MIDLAND, Texas (September 14, 2024) – Typically when a Grizzly faces off against a Falcon, it is not a fair fight, but in this matchup, it was all Falcons as The University of Texas Permian Basin football team defeated Adams State University by a final score of 67-14 on Saturday night.

It was the first game for the Falcons at Astound Broadband Stadium since being held to just three points in the playoffs last season. It was also the first win for Head Coach Kris McCullough against a team from Colorado.

Coach McCullough said earlier in the week that one of his goals for his team this weekend was to rush for over 200 yards as a team for the first time on the season, and the Falcons did that and more as they actually topped the 300-yard rushing mark.

UTPB (2-1 overall) finished with four touchdowns on the ground and four in the air, and added one touchdown on special teams as well.

Kory Harris rushed 24 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns, the second-highest rushing total in his career, and averaged 6.5 yards per rush. Camden Tyler rushed nine times for 65 yards and a score, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt.

Tyler Cleveland ran seven times for 32 yards and Gerald Palmer had three rushes for 22 yards and one touchdown. It was Palmer who got the scoring started with a three-yard run to cap off the opening drive of the game.

Backup quarterback Christian Kaopua got into the action and added to the Falcons' rushing total with three carries for 40 yards. Another quarterback, Issac Mooring, was 3-for-3 passing the ball for 34 yards in his collegiate debut.

Not to be outdone, starting quarterback Dylan Graham completed 15-of-24 passes for 272 yards and threw a touchdown pass to four different players.

Jeremiah Cooley (3 catches; 35 yards) hauled in his weekly-accustomed touchdown reception on a fade thrown to the back corner of the endzone and La'Quan Wells nearly matched Cooley's numbers exactly with three catches for 34 yards and one touchdown.

Brock Johnson (2 catches; 26 yards) caught his first touchdown pass of the season while Tyler (2 catches, 29 yards) and Gunnar Abseck (2 catches, 46 yards) made it six Falcon players with at least two receptions in the game.

Maybe the most impressive playmaker on this day from the Falcons' receiving corps was Traylen Suel, who first showed off his speed with a 96-yard kickoff returned for a touchdown for UTPB's first points of the third quarter. Then on the first play of UTPB's next drive, Graham found Suel near the endzone for a 47-yard touchdown catch.

In all, UTPB finished with exactly 306 rushing yard and 306 passing yards. The total of 612 total yards is the third most for the Falcons in the McCullough era.

McCullough said after the game, "I am proud of our fight. I am proud of our preparation. We got punched in the mouth at Colorado and responded with the best week yet. We have some stuff to clean up, but this was a good team win."

Tristan Exline was dominating on defense, finishing with eight total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception.

Ashton Hamby was next with six tackles. Jalon Rocquemore had four tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Frank Mulipola also had four tackles, and Austin Williams had two tackles for loss.

Next up, UTPB continues Lone Star Conference action at home against Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The action will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, as the Falcons look to keep their streak of nine straight conference wins under Coach McCullough going.