ODESSA, Texas (November 15, 2024) – The University of Texas Permian Basin football team will conclude the regular season this weekend at Sul Ross State University. It will be a second-straight noon kickoff for the Falcons on Saturday, November 16, and will be UTPB's first-ever game in Alpine, Texas.

WHAT'S ON THE LINE
After winning consecutive games for the first time this season, UTPB is 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the Lone Star Conference and has a berth in the Heritage Bowl on the line.

​The Heritage Bowl (formerly the Corsicana Bowl) is an annual Division II Post-Season Collegiate Football Game held in Corsicana ISD's Tiger Field at Community National Bank & Trust Stadium in Corsicana, Texas. Established in 2017, the game is played each year the first Saturday in December. The two participating teams will consist of schools competing in the Lone Star Conference, Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and/or the Great American Conference.

LAST TIME OUT
UTPB is coming off a 50-point road win (64-14) at Eastern New Mexico University last Saturday.

The Falcons scored nine touchdowns while passing for 304 yards and rushing for 271 yards in the win. UTPB's 575 yards of total offense were its second most this season and marked the eighth time in two seasons under Coach Kris McCullough that the Falcons have gone for over 500 yards of offense in a game.

Tyler Cleveland rushed eight times for 115 yards and two touchdowns, including a 73-yard touchdown run for the final touchdown of the game, and finished with an average of 14.4 yards per carry.

Tristan Exline was once again a monster on defense, finishing with 11 solo tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Yemi Oyesanya had eight total tackles, six solo tackles, six tackles for loss, and one and a half sacks.

Facing off against a tough wind, Rafael Vargas punted three times for an average of 58 yards, which was a new career-high. He had two punts of over 50 yards, including a long of 70 yards. He also had three touchbacks on the kickoff.

ELITE COMPANY
Junior running back Kory Harris ran 20 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns at ENMU, becoming the first Falcon to rush for 2,000 yards in his career (2,079 yards).

In addition, four UTPB wide receivers have entered the 1,000-Yard Club this season: Jeremiah Cooley (Sept. 7), Ja'Juan Mason (Sept. 28), Gunnar Abseck (Oct. 19), and Ben Patterson (Nov. 9).

THE SERIES (UTPB VS. SRSU)
The Falcons and Lobos meet for the third time on the gridiron this Saturday. It marks the first meeting between the two teams since September 2, 2017. Each of the previous two meetings between the teams came in Odessa during UTPB's first two seasons.

In the first meeting between the two teams (Sept. 3, 2016), Kristian Brown caught a pair of touchdown passes and Brandon Infiesto racked up 102 yards on 16 carries and scored the team's first-ever touchdown as UT Permian Basin took a 27-6 win in its first ever game as a program Saturday night against Sul Ross at Ratliff Stadium.

Then in their first game the following season (Sept. 2, 2017), UT Permian Basin struggled with holding on to possession Saturday night, committing five turnovers on four interceptions and a fumble as the Falcons were defeated 47-22 by Sul Ross at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa.

LOBOS UNDER THE LENS
The Sul Ross State football team's inaugural season in Division II wraps up this weekend with a home contest against 432 area code rival UT Permian Basin on Saturday afternoon at Jackson Field. The Lobos are trying to finish their third-straight season with a winning record at home.

Sul Ross State proved the critics wrong after being picked to finish dead last in the LSC preseason poll that came out five months ago.

Sul Ross State officially became the newest member of the Lone Star Conference on July 1, 2024. SRSU recently completed the first of a three-year provisional membership process in NCAA Division II. The Lobos are projected to gain full Division II status in fall of 2026. Sul Ross State had been affiliated with NCAA Division III and the American Southwest Conference since 1996.

Forty-nine years ago, the Sul Ross State football program wrapped up its final season in the Lone Star Conference before joining the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1976.

The LSC was loaded in 1975 with programs that are now competing at the Division I level such as Tarleton State, Abilene Christian, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State.

Fast forward to 2024 and the LSC is still a competitive league from top to bottom.

The Lobos last captured LSC titles in 1950 and 1965.

Senior wide receiver Vicente Luevano along with senior defensive back Quincy Blair were named LSC Players to Watch for the 2024 season. Luevano earned second team American Southwest Conference honors in 2023 after tallying six touchdowns and catching 36 passes for 549 yards. Blair, a fifth-year player, ranked second on the Lobo defense with 51 total tackles while he grabbed two interceptions.

In its last time out, Sul Ross State suffered a 66-0 loss to the Central Washington Wildcats on Saturday night at Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium.

Despite the loss, Blair became the program's career leader in tackles as he was just two away from tying the school record entering the contest. Blair had nine total tackles and one tackle for loss. Blair now has 286 career tackles, surpassing Ronin Williams' career tackle record of 279.

The Lobos had just 86 yards of total offense. Tucker Bridwell completed 5-of-17 passes for 58 yards. Carson Workman led the rushing attack with 27 yards on nine carries. Luevano caught two passes for 42 yards.

SRSU HEAD COACH
Barry Derickson is now in his third season at the helm of the Sul Ross State football program, holding an overall record of 8-12 during his first two seasons in Alpine. Derickson took over the SRSU program following coaching stops at Valparaiso, Navarro College, UW-Stevens Point, Eastern Kentucky, Howard Payne and his alma mater UW-Oshkosh.

CONFERENCE RANKINGS
UT Permian Basin has the second-best scoring offense in the LSC averaging 30.5 points a game. The Falcons' defense has allowed 18 points a game, making it the third-best unit in the LSC. UT Permian Basin also leads the conference in passing offense (2,401 yards) and total offense (4,007 yards).

Tristan Exline is tied for third in the LSC in tackles for loss (13) with teammate Yemi Oyesanya (13). Oyesanya is also fifth in the LSC in sacks (6). Junior defensive back Jalani Jefferson is fifth in the conference in passes defended (10).

For SRSU, Quincy Blair leads the LSC in solo tackles (72) and total tackles (110). On the national spectrum, Blair would be tied for fifth in Division II in total tackles while he would be tied for second in solo tackles.

By a margin of five yards, Austin Ogunmakin leads the LSC in receiving yards (685). The Lobos have the third-best passing offense in the LSC (2,105 yards).

Carlos Arreola ranks sixth in the conference with six made field goals. His 57-yard field goal against ENMU is still the longest of the season in the conference.

CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
With its eighth straight win, No. 23 Angelo State captured the 2024 Lone Star Conference football championship. It was the second conference title in the last three years for the Rams (8-2 overall, 8-0 LSC).

In addition to ASU, Texas A&M-Kingsville, UT Permian Basin, West Texas A&M and Central Washington were victorious in "Week 10" of LSC football.

Only one date remains in the regular season: Saturday, Nov. 16. All 10 LSC teams will be in action, including a matchup of Western Oregon at CWU to determine who will be the conference runner-up. Both teams are 6-2 in league play. LSC champion ASU hosts WT.

Two LSC teams are ranked in the latest Super Region Four NCAA Division II Regional Rankings: ASU (4) and CWU (6).

CWU is producing 421.1 offensive yards per game, followed by ENMU (416.8 ypg) and UT Permian Basin (400.7 ypg). CWU is scoring a league-high 32.8 points per game and has found the end zone an LSC-best 44 times.

On the defensive side of the ball, CWU is allowing just 219 yards per game and has three shutouts. ASU (269.2 ypg) and UTPB (279.8) are also holding opponents under 300 yards per game. ASU has the LSC's top scoring defense at 11.4 points per game and has allowed just 12 TDs all season. The Rams also have two shutouts and league-highs of 25 sacks and 14 interceptions.

ASU is the least penalized team in the LSC at 49.5 yards per game.

GAME INFORMATION
To watch LSC football games all season long, tune in to FloCollege (monthly and yearly subscriptions are available).

All UTPB home and away football games can be heard live on KQRX 95.1 FM, 95X, a West Texas Radio Group station" with the pre-game show beginning 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Monty Montgomery (Play-by-Play) and Ben Farmer (Color Commentary) return this season in the broadcast booth for the Falcons.

To follow the action for the Falcons all season long, please check out our Live Events page for all of the video and live stats details: https://utpbfalcons.com/coverage.
 
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