UT Permian Basin returns home this week, hosting West Texas A&M at Ratliff Stadium for Homecoming.
Last week, freshmen Gabe Nelson and Caleb Leake each scored a pair of touchdowns against Western New Mexico, but turnovers cost the Falcons in a 47-28 loss against the Mustangs in Silver City, N.M.
Nelson scored on a three-yard rush in the first quarter and added a touchdown from 14-yards out early in the second quarter, his team-best fifth rushing score of the season.
Leake rushed for his first score of his career early in the second half, running up the middle for 88 yards to pull the Falcons within 26-21 with 9:19 remaining in the third quarter.
The Falcons scored again early in the fourth quarter when Leake threw the first touchdown of his career, finding Kobe Robinson from nine yards out in the back of the end zone to pull within five points at 33-28.
Leake ended the night throwing for 115 yards and leading the Falcons with 116 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Nelson added 58 yards on only nine carries, and Caleb Forrest had a team-best 78 yards receiving on four catches.
West Texas A&M enters the game coming off of a tight 48-41 win over Central Washington. The Buffs started out strong, leading 27-3 early in the second quarter, but Central Washington came back late to close the gap. The Wildcats scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession game, but ran out of time before having a chance to even the score.
Nick Gerber leads the Buffs with 696 yards passing and five touchdowns on 62-107 passing this season. Duke Carter IV has three rushing touchdowns on 47 carries for 209 yards, all team highs.
Last season the Falcons and Buffs played a game much closer than the final 42-21 score. Things started off with a bang when Taylor Null found Kyle McBride on an 82-yard touchdown pass on just the Falcons' second play from scrimmage. The Buffs charged back, taking a 21-7 lead early in the second half. Null found McBride on a 43-yard strike, setting up a touchdown pass to Matt Zubiate to cut into the lead. With just 10 seconds left in the first half, Kameron Mathis punched it in from two yards out and the extra point knotted the game at 21 heading into halftime. The Falcons struggled to get the offense going in the second half as the Buffs pounded the ball on the ground to a 42-21 final.
Null threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns, while McBride had 125 yards and a touchdown. As a team, the Falcons ran for 98 yards.
For the first time since 2016, the Falcons will take on the Buffs in Odessa. The Falcons have played the Buffs tight the last two seasons in Canyon. Last season these two went into the half tied at 21 before the Buffs pulled away for the 42-21 victory. Two years ago, these teams went down to the wire up north. The Falcons trailed 10-3 heading into the final frame before adding a 40-yard field goal to cut the deficit to four. The Buffs scored once more, hanging onto the 17-6 win. In the initial meeting, the Falcons fell 48-14 in the first Lone Star Conference game in program history. These schools have had defensive battles the last two seasons with Kameron Mathis being the leading thrower with just 246 yards, while only the Buffs last season could break 100 yards rushing as a team.
