CANYON, Texas — Pittsburg State built a 28-21 lead by the intermission and outscored West Texas A&M 14-7 in the second half to close out its abbreviated 2020 season with a 42-28 win on Saturday.
Pittsburg State closes the 2020 season with a 2-2 record, earning wins over Missouri Western and West Texas A&M and taking losses to Nebraska-Kearney and Stephen F. Austin.
The Gorillas gained 519 yards of total offense in a balanced attack, passing for 271 and rushing for 248. Pittsburg State won the time-of-possession battle 32:23 to 27:37 and scored on all four red zone opportunities. PSU converted on 7-of-11 third-down attempts and were 3-for-3 on fourth downs.
Quarterback Mak Sexton completed 21-of-30 passes for 271 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Running back Tyler Adkins rushed 15 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns, while Tucker Horak added 69 rushing yards and Drew Winn 52 rushing yards. Bryce Murphy, a Neosho product, led Pittsburg State with eight receptions and a team-high 137 receiving yards and a touchdown. Jalen Martin added six receptions for 70 yards and Dylan White, a Pittsburg High School graduate, caught four passes for 46 yards and a score.
West Texas A&M ran for 285 and passed for 215 with running back Khalil Harris leading the way on the ground with 22 carries for 133 yards. Prince Ugwu and Jordan Johnson added rushing scores. Quarterback Nick Gerber completed 16-of-25 passes for 215 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while rushing six times for 66 yards. Kenneath Redd and Maxwell Perez each caught touchdowns.
Pittsburg State jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after Sexton scored from a yard out to open the game with a six-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. Kaden Roy, a Webb City product, scooped up a fumble and returned it 48 yards to the house less than two minutes later to give PSU a two-score advantage.
Redd halted in a 15-yard touchdown from Gerber to trim the margin to one score before a 1-yard rushing score by Adkins put the Gorillas on top 21-14 with 7:59 left in the first half.
West Texas A&M scored on a 3-yard rush from Johnson, but again Pittsburg State answered with 2:06 left in the half after Sexton hit White for a 17-yard passing score to send the Gorillas into the intermission with a 28-21 advantage.
Adkins added a 13-yard rushing score with 10 minutes left in the third to give the Gorillas the momentum for good. Murphy found the end zone on a 31-yard pass from Sexton at the start of the fourth quarter.
