ODESSA, Texas (October 2, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin football team (3-1 overall, 3-0 LSC) is riding a three-game winning streak and will look to keep it going as the Falcons take a break from conference play to battle No. T-21 Northeastern State University (3-2) in nonconference action. The Falcons will square off against the nationally-ranked RiverHawks starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

FALCONS' LAST TIME OUT
Nate TenBarge threw for four touchdowns and ran for another to fuel the Falcons to a 56-10 road win over Eastern New Mexico at Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium in Portales, N.M. UTPB totaled 583 yards of total offense, while the Falcons' defense had eight sacks and kept ENMU off the scoreboard in the second half. Ten Barge finished 18-for-28 for 245 yards and 50 yards on eight carries. Trayeln Suel had five catches for 95 yards and two of the TDs. Eli Leiataua had 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks and Elijah Robinson and Layne Horak each had an interception. ENMU took an early lead on a Kaden Dow field goal and made it 28-10 in the second quarter on a Jake South pass to Trei Kibbles.

SCOUTING UTPB
UT Permian Basin enters the matchup riding three straight conference victories after opening the season with a loss at (FCS) UT Rio Grande Valley. The Falcons responded with a 69-14 home victory over Western New Mexico before defeating Sul Ross State 66-7 and Eastern New Mexico 56-10 both on the road.

UTPB leads the Lone Star Conference in scoring offense (47.8 ppg) and scoring defense (18.8 ppg). The Falcons are averaging 189.8 rushing yards and 233.8 passing yards per game and are fifth in the conference in total offense (423.5 ypg), but are also second in total defense (364.8 ypg). Their defense has surrendered just eight touchdowns through its first three contests, the fewest in the LSC. The Falcons' defense also leads the league in sacks (14), interceptions (8), forced fumbles (7) and fumbles recovered (6).

UTPB was picked fifth in the conference's preseason poll and continues to receive votes in this week's AFCA Top 25 Poll for the fifth week in a row.

RIVERHAWKS UNDER THE LENS
"Week 5" marks the first-ever meeting between UTPB and Northeastern State, introducing the Falcons to one of Division II's fastest-rising programs. The RiverHawks are coming off one of the best seasons in school history under head coach Darrin Chiaverini, who was named Division II Coach of the Year by The CFB Network after orchestrating a remarkable turnaround in just his second season. Chiaverini led NSU to a 9-3 record in 2025, capturing the inaugural First Americans Bowl title and delivering the program's highest win total since 2000 – as well as its largest year-to-year improvement since its 1994 national championship season.

Northeastern State's breakout campaign reset program expectations at both the regional and national level. The RiverHawks earned a national top-25 ranking for the first time in more than two decades, finishing No. 24 in the D2Football.com poll. Offensively, NSU produced record-setting numbers, establishing new school marks for total points (483), touchdowns (65), and scoring average (40.3 points per game) while outscoring opponents by 282 points overall. The RiverHawks were especially dominant down the stretch, winning their final seven games by a combined margin of 255 points, including a decisive 56-21 victory over East Central in the First Americans Bowl.

Chiaverini's 2025 squad featured one of the nation's most explosive and balanced offenses paired with an opportunistic defense that consistently created scoring chances. The team's ability to control games on both sides of the ball fueled its sustained success and rapid ascent. Adding to their uniqueness, Northeastern State competes as the only NCAA Division II Independent program in the country, navigating a schedule without conference affiliation while still achieving national relevance.

NSU QUICK HITS
Darrin Chiaverini enters his third season as head coach and offensive coordinator at Northeastern State. Year two of NSU's Chiaverini-led offense saw the RiverHawks set school records in points scored (483), points per game (40.3), touchdowns (65) and yards per play (7.3).

The offense will look to pick up where it left off at the conclusion of the 2025 season. In NSU's dominant 56-21 triumph over East Central in the First Americans Bowl, the RiverHawks stormed to a program-record 651 yards of total offense. Donnie Smith set a program postseason record with 406 passing yards and five touchdowns, while Deuce Roberson had a standout performance as his top receiver with seven catches for 176 yards and three touchdowns. NSU also picked up 230 yards of rushing offense with three different players reaching the end zone on the ground.

Donnie Smith returns for his second season in Tahlequah after breaking single-season NSU records in total offense (2,962 yards), passing yards (3,045), completions (231), passing yards per game (253.8) and completion percentage (71.1%). His 23 passing scores marked the most for an NSU player since 2016 and tied with NSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Roy Burk for third-most in program history, while his nine wins as a starter marked the most in a single season for an NSU quarterback since Matt Weber in 1994.

Deuce Roberson enters as NSU's most experienced returning receiver, catching 83 passes for 1,157 yards with 10 receiving touchdowns across two seasons with the program. Roberson finished 2025 on a high note, collecting 16 receptions over his last three games played with a team-high 280 yards during that span.

Continuity is a key theme on the offensive line entering the season, as the RiverHawks return four regular starters from the previous season. In the group's second season under offensive line coach Noah Sutherland, they helped the NSU rushing attack produce its most rushing touchdowns (33) since 1999 and their highest average yards per carry (5.3) since 2001. The offensive line also allowed just 15 sacks across the season, half of the previous season's total despite playing in one more game.

Justus Gilliam returns on the offensive line after making history as a true freshman. The Sulphur, Okla. native started all 12 games at center last season, becoming the first true freshman in recorded program history to do so. Additionally, Jayden Flores returns after starting all 12 games at right tackle.

Kale Charboneau enters his second season after a true freshman campaign where he tied Khaden Walker for the team lead with 73 tackles, the most in a season for a true freshman at NSU since 2003. His 43 solo tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss both marked the most by a true freshman in recorded program history.

Marvelous Owens will aim to build off of his outstanding 2025 season, of which the Western Kentucky transfer become the first defender in program history to receive multiple All-American First Team honors in a single season. Owens's seven interceptions marked the most for an NSU player since 1988, while his 11 pass breakups were the most since 2019. Owens also became the first NSU player since 2008 to record an interception in four straight games.

Jordan Tolbert returns after serving as a strong contributor to the defense's young core in 2025. Tolbert's four interceptions marked the most for a true freshman in recorded program history, while his 38 tackles led all underclassmen in the secondary.

The special teams unit brings back Troy Nguyen after he provided the highest-scoring season for a kicker in program history in 2025, while they also return All-American punter Mo Foketi.

RIVERHAWKS' LAST TIME OUT
No. 6 Lumberjacks Pull Away from RiverHawks in FCS-D2 Matchup: Stephen F. Austin scored touchdowns on six of its first eight possessions as the Lumberjacks rolled to a 63-14 win over Northeastern State on Saturday at Homer Bryce Stadium.

Stephen F. Austin (5-0) entered ranked No. 6 in the Football Championship Subdivision, a level above NCAA Division II, in which Northeastern State (3-2) carries a No. 15 ranking. The Lumberjacks now have won 15 straight regular-season games, but NSU's point total against them was the second-highest this season by an SFA opponent.

Both of NSU's losses this season have come against FCS teams, with the other coming last Saturday at Northern Colorado. It marked the first time since 2015 that a Division II team had played consecutive games against FCS teams. The RiverHawks will play a third FCS opponent on Oct. 10, when they will visit West Florida.

Stephen F. Austin led 42-0 before NSU launched a seven-play, 86-yard scoring drive late in the second quarter, highlighted by a 38-yard pass from quarterback Donnie Smith to Jalen Richmond. A subsequent pass-interference penalty against the Lumberjacks moved the football to the SFA 21 and three plays later, Smith hit Deuce Roberson on an 11-yard touchdown pass.

The RiverHawks recorded a pair of first-half interceptions, with Michael Parker and Blaine Anderson picking off passes from SFA quarterback Gavin Rutherford, who finished 16 of 23 passing for 299 yards and four touchdowns, all in the first half.

NSU drove from its own 20 to the SFA 1 on its first drive of the second half, but the RiverHawks were held out of the end zone. On fourth-and-goal from the 3, Mikail Trotter gained two yards before being tackled by two SFA defenders.

The RiverHawks' second touchdown came on their next drive, which covered six plays and 63 yards. Smith hit tight end Malachi Butler on a 25-yard scoring pass with 2:19 left in the third quarter.
NSU also lost the ball on downs at the SFA 7 early in the fourth quarter.

Smith finished 22 of 42 passing for 326 yards, his second-highest yardage total of the season. That raised his career passing-yardage total to 4,473 yards, moving him past Kenny Davis (4,332) and Johnny Deaton (4,405) into second on the program's all-time list. The program record is held by Lynn Pattillo (5,799).

Roberson caught eight passes for a season-high 121 yards as NSU rolled up 478 yards of offense. The Lumberjacks had 617 yards of offense.

Khaden Walker led NSU's defense with seven tackles, while Parker, Braxton Street and Kale Charboneau each had six tackles. Two of Street's tackles were for loss.

After four straight games on the road, NSU will play at home at Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, next Saturday. The RiverHawks will host Texas-Permian Basin in the annual homecoming game, which will start at 5 p.m.

CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
No. 14 Central Washington, UT Permian Basin, Midwestern State, Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville were all victorious in Week 4 of Lone Star Conference football. All but CWU won on the road. UTPB is now 3-0 in league play. CWU, MSU and TAMUK are also unbeaten at 2-0. ASU improved to 1-1.

Week 5 will feature four conference games (Western Oregon at MSU, CWU at ASU, West Texas A&M at TAMUK and Eastern New Mexico at SRSU). UTPB has a non-conference road matchup against Northeastern State. WNMU is idle.

MSU is tops in the league in total offense (576.3 yards per game), while ASU is tops in defense (356.5 yards per game). UTPB is scoring a conference-best 47.8 points per game and allowing a league-low 18.8 points per game. CWU (48.5 yards per game) is the least penalized team in the LSC.

CWU was picked to repeat as the LSC champion this season, according to the league's preseason poll. WOU senior quarterback Jordan McCarty and CWU senior linebacker Brycen Indell were predicted to win preseason player of the year honors.

GAME INFORMATION
Saturday's game will be broadcasted on the MIAA Network. To follow the action for the Falcons all season long, please check out our Live Events page for all of the video and live stats details: https://utpbfalcons.com/coverage.

In addition, all UTPB home and away football games can be heard live on KQRX 95.1 FM, 95X, a West Texas Radio Group station" with the pre-game show beginning 30 minutes prior to kickoff.