THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON FOOTBALL
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Missouri Western (6-2) at Pittsburg State (5-3)
 
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Football looks for its sixth straight win this season and ninth straight win away from St. Joseph when the team travels to Pittsburg State on Saturday.
 
Missouri Western is off to its best start since 2013 when the team opened 7-0. The Griffons' last loss came in week three to now No. 11-ranked Central Missouri in overtime.
 
SETTING THE STAGE

• It's arguably the biggest game for MWSU at Pittsburg State since the program's last win over the Gorillas, 2012 at Carnie Smith Stadium.
• After three straight losses, Pittsburg State is one game behind the Griffs in the MIAA standings. MWSU is tied with Fort Hays State for third and a game back of second place Northwest Missouri.
• Missouri Western was ranked eighth in the first NCAA DII Super Region Three rankings. The top seven teams make it to the DII Playoffs.
• MIAA scheduling pits the Griffons against a team coming off three straight losses to Northwest, Fort Hays State and Central Missouri for a sixth straight week.
• It's a match-up of the MIAA's third highest scoring offense (Missouri Western-41.6) against its fourth stingiest defense (Pittsburg State-25.6)

 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS

• Missouri Western stretched its win streak to five games with a 28-0 win over Emporia State last week, the team's first shutout since 2014.
• Last week was the first time the Griffons didn't score 43 or more points since a 28-17 win over Fort Hays State in week two.
• After a challenging stretch, the Griffon defense stepped up with its first goose egg in 61 games. The team's last came early in the 2014 season, 30-0 over Northeastern State.
• For his efforts, Anthony Williams was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week, totaling 15 tackles with a sack and a quarterback hurry. Williams leads the team and ranks fourth in the MIAA with 68 total tackles.
• Williams' linebacking partner Evan Chohon isn't far behind, ranking seventh in the conference with 65 tackles.
• The Griffon D presents an imposing cornerback duo as well. Sam Webb's three interceptions are tied for second most in the MIAA and his 11 passes defended are tied for fourth most. DJ Stirgus has 10 passes defended, tied for fifth most in the conference.
• MWSU's offense ranks 3^rd in the MIAA in scoring (12^th in DII), 4^th in total offense (452.4), 4^th in rushing (203.5) and 5^th in passing (248.9).
• Wyatt Steigerwald is 6^th in DII with 23 passing touchdowns and hasn't thrown an interception five weeks, 107 attempts. He has just three all season and only one since week one.
• Even without a rushing TD last week, Markel Smith still leads the MIAA and ranks 8^th in DII with 11 scores on the ground.
• There have still been enough touchdowns to go around, 15 different Griffs have scored offensive touchdowns and the nation's second-leading kick returner Trey Vaval has a kick return TD.
• Don't sleep on MWSU's special teams. Vaval is averaging 35.8 yards per kick return (2^nd best in DII) and his 14.6-yard per punt return average is 11^th best in the nation. MWSU is the 4^th best punt return team in the MIAA and has the 2^nd best punt return defense in the nation, allowing 0 yards per return. The Griffons have also blocked four kicks this season, most in the MIAA.

 
SCOUTING PITTSBURG STATE

• The Gorillas are coming off back-to-back close losses leading to a three-game losing streak.
• Last week, it was a 36-28 loss at Central Missouri a week after losing 42-41 at home to Fort Hays State.
• Pitt State's defense is allowing the 4^th fewest points (25.6) and yards (351.1) in the MIAA.
• The Gorilla pass defense leads the MIAA, allowing just 162 yards per game while the rush defense ranks 8^th at 189.1 per game.
• Pitt State is playing as many as three different quarterbacks per game. Mak Sexton leads the team in passing yards (1,066) and touchdowns (8), while Brandon Mlekus is the team's leading rusher with 470 yards.
• Lorenzo West's 795 receiving yards rank 2nd in the MIAA and he's third with 7 touchdowns.
• Cole Morris is tied for 3^rd in the MIAA with 8.5 tackles for loss and 3^rd with 4.4 sacks.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• Pitt State leads the all-time series 32-12 and has won the last six.
• Missouri Western's last win in the series came in 2012, 63-14 at Pitt State.

 
MISSOURI WESTERN HEAD COACH MATT WILLIAMSON

• The 1996 MWSU graduate and two-time All-MIAA defensive lineman is 17-14 in his third season as a head coach.
• After beginning his coaching career at MWSU as a graduate assistant, Williamson spent 11 years as an assistant at Arkansas-Monticello, Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin.

 
PITT STATE HEAD COACH TIM BECK

• Beck is in his 10^th season as head coach and 33^rd year as a coach at Pittsburg State.
• Beck is 81-33 as head coach at Pittsburg State and was named national coach of the year after leading the program to its second DII National Championship in 2011.