MARYVILLE, Mo. - Two of the premier programs in NCAA Division II football will return their rivalry to Kansas City this fall when the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats and the Pittsburg State University Gorillas meet at Children's Mercy Park on Nov. 15.
 
The Bearcats and Gorillas have signed a two-year contract for 2025 and 2026. The 2025 match-up was originally scheduled as a Pitt State home game, while the 2026 contest will replace a NWMSU home game.
 
More information and details will be announced soon.
 
Children's Mercy Park was home to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game for four seasons, from 2014-2017. Northwest captured the program's fifth and sixth national titles in this venue with a 34-7 victory over Shepherd on Dec. 19, 2015 and a 29-3 triumph over North Alabama on Dec. 17, 2016. The 2015 national title game drew an NCAA Division II Championship Game record 16,181 fans.
 
The Bearcats and Gorillas have met in Kansas City on 13 previous occasions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (formerly Arrowhead Stadium). Seven of the 13 encounters drew an attendance of at least 20,000 fans.
 
GEHA/Arrowhead Matchups
Oct. 17, 2002 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 29-7  (26,695 attendance)
Nov. 15, 2003 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 20-19  (20,324 attendance)
Nov. 6, 2004 – Pitt State def. NWMSU, 21-17  (25,542 attendance)
Oct. 29, 2005 – Pitt State def. NWMSU, 56-35  (21,044 attendance)
Nov. 4, 2006 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 41-14  (22,561 attendance)
Oct. 6, 2007 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 37-34, OT  (19,103 attendance)
Oct. 4, 2008 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 35-10  (21,316 attendance)
Sept. 12, 2009 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 30-10  (20,813 attendance)
Nov. 13, 2010 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 22-16  (16,504 attendance)
Oct. 1, 2011 – Pitt State def NWMSU, 38-35  (15,106 attendance)
Oct. 13, 2012 – NMWSU def. Pitt State, 31-21  (15,349 attendance)
Oct. 19, 2013 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 24-15  (17,369 attendance)
Oct. 12, 2019 – NWMSU def. Pitt State, 38-17  (14,228 attendance)
 
Northwest and Pittsburg State are among the elite NCAA Division II schools when it comes to national titles, playoff appearances, playoff wins and MIAA crowns.

Playoff Appearances
Northwest – 26 (1st among active Div. II schools)
Pittsburg State – 21 (3rd among active Div. II schools) #

Playoff Wins
Northwest – 53 (1st among active Div. II schools)
Pittsburg State – 27 (5th among active Div. II schools) #

NCAA-II National Titles
Northwest – 6 (1st among Div. II schools)
Pittsburg State – 2 (T-7th among Div. II schools) %

National Title Game Appearances
Northwest – 10 (1st among Div. II schools)
Pittsburg State – 5 (T-5th among Div. II schools) #

MIAA Titles
Northwest – 31 (1st in MIAA)
Pittsburg State – 14 (4th in MIAA) #
  
# Pittsburg State joined the MIAA & NCAA Division II in 1989
% Pittsburg State also has won 2 NAIA National Championships