Date: September 25, 2021
Time: 7 PM
Where: Ben Altamirano Field / Silver City, NM
Weather: 68 degrees and mostly cloudy at kick-off, wind SE 5-10 mph 20% chance of precipitation
Watch: LSC Digital Network
Listen: Rock 95.1 FM
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Scouting the opponent
For the third straight season the Falcons travel to Silver City to face the Mustangs.  The Mustangs are under new leadership in 2021 with first year Head Coach Philip Vigil.  The Mustangs started the season with a win over Adams State before dropping their next two, including their Lone Star Conference opener against West Texas A&M.

Devin Larsen has led the way under center for the Mustangs.  The freshman has slung the ball for 907 yards, five TDs, and completed 80-of-141 passing attempts.  Bryce Coleman leads the ground attack with 137 yards on 45 carries for 3 TDs.  Josh Powell paces the offense in the air with 22 receptions but Allen Ortiz leads with 222 yards.

Tylen Coleman has been a force with 4.5 sacks through 3 games as the Mustangs have gotten to the QB 13 times this season. 

The team is fumble prone, with 9 on the year but they've been lucky to recover 7 of those.  They have been aggressive on 4th down, going for it 12 times and converting it 5 times.
 
Keeping the train rolling
Falcon Football is red-hot winners of nine of their last 11 games, including eight in a row against Division II opposition.  In the spring of 2021, the Falcons went 5-0 and re-wrote the record books along the way.  The Falcons won five games in a season for the first time in program history and set a record for the longest winning streak to start a season.   In those wins the Falcons:
· Tied for the largest comeback in program history (14)
· Scored the most points in program history (70)
· Set the largest margin of victory (56)
· First overtime game and win
· Beat West Texas A&M and Midwestern State for the first time
 
Magic man
Clayton Roberts sports arguably the best facial hair in all of college football but may also be the top QB in Division II.  Roberts broke a school record with 6 TD passes in a game, and came within 1 of tying the single game Lone Star Conference record against West Texas A&M.
 
Ground and pound
The Falcons continue to make the ground attack a point of emphasis in 2021.  Nathan Tilford leads the way with 223 yards through three weeks on 46 carries.  Jayvon Davis broke out in the fourth quarter at Abilene Christian.  The true freshman has 115 yards on 23 attempts and recorded his first career touchdown over the weekend. 
 
Winning on the perimeter
MJ Link is making his case as one of the best receivers in Division II football.  Against West Texas A&M the junior went off for 140 yards and a pair of TDs, his third career multi-TD game in just his eighth game as a Falcon.  For his career Link now has 8 TD receptions in 8 games to go along with 602 yards on 35 catches. 
Kobe Robinson hasn't found the end zone yet this young season, but the junior leads the team with 17 catches and is second with 180 yards.  Jordan Smart has had a fantastic start to his Falcon career.  He's burst onto the scene as a freshman with 3 touchdowns on 12 catches for 144 yards.
 
Getting defensive
The Falcon defense kept Abilene Christian in check through the air on Saturday, holding the Wildcats to 163 yards through the air.  The defense was terrific on third down as the Wildcats only went 1-for-9. 
 
Home Cooking
The Falcons have turned the Permian Basin into a tough place for opposing teams in recent years.  Since 2018 the Falcons are 10-5 at Ratliff and Grande Stadium.  The last two seasons the Falcons are 8-2 and winners of six straight home games. 
 
Closing Time
Give the Falcons a lead and they won't look back.  All-time the Falcons are 14-2 with a halftime lead and 16-3 with a lead after three quarters. 
 
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