KINGSVLLE, Texas (September 20, 2025) – The first Lone Star Conference game of the 2025 season for The University of Texas Permian Basin football team saw the Falcons jump out to a 16-0 lead before having to battle from a 23-23 tie early in the fourth quarter to score three straight touchdowns and 20 unanswered points, ultimately ending with a 43-30 win on the road at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

It was just the second-ever win for UTPB (3-0 overall, 1-0 LSC) at Texas A&M-Kingsville (1-2, 0-1). The Falcons are currently ranked No. 7 in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll and No. 11 in the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) Poll. It is the highest ranking in program history in both polls.

The Falcons dominated the Javelinas statistically on Saturday, but where it counts (the scoreboard), it was all tied up early in the fourth quarter.

TAMUK was driving going into the fourth quarter, but after a three-yard tackle for loss on third-and-three by Tristan Exline, Javelinas' receiver King Phillips got loose on fourth down and picked up a 28-yard reception to make it a first down at the UTPB eight-yard line.

A few plays later, a fade pass to the right corner of the endzone by quarterback Jack Tuner found Kevin Holmes Jr. for a 12-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 23-23 a minute and a half into the fourth quarter. In all, it was a nine-play, 53-yard scoring drive for the Javelinas.

After a pass interference call against the Javelinas on the ensuing UTPB drive, a big 55-yard pass from Falcons' quarterback Kanon Gibson to Ben Patterson got it down to the five-yard line. Then after a holding penalty pushed the Falcons back to the 20-yard line, a gutsy run by Gibson saw him juke a defender and dive for the pylon for his second rushing touchdown of the game.

That made it 30-23 Falcons still less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, and after a three-and-out forced by the UTPB defense, the offense had a chance to try and run some clock with a seven-point lead and 10 minutes to go. However, Head Coach Kris McCullough and the Falcons had no intention of just running down the clock as instead, the very first play of the drive saw Gibson find Jaylon Tillman on a catch-and-go as he broke through the defense and put on the burners for a 70-yard touchdown catch.

An interception by Jayden Plater, a transfer from Midwestern State University, on a screen pass on the next TAMUK drive all but sealed the game. Two plays later, Gibson kept it going with a 34-yard touchdown pass to TJ McKenzie, who put a stiff arm on his defender to get into the endzone.

It was 20 points in a span of five minutes for UTPB to turn the tide and show why it is the No. 11-ranked team in the country.

Gibson totaled five touchdowns on the game, completing 18-of-26 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns while leading the team with 22 runs for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Kory Harris added 16 rushes for 64 yards and a touchdown while Camden Tyler ran six times for 33 yards. In all, UTPB rushed 46 times for 175 yards, limited the Javelinas to 105 rushing yards, and outgained the Javelinas 491-375 overall while averaging 6.82 yards per play.

It was a major turnaround from last's year meeting between the two teams in Midland, Texas.

UTPB's 46 rushing yards in the matchup between the two teams last year as a major point of emphasis around the Falcons' facility this week.

On just the second play of the game, Harris ripped off a 30-yard run, followed by an 11-yard run. In all on the opening drive, Harris rushed for 47 yards, surpassing last year's team total, while the Falcons totaled 60 rushing yards on the drive and saw Gibson punch it in with a rush from three yards out.

It was a 12-play, 75-yard opening drive for the Falcons that ate up nearly six minutes of game time.

TAMUK's first possession saw a fake punt on fourth-and-one turn into a rush for 12 yards, but with the Javelinas in the redzone and facing third down, a bone-jarring tackle, forced fumble and fumble recovery by McKyle So'oto got the ball back for the Falcons.

The UTPB offensive line continued to impose its will as the Falcons made their way down field. After a six-yard run for a first down by Gibson, an 11-yard run by Tyler ended the first quarter and put the Falcons at 86 rushing yards after the opening period.

The drive would stall out, but UTPB was able to salvage it with a field goal by Angel Diaz to take a 9-0 lead. Then the UTPB offense was right back in business after the defense stuffed the Javelinas on fourth-and-one from the TAMUK 34-yard line.

UTPB got down to the 11-yard line after back-to-back 13-yard completions to Heston Kelly and Harris. Then on third-and-10, Gibson rushed for 10 yards and a first down at the one-yard line before Harris finished it off one play later for a 16-0 lead.

Following a touchdown and two-point conversion by TAMUK on a must-score drive for the Javelinas, cutting the score in half (16-8), the Falcons looked to put together their fourth scoring drive on four possessions in the first half as they got all the way down to the 10-yard line. However, a poorly timed holding call on UTPB in the final 30 seconds limited the Falcons to a field goal attempt by Diaz, but it was off target, keeping it at a one-score game going into halftime.

The scoreboard did not reflect UTPB's dominance in the first half. UPTB outrushed TAMUK 136-52, outgained the Javelinas 226-109, and had 14 first downs compared to six for the Javelinas, but two pass interference calls on the Falcons during TAMUK's scoring drive helped keep the home team in it. Penalties would swing to UTPB's advantage in the second half.

After both teams traded punts to kick off the second half, it would be the Javelinas who struck first. On its second drive of the second half, TAMUK started off with a 46-yard pass from Turner, who four plays later ran it in himself for a 12-yard touchdown. Turner then completed the two-point conversion to tight end Ivan Thomas to tie the game at 16-16.

The UTPB offense had the answer as the offensive line continued to work hard, and after putting his head down to pick up three yards for a first down on third-and-two from the TAMUK 24-yard line, Gibson had all day in the pocket and found Jace Wyatt cutting across field for a 21-yard touchdown pass just halfway through the third quarter. It was UTPB's second 75-yard scoring drive of the game after also doing so on the very first drive of the game.

After the great response by the Falcons' offense, the defense followed it up with a three-and-out, and then on the next TAMUK possession, a deep pass by Turner ended with the second interception in as many games by Jamarion Ravenell.

All of that came before the fourth quarter when TAMUK tied it, and then UTPB stuck back with three straight touchdowns. The two teams combined for 34 points in the fourth quarter, a 20-14 edge for UTPB. Last year's matchup in Midland finished with a 20-14 final score in favor of TAMUK.

On defense for UTPB, Exline led all players with 10 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. So'oto and Kendrick Jones were both next with eight tackles while Malik Allen had six and Euvoski Cunningham had five.

The UTPB defense recorded three takeaways while the Falcons' offense did not commit a single turnover. The UTPB offense was also 2-for-2 on fourth down.

Head Coach Kris McCullough said, "I am so proud of the team. We started fast, and then we faced adversity. We kept taking punches and kept fighting back. Out defense got timely turnovers and really played better than the stats showed. It's fun to win in a hostile environment and get a win against a storied program. We will celebrate this one and get back to work."

UT Permian Basin returns home on Saturday, September 27, taking on Midwestern State University.  The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. from Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland, Texas.