ODESSA, Texas (August 12, 2024) – UT Permian Basin Football has earned the 21st spot in this year's American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Falcons ended at No. 18 in the same poll last season but received their highest ranking of No. 12 at the end of the regular season.

The Falcons were one of three Lone Star Conference football schools to be ranked in the top-25 in the preseason poll, including Central Washington University at No. 8 and Angelo State University at No. 24, while Texas A&M University-Kingsville also received votes.

Last season, UTPB began receiving votes in the national poll during week five and then cracked the national rankings at No. 22 following a 28-23 win at No. 19 Angelo State (Oct. 21) in week eight. From there, the Falcons moved up to No. 18 after winning 28-16 over Western Oregon University (Oct. 28) in week nine and were then ranked at No. 17 following a 56-3 victory at Western New Mexico University (Nov. 4) in week 10.

After being picked to finish seventh in the LSC preseason poll last year, UTPB was unbeaten in league play (8-0) following a 42-14 win over No. 23 Central Washington (Nov. 11) to claim its first-ever Lone Star Conference Championship in its regular-season finale. That win moved the Falcons to as high as No. 12 in the AFCA poll.

UTPB would then finish the season ranked No. 18 after dropping a low-scoring 10-3 decision at home against No. 21 Bemidji State University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Football Championships.

Bemidji State moved up from No. 21 to No. 16 after defeating UTPB in the playoffs while Central Washington, which defeated Bemidji State in the second round, went from unranked to No. 17 as it advanced to the third round of the playoffs before falling at Colorado School of Mines. Harding University won the national championship, 38-7, against Colorado School of Mines to finish as the top-ranked team.

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Defending national champion Harding (Ark.) will begin the 2024 season at No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll.