WICHITA FALLS, Texas (September 28, 2024) – Just one week after suffering its first conference loss in two seasons, The University of Texas Permian Basin football team got back into the win column with a 27-3 road win at Midwestern State University on Saturday night inside Memorial Stadium.

UTPB improves to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the Lone Star Conference while Midwestern State falls to 2-2 and 1-1. Last season, UTPB beat Midwestern State by eight points, 21-13, for the first road win at MSU in program history.

After a missed 46-yard field by the reigning LSC Special Teams Player of the Week, Joseph Carlson, who was 5-for-5 last week for MSU, UTPB got on the scoreboard first just four plays into its first possession with a 58-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Graham to former Mustang Ja'Juan Mason.

The next MSU drive ended with an interception by Jalon Rocquemore at the UTPB 27-yard line, and after going 72 yards for a touchdown in just four plays on their first drive, the Falcons' next drive went 12 plays for 63 yards and took 4:52 off the clock before a 27-yard field goal by Angel Diaz to make it 10-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, MSU tried a fake punt from its own 45-yard line, but the run by the punter, Diego Gonzalez, was sniffed out by the Falcons' Tre Yanez and Eric Franco for a loss of five yards.

On the next Falcons' drive, UTPB passed on a field goal opportunity and instead decided to keep the offense on the field on fourth-and-16 from the MSU 18-yard line, and the gamble paid off with a touchdown pass from Graham to La'Quan Wells to make it 17-0 with nine minutes left until halftime.

UTPB tried to keep the pressure on with an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but an illegal touch against the Falcons set the Mustangs up at the UTPB 45-yard line, and MSU was able to get on the scoreboard with a 26-yard field goal by Carlson.

The score remained 17-3 at halftime.

UTPB's second drive of the third quarter started with 9:39 on the clock and ended with 3:43 left in the period as the Falcons went 59 yards in 11 plays and took 5:56 off the clock. The methodical scoring drive ended with a rumble-and-tumble four-yard rush by Gerald Palmer.

The next MSU drive saw a seven-yard sack by Frank Mulipola take the Mustangs' starting quarterback, Sean Jastrab, out of the game, and then two plays later the new quarterback, Matthew Duncan, was intercepted by Kharel Coney.

Graham and Mason came back out onto the field and immediately connected on a tough catch for 46 yards to get the Falcons down to the MSU 25-yard line.

The Falcons would end that drive with a 31-yard drive by Rafael Vargas, his second made field goal of the game, less than a minute and a half into the fourth quarter.

In the end, UTPB finished with points in all four quarters and outgained MSU 441-253 overall. With their third game with at least 400 yards of total offense so far this season, the Falcons were even more impressive than their victory at Memorial Stadium last year when they finished with 381 yards in total offense.

It was a balanced attack for the Falcons, who threw for 242 yards and rushed for 199. In addition, the UTPB defense limited the Mustangs to 89 rushing yards, just one trip to the redzone, and a 3-for-12 rate on third down.

Graham completed 23 of 45 passes for 242 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Mason accounted for 104 of those receiving yards and did so on just three catches. It was his first 100-yard game as a Falcon after reaching the century mark twice as a Mustang in 2021. Wells added four catches (31 yards) and matched Mason with a touchdown. Gunnar Abseck led the squad with five catches (30 yards).

Kory Harris rushed 22 times for 147 yards and averaged 6.7 yards per rush. Harris became the Falcons' new career rushing leader last time out against Texas A&M University-Kingsville with 1,644 yards. His 147 yards against the Mustangs improves his total to 1,791 yards. Now second on the list behind Harris is Marquis Simmons (2016-19) with 1,625 yards.

Tristan Exline once again led the defense as he finished with eight total tackles and six solo tackles. Yemi Oyesanya was next with five tackles and a sack for nine yards. Rocquemore had four tackles, an interception and a sack for 11 yards, and Mulipola had four tackles and two sacks for 16 yards.

As a team, the Falcons sacked the Mustangs four times for 36 yards.

Head Coach Kris McCullough said, "I am really proud of this team. All three phases really shined tonight. It was fun to have Ja'Juan Mason come to his old stomping grounds and have 100 yards receiving and a touchdown."

Next up, UTPB will play at home for the fourth time in its first six games of the season as the Falcons take on Angelo State University starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 5.