CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M was unable to overcome four turnovers in its 42-28 loss to Pittsburg State in the Pak-A-Sak Turkey Bowl on Saturday afternoon at Buffalo Stadium. The Buffs had 500 yards of total of offense on Senior Day as they fell to 3-3 on the season.

Nick Gerber finished the game 16-of-25 for 215 yards with two touchdowns, both coming in the first half. Khalil Harris rushed for a career-high 133 yards on 22 carries with Prince Ugwu chipping in 66 yards and a score on six carries. Kenneath Redd Jr. hauled in four catches for 54 yards and a score.

Satchel Escalante recorded a career-high 13 tackles with Hayden Dennis also reaching double figures with 10. Jaylan Hill and Victor Smith combined for a tackle for loss. 

The Buffs found themselves down 14-0 in the opening four minutes of the game following a PSU rushing touchdown and fumble near midfield that was returned for a score. They got back into the game with 7-play, 91-yard drive to cut the lead to seven points on a 11-yard pass from Gerber to Maxwell Perez. 

WT would take advantage of a PSU missed field goal to tie the game at 14-all in the opening minutes of the second quarter. The Buffs rushed for 37 yards on the drive capped off with Gerber's second touchdown pass of the game, this time to Redd Jr. for 15 yards on third down. 

The Gorillas retook the lead on the next drive on a Tyler Adkins rushing touchdown. WT would tie the game for the second time on the next drive on a 3-yard touchdown from Jordan Johnson. The key play of the drive came on third down when Gerber connected with Jeremie Karngbaye for 22 yards to put the Buffs in the red zone.

The Buffs would allow another Gorilla touchdown right before the half on a 17-yard pass from Mak Sexton to Dylan White. WT came within a yard of the tying the game in the dying seconds but the Gorillas stuffed Brandon Blair on the goal line and popped the balls loose for another turnover. 

Their first drive of the second half ended in their third turnover of the game after Gerber's tipped pass fell into the hands of PSU's Alex Gaskill. PSU would extend the lead three minutes later on Adkins' second rushing touchdown of the game. The Buffs found success on the ground on the next drive with runs of 39 and 41 yards. Harris broke off a 39-yard on the second play of the drive before Ugwu broke loose for a 41-yard score, the longest run of his career. 

WT would have a chance to tie the game later in the third quarter after Eric Collins' first career interception put an end to a Gorilla drive. The Buffs were moving the ball down the field but their third fumble of the game ended a promising drive and allowed PSU to restore their 14-point advantage, 42-28, on the ensuing drive. 

The Buffs once again moved the ball down the field on the next drive but saw their comeback hopes end when they were unable to get into the endzone from the 1-yard line. They wouldn't get the ball back as the Gorillas held the ball for the final 7:45 of regulation.