ODESSA, Texas (October 23, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin football team (5-2 overall, 4-1 LSC) does not have long to stew on its first loss in Lone Star Conference action this season as the Falcons will have to take on the challenge of playing on the road against the top team in the conference this week. The Falcons and the Wildcats of No. 13 nationally-ranked Central Washington University (5-2, 5-0) will square off starting at 8 p.m. Central Time / 6 p.m. Pacific time from Ellensburg, Washington. It will be UTPB's biggest game of the season, and the outcome could very well put the LSC Championship up for grabs.

This will be UTPB's second matchup this season against a nationally-ranked team, but it will also be its highest-ranked opponent of the regular season. Both teams will enter the matchup at 5-2 overall on the season, but they have had different paths to getting there.

FALCONS' LAST TIME OUT
Western Oregon held No. 20 UT Permian Basin to negative rushing yardage and secured a 38-19 win at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland, Texas. WOU snapped a four-game skid and UTPB's five-game winning streak. WOU was trailing 13-10 at halftime but held the Falcons to just one fourth-quarter touchdown the rest of the way. WOU's Jordan McCarty (11-for-19 for 180 yards) passed for two TDs and ran for another score. His 72-yard strike to Jackson Trimmer gave the Wolves a 17-13 lead in the third quarter. Kadyn Butcher made a 46-yard field goal and added five extra points. WOU's David Moore Jr., had nine tackles, Jakari Weeks had two sacks and Andrew Simpson had an interception. UTPB's Tre Brown caught five passes for 101 yards and a TD, while Godgive Ugochukwu had an INT.

SCOUTING UTPB
UT Permian Basin enters the matchup after suffering its first conference loss of the 2026 season, 38-19, vs. Western Oregon University on Saturday, October 17, at Astound Broadband Stadium. UTPB is now 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the Lone Star Conference.

UTPB opened 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. After starting 3-0 in Lone Star Conference play, the Falcons then turned their attention to their final nonconference game of the season and upset No. T-21 Northeastern State University 38-27. UTPB then returned to LSC action and had to scrap until the very end to pull out a 24-17 victory at West Texas A&M University. It was a perfect 4-0 road trip and a 4-0 start in the LSC for UTPB before falling for the first time in conference play last week.

UTPB leads the Lone Star Conference in scoring defense (22.4 ppg) and ranks fourth in scoring offense (38.9 ppg). The Falcons are averaging 143.7 rushing yards and 255.1 passing yards per game, and are ninth in the conference in total offense (398.9 ypg), but are also second in total defense (385.1 ypg). Their defense has surrendered just 19 touchdowns through seven games, the fewest in the LSC. The Falcons' defense also leads the league in interceptions and is tied for first in sacks (21) and forced fumbles (10).

UTPB was picked fifth in the conference's preseason poll and has been either nationally-ranked or receiving votes throughout the season. UTPB was originally ranked No. 18 in the AFCA Preseason Top 25 Poll, and then the Falcons were receiving votes in the national poll for the first five weeks of the regular season before cracking the national rankings during "Week 5" following their upset win at No. T-21 Northeastern State. UTPB moved up to No. 20 in the poll during "Week 6" following its win at West Texas A&M, but has since fallen back into the receiving votes category during "Week 7". UTPB has been receiving votes in six of eight regular-season polls this year.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• UTPB is still allowing a league-low 22.4 points per game and is second in the LSC in rushing defense (126.6 ypg) and total defense (385.1 ypg).
• UTPB ranks first in all of NCAA Division II in total interceptions (16), interception return yards (346) and turnovers gained (23 – 16 INT, 7 FUM REC).
• The Falcons also rank second nationally in defensive touchdowns (4) and are fifth in turnover margin (+11, 1.57 avg.).
• The UTPB defense has recorded at least one interception, one sack and one forced fumble in six straight games.
• Earlier this season, the Falcons set program single-game records for sacks (8 at Eastern New Mexico) and interceptions (5 at Northeastern State) in back-to-back games.
• With 16 interceptions on the season, the Falcons have officially tied the program's single-season record.

RECORD BREAKER
With four receptions last time out vs. Western Oregon, senior wide receiver Traylen Suel, from College Station, Texas, is the Falcons' new career leader for receptions. He was tied with MJ Link (2020-22) with 116 career receptions heading into last week vs. WOU, but now stands alone at the top of the list. Despite missing three games last season, Suel still led the Falcons with a school-record 60 receptions in 2025. This season he has 30 receptions through seven games and has four games remaining to add to his career record.

THE SERIES (UTPB VS. CWU)
The Falcons and Wildcats meet for the fifth time on the gridiron this Saturday. The series is tied 2-2 with both teams going 1-1 at home so far.

CWU defeated UTPB 49-14 in their first matchup in Ellensburg, Washington, in 2022, but three years ago (2023), UTPB beat CWU 42-14 to win the Lone Star Conference Championship at Astound Broadband Stadium.

Two years ago (2024), UTPB defeated CWU by just one point, 14-13, on the road. It was a memorable victory on the road against the No. 9-ranked team in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) top-25 poll. At the time, this was the highest nationally-ranked team the Falcons had defeated in program history.

However, just last season (2025), No. 6 UTPB suffered its first loss of the season with a 27-14 defeat vs. No. 13 CWU in a showdown between nationally-ranked teams inside Ratliff Stadium.

UTPB will look to bounce back this year and earn its second straight win in Ellensburg, Washington, in addition to earning the highest nationally-ranked win of the Chris Softley era.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET
No. 13 Central Washington tops No. 6 UT Permian Basin 27-14 in battle of conference unbeatens: No. 13 Central Washington used a 17-point fourth-quarter to top No. 6 UT Permian Basin 27-14 at Ratliff Stadium. The top-15 showdown featured the two LSC teams remaining without a conference loss. With UTPB leading 14-10 with just 3:15 to play, CWU used a six-yard touchdown run by Kennedy McGill and then a 44-yard field goal by David Weber to build a 20-14 lead. Javonte Walker sealed the Wildcats' win with an interception returned for a TD with 18 seconds remaining. McGill finished with 81 yards rushing and Justice Taylor had 100 yards and a TD on 20 attempts. Weber also made a 40-yard field goal. Chad Loidhamer (seven tackles), Mikaoi Edward and Matulino Masunu all had a sack to help lead the CWU defense, which allowed just 50 yards rushing. Kanon Gibson threw TD passes in the first and third quarter for UTPB. Tristan Exline made a game-high 19 tackles – 13 solo – and Jacob Humphrey added a sack and forced a fumble to lead the Falcons' defense. Exline's 19 stops was the most in a single-game in the LSC at that point in the season.

WILDCATS UNDER THE LENS
The Wildcats are aiming for their fourth consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, after having won their first Lone Star Conference title last season and compiling a 27-10 record over the past three seasons.

Wildcats Win First LSC Championship After 19-17 Thriller Over Pacific Northwest Rival Western Oregon: The 6th-ranked Central Washington University Football Team (10-1, 9-0 LSC) can finally lay claim to an outright Lone Star Conference championship after coming back from a 17-3 deficit to begin the fourth quarter to defeat the 24th-ranked Western Oregon Wolves (8-3, 7-2 LSC) thanks to a pass by Kennedy McGill to Logan Brady in the endzone as time expired to win 19-17.

Wildcats Fall in Tightly Contested First Round Matchup to Western Colorado: The 5th-ranked Central Washington University Football Team (10-2) fell in their NCAA Division II Playoff opening game against the 15th-ranked Western Colorado Mountaineers (10-2) in a tightly contested 27-20 game.

Last Season: The Wildcats made waves last season, going 10-2 on the season with a perfect 9-0 Lone Star Conference record that saw the 'Cats capture their first ever LSC Championship. The 'Cat also hosted their first playoff game since the 2017 season where they ultimately saw their season come to a close in their third-straight clash with the Western Colorado Mountaineers in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs.

The Wildcats were well represented in both conference and national recognition. 27 Wildcats grabbed All-LSC honors with quarterback Kennedy McGill earning the J.W. Rollins Offensive Player of the Year as well as the Academic Player of the Year award while Slade Edwards was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year, Tyler King grabbed Defensive Lineman of the Year, and Mika Roberson was named the Defensive Freshman of the Year. McGill was nominated for the prestigious Harlon Hill Award while Edwards and King grabbed All-Super Region 4 honors and multiple All-American distinctions. Edwards also became the first-ever 'Cat to be a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award and winning the Rimington Trophy as the best center in NCAA Division II. Edwards joined Brett McCalla as Academic All-Americans.

CWU's Path This Season:

• Game 1: CWU fell just short in their season-opening test at NCAA Division I FCS Cal Poly (2-0) by a 24-17 score.
• Game 2: Ninth-ranked CWU dropped its home-opener to the top-ranked and defending back-to-back national champion Ferris State Bulldogs by a 28-14 score from Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium.
• Game 3: 16th-ranked CWU earned its first win of the season and the first win of Head Coach Scott Power's career as the 'Cats came back to defeat Pacific Northwest rival and 10th-ranked Western Oregon by a 45-36 score.
• Game 4: 14th-ranked CWU remained undefeated in conference play with a 61-22 victory over the visiting Sul Ross State Lobos.
• Game 5: 12th-ranked CWU made their first conference road trip to the Angelo State Rams and came away with a 41-14 victory to stay undefeated in conference play.
• Game 6: 13th-ranked CWU earned a Homecoming victory over the high-flying Midwestern State Mustangs by a 44-29 victory.
• Game 7: 11th-ranked CWU traveled down to south Texas and won a thrilling shootout against the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas by a 52-49 score to remain undefeated in conference play.

WILDCATS' LAST TIME OUT
Wildcats Win Thrilling Shootout at Texas A&M-Kingsville: David Weber made a 32-yard field goal with 1:48 to play to lift No. 11 Central Washington to a 52-49 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas. CWU ran for 325 yards, while TAMUK passed for 396. TAMUK took an early 3-0 lead on a Daniel Guana field goal but CWU answered with a Ryder Bumgarner TD run. CWU led the rest of the way until Levi Fontenot tied it at 49-49 with a 40-yard run with 7:37 to play. Bumgarner finished with 165 yards on 27 carries and five TDs, scoring in three different quarters. Antoine Lee added 110 yards and one TD on 13 carries. CWU's Chris Hauss had a sack and forced a fumble. Weber made all seven extra-point attempts and Samaje Featherstone totaled 141 kickoff return yards. TAMUK's Mills Dawson was 19-for-30 for 396 yards and four TDs. Two of those TDs were to Christian Kretz (six catches for 218 yards). Fontenot finished with 167 yards on 30 carries. Taiwo Atunrase led the Javelinas with 10 tackles.

LUZAN & INDELL RECOGNIZED BY D2FOOTBALL.COM ELITE 100 WATCH LIST
Two Central Washington University Football standouts were honored by D2Football.com, being named to the Elite 100 Preseason Watch List. Fifth year offensive lineman Tyler Luzan was named to the Second Team Offense while fifth year linebacker Brycen Indell was named to the Squad defense Team.

Luzan will be looking to lead an offensive line group that returns a bulk of last year's standout group that was one of the top groups in the country. He will look to help the group repeat their excellence from last season when they helped the offense achieve 420.9 yards per game including 266.1 rushing yards a contest. The group also held defenses in check, only allowing 10 sacks and 43 tackles for loss the entire season, both ranking in the upper echelon of NCAA Division II.

Indell, the LSC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, will look to get back on the field after an injury ended his season just three games into the 2025 campaign. During his three contests last season, Indell finished with five tackles: two solo, and three assisted. He added a 0.5 tackle for loss for a loss of two yards. Indell will be one of the leaders of a defensive unit that had significant turnover in the offseason and will look drastically different under new Head Coach Scott Power.

WILDCATS PICKED TO REPEAT AS LSC CHAMPIONS IN PRESEASON POLL; INDELL TABBLED LSC PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Central Washington University Football Team has been selected to repeat as Lone Star Conference Champions in the 2026 LSC Preseason Football Poll, the conference announced during the LSC Football Media Day at McKinney ISD Stadium's Event Center. Senior linebacker Brycen Indell was named the LSC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, joining former Wildcat standout Tanner Volk to earn the preseason distinction. Senior offensive lineman Tyler Luzan was also tabbed as a Preseason Player to Watch.

The Wildcats are picked to repeat as conference champions after earning their first Lone Star Conference Championship last season in a last second thrilling touchdown in the season finale at Western Oregon. This is the highest the Wildcats have been ranked in the LSC Preseason Poll since joining the conference for the 2022 season.

The Wildcats earned 276 total points and 16 first-place votes to secure their first-place preseason poll finish. Following the 'Cats is their Pacific Northwest rival Western Oregon who grabbed 247 total points to go with nine first-place votes. West Texas A&M and Angelo State each gabbed a first-place vote to land at third and fourth at 217 and 215 total points, respectfully. UT Permian Basin had two first-place votes to go with 203 total points to land fifth while Texas A&M-Kingsville landed sixth with 162 points. Eastern New Mexico was seventh with 125 points and one first-place vote with Midwestern State landing at eighth with 112 points, Western New Mexico at ninth with 58 points, and Sul Ross State rounding out the preseason poll in 10th with 35 points. The preseason poll is voted on by the LSC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors, and one media member to represent each school.

Indell is bouncing back from an injury last season that only saw him appear in three games. During those three games he logged five tackles: two solo and three assisted with four coming against Colorado Mesa in the Rodeo Bowl. He added a 0.5 sack for a loss of two yards against CMU. He saw action in 21 games during the 2023 and 2024 seasons compiling 59 tackles: 22 solo and 37 assisted while earning 4.5 tackles for loss for 15 yards including 2.5 sacks. He added two fumbles he forced and one fumble recovery. He added a kick return for six yards. He was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Week after a regular season victory over Western Oregon during the 2024 season logging 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a 1.5 sack.

Luzan will look to be a cornerstone for the Wildcats offensive line that was one of the top offensive lines a season ago. The 2025 First Team All-LSC member has played in 24 games over his career, starting 15 of them including 10 a season ago. He played a key part in helping the Wildcats earn 266.1 rushing yards per game a season ago, which was among the best in NCAA Division II. He also played a crucial role in the offensive line that only allowed 10 sacks last season.

CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
No. 11 Central Washington now has sole possession of first place in the Lone Star Conference football standings at 5-0 after a win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. West Texas A&M, Western Oregon, Western New Mexico and Midwestern State also prevailed during Week 7. MSU was the only team to win at home. TAMUK, MSU and No. 20 UT Permian Basin are all tied for second in the league standings at 4-1.

Week 8 will again feature all 10 teams in conference action (Eastern New Mexico at WOU; TAMUK at Angelo State; WNMU at WT; Sul Ross State at MSU; and UTPB at CWU).

The first NCAA Division II NPI Rankings of the season were released on Oct. 18. CWU is inside the top 20 in the nation and No. 6 in Super Region 4.

MSU is tops in the league in total offense (547.1 yards per game), while ASU is tops in defense (375.6 yards per game). MSU is scoring a conference-best 41.6 points per game and UTPB is allowing a league-low 22.4 points per game. ASU (56 yards per game) is the least penalized team in the LSC.

The LSC has had two players earn national player of the week recognition by D2Football.com: UTPB linebacker McKyle So'oto (Defensive) on Oct. 6 and TAMUK wide receiver Christian Kretz (Offensive) on Oct. 13.

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.

LIVE COVERAGE
Saturday's contest will be broadcasted on FloCollege. The LSC and FloSports reached a historic agreement in August of 2024 for the largest streaming rights deal in NCAA Division II history. LSC fans will have three subscription plans to choose from: Standard, Student or Family. The Standard Plan is $24.99 per month or $119.88 per year ($9.99/month). The Student Plan is $12.99 per month or $95.88 per year ($7.99/month). Subscribers must have a valid .edu email address from an LSC member institution or affiliate. The Family Plan is $155.88 per year ($12.99/month). FloCollege's newest subscription plan is only available annually. The primary account owner will be able to invite up to two additional individuals to join their account. Each added account will receive its own login with full access to FloCollege and can stream the same or different content from completely different locations.

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.