By Pitt State Media Relations
Posted: November 14, 2010 - 7:50 PM

PITTSBURG -- The Pitt State football team has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2010 Mineral Water Bowl. The Gorillas will face Concordia-St. Paul from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference at Excelsior Springs, Mo., on Dec. 4.

The start time and additional details for the post-season bowl game will be released later by the Mineral Water Bowl Committee.

Pitt State completed the regular season with a 5-6 record, following a close 22-16 loss to No. 3 ranked NW Missouri State Saturday (Nov. 13) in The Fall Classic at Arrowhead IX in Kansas City, Mo. The Bearcats held the Gorillas on downs at the Northwest 12 yard line in the game's waning seconds to thwart Pitt State's upset bid.

This will be Pitt State's second appearance in the Mineral Water Bowl. The Gorillas represented the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in the 2006 contest. Pitt State posted a 35-27 victory over Bemidji State, from the NSIC, that year.

"Pittsburg State is very excited to accept the Mineral Water Bowl Committee's invitation for post-season play," PSU athletic director Jim Johnson. "This is a great reward for the hard work and efforts of our players and coaching staff. This will be a great cap to the 2010 season but also an important start to preparations for 2011."

Head coach Tim Beck, who took over the Pitt State helm on Dec. 9, 2009, echoed Johnson's sentiments on the post-season honor.

"We are extremely excited and honored to be invited to the Mineral Water Bowl," Beck said. "Obviously, the bowl committee had several options in directions they could have taken in their bowl selection. I think this is a credit to our fan base for its consistent support of our team. It's a credit to our football program for its history and tradition. This is a tremendous opportunity to write a new ending to the 2010 season, and a great way to honor our outgoing senior class.

"With a young football team it also is a great chance to get a few more weeks of practice not only with our frontline players but with our redshirts and younger athletes as well."

Concordia-St. Paul finished its regular season with an 8-3 record. The Bears posted a 32-14 victory over SW Minnesota State in their regular season finale at Marshall, Minn., Saturday (Nov. 13).

This will be the first all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Bears.