 points in the second quarter and led 27-3 at halftime and put the Hornets down by their biggest deficit of the season with a 27-point lead with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter.
The Hornets finally scored a touchdown seconds into the fourth quarter on a 34-yard pass from quarterback Braden Gleason to Tyler Kahmann before finding him again to cap a nine-play 91-yard drive that cut the deficit to 13 after Kahmann caught a 2-point conversion. After a Gorilla field goal, ESU picked up another 8-point drive on a touchdown catch by Tommy Zimmerman and a 2-point conversion pass to Zion Jones that was ruled as simultaneous possession in the end zone. The Gorillas recovered Pittsburg State’s onside kick with just over two minutes to play in the game, but the Hornet defense stuffed a PSU run on third and one. On fourth and two, PSU backup quarterback Ty Pennington faked a run before finding a wide open tight end in the flat for a first down conversion to end the game. ESU head coach Garin Higgins was proud of E-State’s comeback effort.
Kahmann ended the day with a career-high 12 receptions and a career-high 140 yards. He said it is important for the Hornets to come together next week.
Braden Gleason finished 35-for-51 for 310 yards passing and three touchdowns becoming ESU’s all-time passing touchdown leader. He also led the Hornets with 10 carries for 62 yards. Emporia State drops to 4-2 and 3-2 in the MIAA while the Gorillas move to 6-0 overall and in ‘Association’ play. It’s the first back-to-back losses for the Hornets since dropping the last two games of the 2021 season. Emporia State returns to action next week in the Turnpike Tussle to face traditional rival Washburn. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Welch Stadium. Coverage begins with the RV Doc Pregame Show at 12:00 p.m. on Mix 104.9 and online at kvoe.com/listen.
