The Falcons open the season on the road for the first time since 2018, when they nearly upset Division I opponent Texas Southern, and for just second time in program history.  The Falcons are 3-2 all-time in season openers and are on a two-game winning streak in such games. 

Date: September 4, 2021
Location: Plaster Stadium – Bolivar, Missouri
Weather: 78 degrees, 15% chance of rain
History: First meeting
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Scouting the Opponent

In the spring the Bearcats played a three-game schedule and went 1-2. The Bearcats lost their only home game to Truman State, 38-20, but finished on a high note defeating William Jewell 55-50. The team was led on the ground and in the air by quarterback Cooper Callis. He finished the season with 1,106 passing yards and 10 touchdowns while also rushing for a team-high 106 yards. Curtis Cuilard and Jordan Kent each grabbed four touchdown passes in the spring. The team did most of their damage in the air, averaging 372.3 yards per game.
 
Defensively Aaron Harris led the way with 24 tackles and a pair of interceptions. They were susceptible on the ground, allowing opponents to average 257.7 yards per game and 12 touchdowns. The Bearcats allowed a lot of points in their shortened spring, giving up 136 points or 45.3 per game. The team produced plenty of offense though scoring 109 points or 36.3 points per game. In the spring, the Bearcats also committed a lot of penalties, averaging 84.7 yards per game in penalty yardage. 
 
Keeping the Train Rolling

Falcon Football is red-hot winners of seven of their last eight games.  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.  Of the 15 wins in program history, seven of them have come in the last eight games.  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
 
No Fly Zone

The Falcon secondary looks to pick up where they left off in the spring when they return to the field.  The secondary was fabulous, holding opponents to just 156.4 yards per game through the air and just five passing touchdowns.  They were a turnover machine, intercepting 12 passes and setting a new program record in half of their normal games.  The secondary was led by D'Ondre Robinson, who became the first player in program history to have multiple interceptions in a single game, and Donta Stuart.  Robinson picked off four passes, setting a new single season record, while Stuart was right behind him with three.  Stuart is the program record holder for career interceptions with six through his sophomore season.
 
No Pressure Under Center

Heading into the fall, the Falcons feel confident under center with a pair of options.  Clayton Roberts put up big numbers in just three games, throwing for 10 touchdowns and 526 yards to only one interception.  He started the season with four touchdown passes to tie the school single game record, while becoming the third Falcon QB to rush for 100 yards in a game.  Followed that performance with four more touchdowns and 275 yards against Lincoln.  He finished the season with two touchdown passes at Western New Mexico.  Joining him in under center is Midland native Suddin Sapien.  Sapien transferred to UTPB after two redshirt years at UTSA.
 
Winning on the Perimeter

The Falcons won on the outside on offense in the spring, featuring a three-headed monster at wide receiver.  MJ Link led the group, making 20 catches for 383 yards and five touchdowns.  Link grabbed a pair of scores in a game twice, and also tied an NCAA record with a 99-yard touchdown reception to seal the win at Texas A&M—Kingsville.  Link enters his junior season looking to turn heads.
Complementing Link in the slot is Kobe Robinson.  Robinson led the Falcons in receptions with 24 for 288 yards and four touchdowns.  Robinson is electric in space.  In the spring, he became the first player in program history to return a kickoff for a touchdown when he did so against Lincoln.  That same game, Robinson set a team record for all-purpose yards in a single game with 256. 
Baylon Ware also proved he's a deep threat averaging 21.5 yards per catch.  He had 280 yards on 13 catches and four touchdowns.  He had a season-long 67-yard reception against Texas A&M—Kingsville that set up a Falcon field goal to open the scoring.
 
Home Cooking

The Falcons have turned the Permian Basin into a tough place for opposing teams in recent years.  Since 2018 the Falcons are 9-5 at Ratliff and Grande Stadium.  The last two seasons the Falcons are 7-2 and winners of five straight home games.  During that time the Falcons are outscoring opponents 45.4 to 21.4 points per game.
 
Closing Time
Give the Falcons a lead and they won't look back.  All-time the Falcons are 12-2 with a halftime lead and 14-3 with a lead after three quarters. 
 
What's Next
The Falcons return home to take on Lone Star Conference rival West Texas A&M at Ratliff Stadium on September 11th.