The Emporia State offense racked up 549 total yards and 28 first downs on route to their first victory at Carnie Smith Stadium in 13 seasons last Saturday in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Junior wide receiver Morris Williams gained 45 yards on ESU’s first play from scrimmage to begin a 75-yard scoring drive. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Braxton Marstall reached the end zone with a 12-yard scramble to give the Hornets an early 7-0 lead.

Pittsburg State would drive down the field quickly on their first possession as well, but were held to a 24-yard field goal that cut the ESU lead to 7-3 with 9:12 remaining in the quarter.

Williams would continue his big day as he capped a 6-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown plunge to put the Hornets up by two scores halfway through the first quarter.

The Gorillas would take a 17-14 advantage into the second as two efficient touchdown drives covered a total of 128 yards in a span of 4:29.

Junior linebacker Logan Thompson forced a fumble on the first play of the second quarter to give Emporia State possession at the Pittsburg 32. The Hornets were held to a 34-yard field goal by Austin Morton, junior kicker, that evened the score at 17 with 10:52 remaining before halftime.

After the ESU defense forced a three-and-out, Marstall orchestrated a long 10-play, 89-yard touchdown drive to retake the lead. He found Williams II for his second touchdown of the day on a 24-yard pass.

A 25-yard touchdown pass by the Gorillas tied the score at 24 with less than three minutes remaining in the quarter. Pittsburg State was unable to keep the game tied before halftime as the Hornets went on a 9-play, 70-yard scoring drive. A 20-yard touchdown rush by Marstall gave Emporia State a 31-24 lead as the teams headed for their locker rooms.

After a total of 55 points and 616 offensive yards in the first half, neither team could put a dent into the scoreboard in the third quarter. Three combined turnovers served to limit scoring opportunities as the Hornets entered the final 15 minutes with a touchdown lead.

A 1-yard rushing touchdown by Landon Nault, sophomore running back, put the Hornets up by two scores early in the fourth quarter. The Gorillas would continue their offensive success, but were unable to close the 14-point gap as another late field goal by Morton sealed a 41-36 victory for Emporia State.

The now 10th-ranked Hornets (7-1, 7-1 in the MIAA) will return home this Saturday for a Senior Day matchup with Fort Hays State. Kickoff at Welch Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.