ODESSA, Texas (November 8, 2025) – It was a tale of two halves as the No. 17-ranked University of Texas Permian Basin football team held on for a 47-34 home win over Eastern New Mexico University.

UTPB (8-2 overall, 6-2 Lone Star Conference) led 27-0 to start the game after rushing touchdowns by four different players.

To close out of the first half, UTPB got a one-play scoring drive with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Kanon Gibson to Ben Patterson just before the two-minute warning. Then a five-yard touchdown pass from Gibson to Kylin Mathis in the final 30 seconds of the first half made it 40-7 at halftime.

In the second half, however, it was ENMU (3-7, 3-5) which scored a rushing touchdown by four different players and outscored the Falcons 27-7.

The scoring started with a 59-yard touchdown run by Kory Harris in the first five minutes of the game.

Then in the final five minutes of the first quarter, a fake punt by the Falcons on fourth-and-six saw a pass from the punter, Jolon Cabello, to linebacker Tristan Exline go for 23 yards to get UTPB down to the 30-yard line. Gibson would later rush it in for a seven-yard touchdown.

The second quarter started with a 14-yard rushing touchdown by Adrian Cormier, and later saw a 34-yard touchdown rush by Camden Tyler.

Gibson would finish the first half with seven straight completions, two of which went for touchdowns.

In the fourth quarter, a pair of wildcat plays by Harris proved to be big difference makers as the first one went for a two-yard touchdown just one minute into the final period. The second one again went for two yards, but was good for a first down on fourth-and-one on the final drive to put the game away.

ENMU would finish with a 231-228 lead on rushing yards, but did so on 24 more attempts than the Falcons and saw UTPB average 7.1 yards per carry on the ground.

UTPB also added 344 passing yards and outgained the Greyhounds 572-408 overall.  UTPB had 411 yards of offense in the first half, including 280 yards in the second quarter alone.

In the second half, ENMU was able to get after a UTPB defense that entered the game as one of the best in the nation, ranking first in the LSC in both yards allowed per game (248.8) and in points allowed per game (16.8). ENMU, meanwhile, boasted the best rushing offense (317.4 YPG) in the LSC and ranked third nationally. Its triple-option offense had nine players with over 100 rushing yards and nine players with at least one rushing touchdown on the season.

ENMU finished the second half with 174 rushing yards and 265 total yards. In addition, the Greyhounds' fourth quarter featured 150 total yards, all on the ground.

The conversion rates on third and fourth down between the two teams were extremely similar, with UTPB going 4-for-14 on third down and 5-for-6 on fourth down and ENMU going 3-for-14 on third down and 4-for-6 on fourth. However, it was ENMU that went a perfect 5-for-5 in the redzone while UTPB was 4-for-5.

The Falcons fell victim to two first-half interceptions, but had two takeaways on fumbles forced by Exline in the second quarter.

Gibson finished 26-for-42 for 321 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. On the ground, Harris led the team with 12 attempts for 83 yards and two scores.

Defensively, the Falcons were put to work with Exline totaling 20 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and UTPB's lone sack of the contest. He also added two forced fumbles.

Tre Yanez was next with 11 tackles, followed by McKyle So'oto with seven and Anthony Cunningham with six.

In all, the UTPB defense totaled 79 total tackles and nine tackles for loss, both season-highs.

The Falcons will conclude the regular season next weekend against Sul Ross State. Senior Day will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 15, inside Astound Broadband Stadium.