ODESSA, Texas (September 18, 2026) – After becoming the first Lone Star Conference team so far this season with a win in conference play, The University of Texas Permian Basin football team (1-1 overall, 1-0 LSC) looks to improve to 2-0 in the LSC. The Falcons begin a four-game road swing on Saturday, September 19, starting at 7 p.m. at Sul Ross State University (1-1, 0-0) in Alpine, Texas.

FALCONS' LAST TIME OUT
UT Permian Basin scored on all five of its drives in the first quarter and cruised to a 69-14 win over Western New Mexico in the conference opener for both teams at Astound Broadband Stadium in Odessa, Texas. It was also the first collegiate win for first-year UTPB head coach Chris Softley. The Falcons totaled 554 yards of total offense and led 41-7 at halftime. Nate TenBarge ran for 57 yards and threw for 143 yards and three touchdowns – two to JT Seagreaves in the first quarter. Diego Chavarria made two field goals (22 and 42 yards) and was 9-for-9 on extra-point attempts. Layne Horak had an interception he returned 95 yards for a TD, forced a fumble and recorded one tackle for loss to lead UTPB's defense. WNMU scored on a 23-yard pass from Jase Ashley to Demarion Postell and a 40-yard fumble return by Clayton Zentner.

THE SERIES (UTPB VS. SRSU)
The Falcons and Lobos meet for the fifth time in school history on the gridiron on Saturday. UTPB is 3-1 all-time in the series and has won each of the last two meetings between the two teams by an average of 66 points.

KEY TO THE GAME: SLOWING DOWN THE SRSU PASSING ATTACK
SRSU has already had a Lone Star Conference Player of the Week for both offense and special teams this season, and is squarely at the top of the conference in both categories.

The SRSU offense ranks second in the LSC in scoring (36.5 ppg), total offense (505.5 ypg), and passing (347.5 ypg), and is first in both kickoff (30.9 ypg) and punt (15.3 ypg) returns. On defense, the Lobos are first in the conference in total defense (321.0 ypg) and passing defense (165.0 ypg).

SRSU Freshman quarterback Will Howell is first in the LSC with six passing touchdowns and is second with 343.0 passing yards per game. Junior running back Rashad Madden ranks third in the LSC with 83.0 rushing yards per game and is tied for fourth at 10.4 yards per carry while sophomore running back Eli Martinez is ninth in the conference at 53.0 rushing yards per game.

SRSU boasts four of the top-11 receivers in the LSC in terms of yards per game, including three players averaging at least 90 yards per contest: Senior Will Craven (1st, 148.5 ypg), sophomore Ronald Bell (2nd, 124.5 ypg), sophomore Ryan Van Roekel (5th, 90.0 ypg) and senior Taribbean Ramirez (11th, 55.0 ypg). Bell (21) and Craven (19) are also second and third in the conference in total receptions, Bell is first with eight receiving touchdowns, and Van Rokel is second with an average of 36.0 yards per catch.

In the return game, senior running back Kyree Payton leads the league with an average of 43.7 yards per kickoff return, including the only kickoff return for a touchdown, while Ramirez is first with an average of 15.3 yards per punt return.

As a team in 2025, UTPB ranked third in DII and first in the LSC in passing defense (151.5 ypg), 20th in DII and first in the LSC in total defense (304.1 ypg) and ranked 21st in DII and second in the LSC in scoring defense (19.1 ppg).

THE LAST TIME THEY MET
No. 15 UTPB rolls past Sul Ross State, 74-10: Kanon Gibson passed for five touchdowns to lead an offense that racked up 639 yards and No. 15 UT Permian Basin cruised to a 74-10 win over Sul Ross State. It was the fourth straight win for UTPB, which finished 7-2 in LSC play. Head coach Kris McCullough became the Falcons' all-time wins leader with 26. Gibson was 26-for-50 and five different receivers caught TDs, led by Jaylon Tillman's two. Tristan Exline had 10 tackles and Kharel Coney had an interception for UTPB, which led 32-10 at halftime. SRSU's Kye Callicoatte passed for 189 yards – 134 to Yamil Oaxaca – and a TD. Evian Thompson had 10 tackles and Brendon Martin had an INT for the Lobos.

LOBOS' LAST TIME OUT
Lobos Take Down Grizzlies: Sul Ross State totaled 656 yards of totaled offense and rolled to a 53-26 win over Jackson Field in Alpine, Texas. Will Howell was 24-for-39 for 423 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions to lead the way for the Lobos. Will Craven caught 11 passes for 280 yards and three TDs, while Rashad Madden ran for 166 yards and a TD on 16 carries. Jabari Corbett had eight tackles and a half sack, Grant Williams had a sack and forced a fumble and Jai Williams had an interception to lead SRSU on defense. Jason Maltos made two field goals (27 and 36 yards). SRSU led 26-20 with 7:19 to play in the third quarter before Howell and Craven connected on back-to-back drives for TDs.

HOWELL EARNS LONE STAR HONOR
Freshman Will Howell was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1.  This is the first time the Lobos have earned back-to-back honors.

Howell had a strong performance in leading Sul Ross State to a 53-26 win over Adams State (Sept. 5).  He was 24-of-39 for 423 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 31 yards and a score to total 454 yards in total offense.

In the third quarter, in the span of one minute and 46 seconds, Howell threw 71 and 88 yard touchdown passes to break the game open.

Howell helped the Lobos to 656 yards in total offense.  That is the fifth best mark in NCAA program history.  The win snapped a 14-game losing streak for the Lobos.

LOBOS OPEN SEASON WITH PIONEERS
Sul Ross State had an early lead but fell 34-20 to Wayland Baptist at Jackson Field in Alpine, Texas. SRSU used a pair of Marcos Garcia field goals to lead 6-0 with 12:31 left before halftime. WBU responded with four straight touchdowns to build a 28-6 early in the fourth quarter. SRSU's Kyree Payton ran back a kickoff 90 yards for a TD and Will Howell (263 yards passing) threw a nine-yard TD pass to Ronald Bell but it was not enough. Will Craven caught nine passes for 105 yards and Chase Rhymes had 11 tackles for the Lobos.

PAYTON EARNS LONE STAR HONOR
Senior Kyree Payton was named the Lone Star Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 0.  He is the third Lobo to earn a POW award and the first since Nov. 2, 2024.

Payton electrified the crowd at Jackson Field returning a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown with 10:32 left in the fourth quarter against Wayland Baptist (Aug. 29).

Payton would later return a kick 23 yards to set up another Lobo score.  This is the second 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in his career with Sul Ross State

HOWELL IS AMONG THE LEADERS IN LONE STAR AND NCAA
Freshman Will Howell is off to a great start for the Sul Ross State University football team.

Howell was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1.  He had a strong performance in leading Sul Ross State to a 53-26 win over Adams State (Sept. 5).  He was 24-of-39 for 423 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 31 yards and a score to total 454 yards in total offense.

In the third quarter, in the span of one minute and 46 seconds, Howell threw 71 and 88 yard touchdown passes to break the game open.

In two games, Howell is 48-of-77 (62.3%) for 686 yards and six touchdowns.  He has run for 55 yards and a score for 741 yards in total offense.

Among all NCAA schools in Texas, Howell leads in touchdown passes, second in total offense per game and fourth in passing yards per game.

For NCAA Division II, Howell is third in passing yards per game and total offense per game and eighth in touchdowns.

Howell leads the Lone Star Conference in total offense per game (370.5 yards per game) and passing touchdowns, is second in pass efficiency (160.3) and passing yards per game (343) and fourth in completion percentage.

LOBOS UNDER THE LENS
The Sul Ross State University football team (0-11) closed out its 2025 season on the road Saturday, falling 74-10 to UT Permian Basin (9-2) in Odessa, Texas.

The Sul Ross State University football team played hard throughout the 2025 season.  The Lobos had five All-Lone Star Conference selections, an LSC All-Academic, 17 rankings in the LSC and 26 additions to the record book with two school records.

Sul Ross State had a new man in charge with Lee Hays.  He had to face a tough schedule with three Lone Star opponents receiving national votes during the season.

Central Washington and UT Permian Basin both made the NCAA DII tournament with UTPB reaching the super-regional final.  In addition, Stephen F. Austin qualified for the NCAA FBS Playoffs.
Brendon Martin became the first player in NCAA program history to make the All-LSC team twice.  He was second team in 2024.  Evian Thompson was the first All-Academic selection.

Sul Ross State was picked to finish 10th in the 2026 Lone Star Conference Football Preseason Poll with 35 points. Representing Sul Ross State at the annual event were second-year head coach Lee Hays, sophomore running back Diego Oaxaca, and sophomore linebacker Emmanuel Osom. Oaxaca and Osom were selected as the Lobos' preseason Players to Watch and joined coaches and student-athletes from across the conference in representing Sul Ross State ahead of the 2026 season.

CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
Only three of the 10 Lone Star Conference football teams played during Week 2. UT Permian Basin topped Western New Mexico in the first conference game of the season, while No. 9 Central Washington fell to top-ranked and two-time defending national champion Ferris State.

Week 3 will feature all LSC teams playing in the same week for the first time this season. In fact, they will all be in action on the same day (Saturday, Sept. 19) and will all be playing league games. Included in the slate is a ranked showdown between CWU and No. 12 Western Oregon in Ellensburg, Wash. Last season on the final day of the regular season, that game decided the league title as CWU won 19-17 in Monmouth, Ore.

WOU is tops in the league in total offense (525.5 yards per game), while Sul Ross State is tops in defense (320.5 yards per game). WOU is scoring a conference-best 43.5 points per game and CWU is allowing a league-low 26 points per game. Angelo State (34 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.

LIVE COVERAGE
Saturday night'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.