1991 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team

The 1991 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team was an American football team that won the 1991 NCAA Division II national championship.

1991 Pittsburg State Gorillas football
NCAA Division II champion MIAA champion
NCAA Division II Championship Game, W 23–6 vs. Jacksonville State
Conference	Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	13–1–1 (8–0–1 MIAA)
Head coach	Chuck Broyles (2nd season)
Home stadium	Carnie Smith Stadium
Seasons ← 1990 1992 →

1991 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 3 Pittsburg State $^	8	–	0	–	1			13	–	1	–	1
Missouri Southern	7	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Southwest Baptist	5	–	4	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Central Missouri State	5	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
NE Missouri State	5	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Emporia State	4	–	5	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
NW Missouri State	4	–	5	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Missouri–Rolla	3	–	5	–	1			4	–	6	–	1
Missouri Western	2	–	7	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Washburn	1	–	8	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

The team represented Pittsburg State University as a member of the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1991 NCAA Division II football season. In their second season under head coach Chuck Broyles, the Gorillas compiled a 13–1–1 record (8–0–1 against conference opponents), won the MIAA championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 555 to 226.^[1][2][3] They qualified to participate in the Division II playoffs and advanced to the national championship game, defeating Jacksonville State by a 23–6 score. It was Pittsburg State's third national championship.^[4]

Wide receiver and return specialist Ronnie West received the Harlon Hill Trophy as the best player in Division II football.^[5]

The season was the 84th for Pittsburg State competing in football and its third as a member of NCAA Division II. The team played its home games in at Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 7	Friends*	No. 2	Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS	W 59–7	5,500
September 14	at No. 7 East Texas State*	No. 2	Memorial Stadium Commerce, TX	L 13–20	8,200
September 21	at Southwest Baptist	No. 7	Bolivar, MO	W 23–17	2,519
September 28	Missouri–Rolla	No. 13	Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS	T 6–6	5,800
October 5	No. 17 Northwest Missouri State		Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS	W 38–0	4,500
October 12	at Northeast Missouri State	No. 17	Kirksville, MO	W 55–20	3,500
October 19	Missouri Western	No. 12	Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS	W 59–14	6,300
October 26	at Missouri Southern	No. 10	Joplin, MO	W 43–21	8,500
November 2	Emporia State	No. 7	Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS	W 70–36	2,800
November 9	at Washburn	No. 3	Topeka, KS	W 21–0	1,615	^[6]
November 16	No. 5 Central Missouri State	No. 3	Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS	W 28–14	2,800
November 23	Butler*	No. 3	Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS (NCAA Division II first round)	W 26–16		^[7]
November 30	No. 19 East Texas State*	No. 3	Carnie Smith Stadium Pittsburg, KS (NCAA Division II quarterfinal)	W 38–28	5,000	^[8]
December 7	at No. 8 Portland State*	No. 3	Civic Stadium Portland, OR (NCAA Division II semifinal)	W 53–21	17,036	^[9]
December 14	vs. No. 2 Jacksonville State*		Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL (NCAA Division II Championship Game)	W 23–6	11,682	^[4]
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

^[10]

References

1. DeLassus, David (2016). . College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
2. "Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association - Hall of Fame". themiaa.com. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
3. "Pittsburg State Gorillas -- College Football (NCAA)". college-football-results.com.
4. Bil MacKay (December 15, 1991). "Jacksonville State can't stop Gorillas: Pittsburg State wins championship 23-6". The Wichita Eagle. pp. 1G, 9G – via Newspapers.com.
5. "West wins Harlon Hill Trophy". The Manhattan Mercury. December 15, 1991. p. B6 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Pittsburg State clinches MIAA title". The Wichita Eagle. November 10, 1991. p. 13G – via Newspapers.com.
7. Bob Luder (November 24, 1991). "Pittsburg State's big plays end Butler's season". The Kansas City Star. p. Sports 7 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Bill Richardson (December 1, 1991). "Pittsburg State survives scare from East Texas". The Kansas City Star. p. Sports 9 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Pittsburg St. 53, Portland St. 21". Florida Today. December 8, 1991. p. 9C – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Final 1991 Division II Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 22, 2023.