Box Score UT Permian Basin football started the season off with a bang, setting a new single-game scoring record in a 60-7 win over Wayland Baptist. The Falcons had 508 yards of total offense in the largest win in program history, breaking the previous mark of 49 points set during the team's inaugural season.
"Our quarterbacks did a great job of distributing the ball and letting our playmakers do their thing," said Head Coach Justin Carrigan. "It was great to see our defense create turnovers and put it in the end zone."
After forcing a three-and-out on the Pioneers opening drive the Falcon offense went to work. On just the second play from scrimmage Kameron Mathis found Kobe Robinson on a 35-yard catch-and-run to go up 7-0. The Falcons stopped the Pioneers on a fourth-and-one to take the ball back around midfield.
Marquis Simmons kept the next drive alive with a 12-yard run on third-and-12 to set up a Hayden Decossas 29-yard field goal. The Pioneers answered with a 22-yard touchdown of their own to get on the board and cut the Falcon lead to three.
The offense continued to roll the next time with the ball as Taylor Null hit Kyle McBride on a slant for a 20-yard touchdown. Just moments later on the ensuing Pioneer drive, Kadarryus Hartfield intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards for the pick-six and a 23-7 lead. The Falcons continued their domination, blocking a 44-yard Pioneer field goal attempt on the next drive.
Continuing to attack, Null found McBride for a 43-yard strike, setting up a Simmons three-yard run to push the lead to 30-7. The Falcons forced a punt and drove down the field once again. Mathis connected on his second touchdown pass of the half, throwing a screen to Rocky Barnes up the middle for the 11-yard score. The defense pinned the Pioneers back and Logo Kaleopa got to the quarterback for the safety.
The Falcons nearly scored again just before the half as Leroy Giles found a hole for a 64-yard run but was brought down as time expired, sending the Falcons into the half up 39-7.
The second half started slowly but the Falcons scored first on a seven-yard run by Gabe Nelson. A few moments later Hartfield recovered a turnover for his second turnover of the game. The very next play, Nelson turned on the jets for a 45-yard run, making the score 53-7 on his second touchdown in his first two career carries for the Falcons. The score broke the single-game scoring record for the Falcons, breaking the record scored against Arizona Christian in 2016.
In the fourth quarter, Clifton Holmes scored on a pick-six from 67 yards out and the extra point made it 60-7, for the final score.
The Falcons more than doubled the Pioneers on offense, racking up 508 yards while holding WBU to just 231 yards, including just 63 after halftime.
Hartfield had a career night in his first game with UTPB, leading the team with seven tackles, an interception for a touchdown and a fumble recovery.
McBride had a game-high 123 receving yards on six catches for the Falcons, and Leroy Giles had a game-best 73 rushing yards as 10 ball-carriers averaged 5.4 yards per rush in the 53-point win.
