ODESSA, Texas (December 6, 2024) – For the second season in a row, UT Permian Basin Football will be playing in the postseason after accepting an invitation to play in the 2024 Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot in Corsicana, Texas. The Falcons will take on the No. 25 nationally-ranked University of Central Missouri of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) on Saturday, December 7, with kickoff scheduled for noon inside Community National Bank & Trust Stadium.

The Falcons will be searching for their first postseason win in program history. In addition, it will be UTPB's first-ever matchup against Central Missouri.

The Falcons wrapped up the 2024 regular season on a three-game winning streak and are 7-4 overall and 6-3 in Lone Star Conference play. In addition to having the second-winningest season in program history, the Falcons have now had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in their history. UTPB ranked first in scoring offense (34.5 ppg), total offense (428.9 ypg), passing offense (254.0 ypg), first downs (261) and redzone touchdowns (31) in the Lone Star Conference. They also had the third-ranked rushing offense (174.9 ypg) in the league. In all of Division II, the Falcons ranked 16th in scoring offense, 18th in total offense, 21st in passing offense, 28th in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.64), 31st in rushing offense, and 35th in sacks allowed per game (1.36).

Led by senior wide receiver Jeremiah Cooley (Back-to-back LSC Receiver of the year) and sophomore linebacker Tristan Exline (LSC Co-Linebacker of the Year), The University of Texas Permian Basin football team had 22 All-Lone Star Conference selections. It was the most Falcons honored in one season by the LSC in program history.

The Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl started in 2017. The Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot owns the distinction of being the longest continuous running NCAA Division II bowl game in the country. UTPB becomes the second repeat team to visit Corsicana in the seven-year history of the Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot, the country's longest running DII bowl game. The game garners attraction from across the country and invites schools from three conferences – the Lone Star (LSC), Great American (GAC), and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

Tickets are $10 for general admission. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE: https://www.heritagebowl.org/tickets

UTPB RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCES THIS SEASON
KORY HARRIS - CAREER RUSHING LEADER: With 41 rushing yards against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, September 21, 2024, Harris became the Falcons' new all-time leading rusher with 1,644 yards. After finishing with 865 rushing yards as a sophomore in 2023, Harris had accumulated 1,271 yards in his first two seasons, which ranked third in program history at the time. He then started his 2024 season with 82 rushing yards against Western New Mexico (Aug. 31), 95 rushing yards at CSU-Pueblo (Sept. 7), and 155 yards against Adams State (Sept. 14) to pull within striking distance of the record.

Later on in the season, Harris ran 20 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns at Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 9), becoming the first Falcon to rush for 2,000 yards in his career (2,079 yards). Then in UTPB's regular-season finale at Sul Ross State (Nov. 16), Harris rushed for four touchdowns and would finish the game with 26 carries for a program-record of 201 yards, which was good for 7.7 yards per attempt. He is the first UTPB runner to surpass 200 rushing yards in a game and 1,000 yards in a season (1,009 yards). In addition, with his four touchdowns in the contest, he ties the UTPB single-season record for both rushing touchdowns (11) and total touchdowns (12).

GUNNAR ABSECK - PUNT RETURNER: Abseck is the team's primary punt returner and is the holder on all field goal and extra point attempts. As a return man, he had 14 punt returns for 103 yards and four kickoff returns for 66 yards. He was 36th in Division II in punt return yards per attempt (7.4). His 14 punt returns and 103 punt return yards this season both rank second in program history. In addition, his 32 career punt returns and 236 career punt return yards are both a program record.

DYLAN GRAHAM - QUARTERBACK: In UTPB's 41-3 season-opening win over Western New Mexico (Aug. 31), Graham starred in his return to the starting role and completed 31-of-50 passes for 404 yards and three touchdowns. Graham's 31 completions were only three short of his own program record of 34 set on September 24, 2022. In addition, his 404 yards passing ranks third in program history, trailing only Taylor Null who twice threw for over 400 yards in 2018. Graham ranks second in the UTPB record books in completions (289), passing attempts (514) and passing yards (3,229) in a career.

1,000-YARD RECEIVING CLUB: Five 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), Deon Cook (Nov. 16).

REGULAR-SEASON FINALE VS. SUL ROSS STATE: The Falcons finished with 711 total yards of offense, which was good for a new program record, breaking the previous record of 677 yards set on October 14, 2023, vs. Eastern New Mexico University.

Kory Harris would finish the game with 26 carries for a program-record of 201 yards, which was good for 7.7 yards per attempt. He is the first UTPB runner to surpass 200 rushing yards in a game and 1,000 yards in a season (1,009 yards). In addition, with his four touchdowns, he ties the UTPB single-season record for both rushing touchdowns (11) and total touchdowns (12).

Issac Mooring finished 26-for-28 for 353 yards for the game. In addition to setting a program record for passing percentage (92.9 percent), Mooring now has the seventh most passing yards in a game for a single player in program history. Meanwhile, UTPB's 393 combined passing yards are the fifth most in a game in program history.

Jeremiah Cooley (78 yards) and Ben Patterson (54 yards) led the receivers with seven catches while Cook caught six passes for 148 yards. With 16 combined touchdown receptions over the last two seasons and 19 for his career, Cooley is second in program history in career receiving touchdowns. In addition, Cooley, Patterson and Deon Cook all surpassed 500 receiving yards for the season with their performances on Saturday.

MULES UNDER THE LENS
For the second straight season, University of Central Missouri Mules football will compete in the postseason.

The Mules concluded the 2024 regular season with an overall record of 8-3 and went 6-3 in the MIAA. UCM ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak, including victories over then No. 1-ranked Pittsburg State and No. 19-ranked Emporia State.

Central Missouri leads NCAA Division II in passing offense (402.5 yards per game) and first downs (322) and ranks second in total offense (534.1 yards per game).

Quarterback Zach Zebrowski, the reigning Harlon Hill Award winner for Division II Football Player of the Year, leads Division II in completions per game (31.9), passing yards per game (401.5), passing yards (4,417), passing touchdowns (38) and total offense (443.5 yards per game).

UCM has six wide receivers who have at least 200 receiving yards on the season in Zach Patterson (1,013 yards), Jack Pospisil (697 yards), Hogan Wasson (550 yards), Derrick Rose (411 yards), Michael Fitzgerald II (281 yards) and C'ing Blanton (261 yards), while running back LaAngelo Bell has rushed for a team-best 509 yards on 116 carries with six touchdowns.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP (UTPB VS. UCM)
With a combined 79 points lighting up the scoreboard, a record fell in the Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot last year. It may be a short stay at the top.

This year's NCAA Division II tilt features a pair of juggernaut offenses as the University of Texas Permian Basin makes its return to Corsicana to face the Central Missouri Mules, who are led by reigning Harlon Hill Award winner Zach Zebrowski.

Both teams were playoff qualifiers just a year ago and will meet for the first time. The Mules (8-3) from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) have won five straight and are coming off a 62-47 win over Missouri Southern. They average 39.1 points per game. The Falcons (7-4) have topped 60 three times this year, including twice in the last two weeks. Hailing from the Lone Star Conference (LSC), they cruised past Sul Ross State, 75-7, last weekend.

A misstep against 4-7 Missouri Western in mid-October likely kept the Mules out of the 28-team DII playoffs. They own one of the most impressive wins of the year, beating Pittsburg State, then No. 1 in the country and a No. 3 regional playoff seed, by 24 on the road. Zebrowski leads the charge. The 6-2 senior from Woodbury, Minn. has followed up his Harlon Hill campaign with another sizzling season. He has thrown for 4,462 yards and 38 TDs while completing 70% of his passes. He has added another seven touchdowns on the ground.

UTPB becomes the second repeat team to visit Corsicana in the seven-year history of the Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot, the country's longest running DII bowl game. Incidentally, Coach Kris McCullough has also been here, but in different threads. The Falcons fell in 2021 to Oklahoma Baptist, 24-21, and a year later McCullough led East Central (Okla.) to a 38-21 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville.

McCullough has put together the best two seasons in UTPB history. The Falcons have a similar resume to UCM, with a win over playoff-bound Central Washington, 14- 13, on the road. Two of their losses are to seeded playoff teams, and they have two other headscratchers. The Falcons average 34.5 points per game and only allow 17.0 on defense. The Mules, in contrast, allow 33.4.

Tristan Exline, a 6-1 sophomore linebacker from China Spring, leads the Falcons with 96 tackles, 14.5 for losses. Junior running back Kory Harris from Fort Worth leads the offense posting a 1,000-yard season on the ground. He has more than 2,300 in the last three seasons.

FALCONS' LAST BOWL GAME APPEARANCE (UTPB 21, OBU 24; DEC. 4, 2021)
Playing in the first bowl game in UT Permian Basin Football history, it was the young receivers who stole the show on the big stage. Freshmen Jordan Smart and Marcus Molina combined for 13 catches, 235 yards, and a pair of scores as the Falcons nearly completed the largest comeback in program history in the fourth quarter of the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl against Oklahoma Baptist.

Trailing 24-7 in the fourth quarter, Clayton Roberts and the offense found their form and got things going. Roberts got things going with a nine-yard completion to Smart before Kevin Young Jr. rumbled for eight to get just outside the redzone. Three plays later the Falcons faced fourth down from the Bison 25. Roberts found Smart in the corner of the end zone for the score.

After a defensive stop, the Falcons struck again quickly on their next drive. With the ball at midfield, Roberts once again connected with Smart for a 39-yard pass. The very next play Roberts found Molina in the same corner of the end zone and cut what was a 24-7 deficit down to just a score. The defense gave the offense an opportunity to complete the comeback, but they fell just short in the 24-21 final.

Suddin Sapien started under center and got the Falcons on the board in the first quarter with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Matt Zubiate. He finished with 119 yards passing and the touchdown. Roberts threw for 161 and two scores.

Smart led all receivers with 138 yards on six catches while Molina led the way in catches with seven for 97 yards. Miquon Mayes led the defense with 10 tackles, 1.5 for a loss, and a sack. John O'Kelley and Hayden Kelly had a sack each.

The Falcons held the Great American Offensive Player of the Year to his third lowest game in terms of yardage with 181 passing yards and just one touchdown through the air. Keilahn Harris, a First Team All-Super Region Four selection, was held to just 17 yards on five catches. The 24 points the Falcons allowed was the second fewest the Bison scored all season and came into Saturday averaging nearly 38 a game.

HERITAGE BOWL TAILGATE
The UTPB Alumni Association is putting on a tailgate before the game in the Community National Bank and Trust Stadium parking lot. All UTPB fans are invited. Live music will be provided by Heritage Bowl Title Sponsor, Riot Platforms.

Tailgating Map
Dining Guide

DOWNTOWN CORSICANA HERITAGE BOWL PEP RALLY (5:30 P.M., FRIDAY, DEC. 6)
Bring your Falcon spirit to downtown Corsicana! The celebration includes performances from both school bands, remarks from both head coaches, and a proclamation reading from the Mayor of Corsicana. 

More information about the pep rally can be found here: https://visitcorsicana.com/events-corsicana/#event=77731614;instance=20241206173000?popup=1&lang=en-US

UTPB Pep Rally Parking Map
Pep Rally Schedule

ADDITIONAL GAME INFORMATION
All UTPB 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.
 
2024 Football Media Guide
Heritage Bowl Game Notes
KQRX 95.1 FM, 95X
Watch Live
UTPB Live Stats