It'll be a busy fall for UT Permian Basin Football as they'll take on four new opponents as part of an 11-game slate, including an in-state Division I foe and a trip to Canada in October.  Coming off a 5-0 spring, the Falcons will play in front of their home crowd five times including the season opener on September 4.  
 
"We're looking forward to playing a new opponent week one, working out the kinks, and jumping right into conference play in week two," said Head Coach Justin Carrigan.  "It's a quick turnaround after playing in the spring and we're excited to get back at it."
 
The Falcons open the season against the University of Fort Lauderdale.  The fall of 2020 was the inaugural season for the Screaming Eagles in the National Christian College Athletics Association.  They finished 1-4, defeating Elite Preparatory Academy for the first win in their program's history.
 
Lone Star Conference play starts the next week on September 11 when the Falcons welcome West Texas A&M to the Permian Basin.  It'll be the first match-up between the two teams since 2019 after the Buffs elected to play football in the fall of 2020.  The Buffs went 3-3, including a series split against LSC opponent Angelo State. 
 
The Falcons then hit the road as they'll take on Division I opponent Abilene Christian for the first time.  The Wildcats went 1-5 in the fall of 2020 but played a difficult schedule featuring FCS schools UTEP, Army, and Virginia.  The Wildcats went 5-7 with a three-game winning streak while playing a full slate in 2019.
 
"Being just a couple hours away, Abilene Christian is a great opportunity for us to stay local for our fans and play on a bigger stage," said Carrigan.  "It's a good measuring stick to see where we stand against the next level."
 
For the third straight season the Falcons will travel west to face Western New Mexico.  The Falcons have won three of four against the Mustangs including a 31-6 handling this spring.  The Falcons have won two of the three games held Silver City.
 
For the first time in program history the Falcons will go international, taking on Simon Fraser on October 2.  SFU, located near Vancouver, British Columbia, is the only NCAA institution based in Canada.  The team did not play in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic but went 1-9 in 2019.  The Falcons and SFU will play as part of an agreement between the LSC and Great Northwest Athletic Conference, which SFU is a part of, that runs through the 2022 season.
 
"What a unique experience for everyone involved to cross the border and play an NCAA Division II team," said Carrigan.  "We're going to make the most of that opportunity to go to Canada and broaden the experiences of our student-athletes who might not otherwise get the chance to travel internationally."
 
The Falcons will return home for an October 9 match-up with Lincoln (Ca.), who will be playing their inaugural season in 2021.  Based out of Oakland, California, Lincoln will be launching their athletics program in the fall.  In addition to football they have announced they will sponsor men's and women's soccer as well as men's and women's basketball. 
 
The remainder of the schedule is all LSC play starting at Angelo State.  The Rams went 2-2 in the fall of 2020 after going 8-3 in 2019.  The Falcons will also travel to perennial LSC contenders Texas A&M – Commerce on October 30 and to Midwestern State to finish the season on November 13. 
 
The Falcons finish the season at home on October 23 against Eastern New Mexico and November 6 against Texas A&M – Kingsville.  The Falcons last faced the Greyhounds in 2019, a thrilling 14-point comeback victory in which the Falcons scored 41 points in the second half.  The Greyhounds did not play last season due to the COVID pandemic.
 
The Falcons wrap up the season against the Javelinas who they own a two-game winning streak against including a 70-14 thumping on Senior Day in 2019, the last time the Falcons played host.  This spring the Falcons traveled to Kingsville where the defense was in complete control in a 17-2 victory.  The Javelinas went 0-2 in the spring also falling to LSC opponent Midwestern State.
 
Fans can purchase season tickets through the UTPB Ticket Office online or over the phone at 432-552-2685.  Download the UTPB Athletics App for the latest news and schedules on all your favorite Falcon teams.