Another Top 25 win as #21 Emporia State Football knocks off #4 Pittsburg State 24-21

September 14, 2024-Emporia State took advantage of three Pittsburg State turnovers on the way to a 24-21 Hornet win in Carnie Smith Stadium on Saturday night.
 
The #4 Gorillas got on the board first with a 19 yard touchdown pass from Chad Dodson to Kuron Parchman with 8:19 left in the first quarter.  The #21 Hornets answered with a 25 yard field goal by Caden Dodson to make it 7-3 with 4:04 left in the opening quarter.
 
Emporia State took the lead for good on their opening drive of the second quarter. Gunnar Gundy completed three straight passes to three different receivers capped by a 19 yard completion to Tyler Kahmann with 12:26 left in the half to take a 10-7 lead.  The Hornet defense forced a three and out on the next possession. ESU got to the Pitt State 35 but could not convert a fourth down to give the ball back to the Gorillas.  Kobe Holley would intercept Dodson to give the Hornets the ball back with 7:37 left in the half at the Gorilla 41 yard line.  Six plays later Gundy hit Kahmann in the middle of the endzone from eight yards out to give the Hornets a 17-7 lead with 4:57 left in the half.  The Gorillas would drive down to the Hornet 13 yard line but missed a 30 yard field goal attempt as time expired to send Emporia State to the locker rooms with a ten point lead.
 
Neither team would score in the third quarter as the Hornet defense had two fourth down stops and an interception. The Gorillas cut the lead to 17-14 on a one yard touchdown run by Noah Hernandez with 9:14 remaining in the game.  Emporia State would gain 29 yards on eight plays before being forced to punt with 5:51 left.  On the Gorillas next possession Cade Stephenson picked off Dodson at the Pittsburg State 16 yard line.  Gundy would score on a run on the next play to put the Hornets up 24-14 with 5:38 left. The Gorillas responded with an eight play, 75 yard drive capped by a 13 yard pass from Dodson to Jack Roberts with 3:29 left.  The PAT pulled Pitt State within 24-21.
 
A combination of Pittsburg State timeouts and an incomplete pass resulted in Emporia State only using 23 seconds on their next drive before punting back to the Gorillas with 3:06 left.  Four straight incomplete passes later the Hornets took over on downs with 2:44 left.  Facing third and 12 with under a minute left, Billy Ross Jr. gained 16 yards to give Emporia State a first down with 41 seconds left. After a kneel down the Hornets were able to run the clock out.
 
Gunnar Gundy was 26 of 40 for 217 yards and two touchdowns while adding 36 rushing yards and a touchdown. Tyler Kahmann had eight receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns and Billy Ross Jr added 66 rushing yards on 15 carries.  Kobe Holley and Sage Sieperda each had nine tackles while Holley added at interception. Cade Stephenson had two picks.
 
The Hornets will be back in action on Saturday, September 21 when they play host to Missouri Western.  Kick-off from Jones Field at Welch Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
NOTES
This was Emporia State's first win in Pittsburg since a 41-36 victory in 2016.
This was the highest ranked team Emporia State has defeated since knocking off then #4 Pittsburg State 22-20 in 2003 in Pittsburg.
Tyler Kahmann moved into fourth place in career receptions with 200 and eighth in career receiving yards with 2415 yards.