PITTSBURG, Kan. – The No. 7-ranked Pittsburg State University Gorillas hung on for a 24-22 win over the No. 9-ranked Northwest Missouri State University in front of 10,108 at Carnie Smith Stadium.
 
Pittsburg State remained undefeated at 6-0 on the season, while Northwest dropped to 4-2.
 
Northwest rallied from a 21-3 halftime deficit and had a chance to tie the game with :12 left on a two-point conversion. However, quarterback Mike Hohensee's two-point conversion pass to tight end Cole Hembrough was ruled incomplete in the end zone. Northwest did not have a timeout and could not challenge the ruling on the field.
 
Northwest had marched 76 yards behind the passing of senior quarterback Braden Wright to have a chance to even the game. Wright engineered a 12-play drive that culminated with Wright scoring from a yard out with :12 remaining in the game.  
 
Wright finished the game passing for 301 yards on 28-of-54 passing. Hembrough led the Bearcat receivers with five catches for 63 yards.
 
The Bearcat defense limited the Gorillas to 21 yards of total offense in the second half. The Gorillas had 288 yards in the first half as they built an 18-point lead. PSU was held to three second-half first downs.
 
Zach Howard registered eight tackles, two sacks, two tackles-for-loss and a blocked punt. Elijah Green notched seven tackles and three tackles-for-loss.
 
The only scoring in the first quarter came on a 49-yard flea-flicker from PSU quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. to wide receiver Bryce Murphy with 3:29 on the clock.
 
Northwest ran 12 plays in the opening quarter for 27 total yards and gained two first downs.
 
The Bearcats broke into the scoring column with 10:36 left in the second quarter when Cole Lammel connected on a 29-yard field goal to cut the PSU lead to 7-3. The Bearcats took over at the 45-yard line after Keaton Ricke stuffed the Gorillas on a 4^th-and-1. Quarterback Braden Wright hooked up with wideout Kashan Griffin for a 40-yard pass play to put the ball at the 15-yard line. After the drive fizzled, Lammel hit on his eighth consecutive field goal this season.
 
The Gorillas struck right before the half with 1:59 to play on a 64-yard touchdown pass from Dodson to Devon Garrison on a 3^rd-and-13. The score gave Pittsburg State a 14-3 advantage.
 
Northwest went three and out and took only 25 seconds off the clock on its ensuing drive following the PSU score. The Gorillas took over at the 50-yard line. PSU drove 50 yards on seven plays and scored on a three-yard touchdown pass from Dodson to Kolbe Katsis with 13 seconds left in the half. The PSU touchdown gave the home squad a 21-3 lead at the break.
 
The Gorillas put up 288 yards in the first half, while the Bearcats were held to 92 total yards. PSU passed for 263 first-half yards. Northwest threw for 92 first-half yards. The Gorillas generated 16 first downs in the first half, while Northwest tallied five first downs in the first 30 minutes.
 
The Bearcats burst into the end zone with 4:51 left to play in the third quarter. Senior running back Jamar Moya capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard run up the middle to cut the PSU lead to 21-10.
 
Northwest tightened it up with another touchdown with 8:21 to play. The Bearcats lined up for a field goal but changed formations and quarterback Mike Hohensee took the shotgun snap and hit Jadon Brady for a 5-yard touchdown to cut the PSU lead to 21-16. Braden Wright was sacked on the two-point conversion. The 11-play scoring drive consumed 80 yards.
 
Pittsburg State's Cross Holmes drilled a 45-yard field goal with 2:25 left to give the Gorillas an eight-point lead to 24-16. The field goal set the stage for a final drive by the Bearcats.
 
The Bearcats will return to action at home next Saturday against the Washburn University Ichabods. Northwest and Washburn will kick at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
 
NOTES: Northwest generated 359 yards of total offense … Northwest notched 25 first downs … there were zero turnovers in the contest ... Braden Wright earned his second career 300-yard passing game of his collegiate career ... head coach Rich Wright is 7-7 in one score games.