DCTF Game of the Week: UT Permian Basin at Angelo State

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UT Permian Basin at Angelo State

When: 6 p.m. Saturday at 1st Community Credit Union Field at LeGrand Stadium in San Angelo, Texas

Broadcast: LSC Digital Network ($)

The Matchup: Saturday’s contest between UT Permian Basin and Angelo State has stakes far beyond a regular season Lone Star Conference affair.

UTPB has been trending in the up direction since Justin Carrigan started the program in 2016. The Falcons have won 10 of their last 11 games, with the only defeat earlier this season on the road against FCS Abilene Christian.

The Falcons have visions of winning the program’s first LSC title this season, and winning this upcoming game against the Rams is critical to their title chances.

UTPB owns an impressive home win over West Texas A&M, but this is the Falcons’ first conference road test of the season. The Falcons need to be road warriors to win the LSC crown this season, with road contests against Texas A&M-Commerce and No. 19 Midwestern State remaining on the schedule.

Angelo State is a team that will be playing with a sense of purpose and reeling this week after suffering two conference losses in its first three LSC games.

The Rams expected to compete for the LSC title and a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs, but those dreams took a considerable hit after falling to West Texas A&M 31-15 on the road last week.

Another loss this season would nearly end the Rams’ postseason hopes. However, a win this week and a win over Texas A&M-Commerce at home in early November could put the Rams back in the conversation for the postseason.

Players to Watch: 

UPTB

Clayton Roberts, QB, Jr, Houston, Texas (St. Pius X HS)

Kobe Robinson, WR, Jr, Odessa, Texas (Permian HS)

Miquon Mayes, LB, Jr, Dallas, Texas (Duncanville HS)

ASU

Zach Bronkhorst, QB, Jr, Galveston, Texas (High Island HS)

Nathaniel Omayebu III, RB, Soph, Sherman, Texas (Sherman HS)

Hunter Kyle, LB, Sr, Wichita Falls, Texas (Rider HS)

Key to Victory: West Texas A&M exposed a flaw in the Angelo State special teams the Rams will need to fix quickly. The Buffs averaged 15.8 yards per punt return against ASU, and the field position led to the difference in points in a close game.

UTPB has a dynamic punt returner in Kobe Robinson. Robinson averages 23.3 yards punt return this season, while Angelo State has allowed its opponents to average 9.94 yards per return.

The Rams will need to hold the Falcons closer to the nine-yard average and avoid giving the Falcons offense a short field and more accessible scoring opportunities.

Prediction: Angelo State remains a solid team and will provide UTPB with its most significant challenge to date. However, the Falcons have momentum on their side and should leave LeGrand Stadium with a narrow victory.

UTPB by 1

Best of the Rest:

Saturday, Oct. 16

Nicholls at Incarnate Word, 11 a.m., ESPN3

No. 8 Hardin-Simmons at East Texas Baptist, 1 p.m.

Texas Wesleyan at No. 22 Langston, 2 p.m. SACSportsNetwork.com

Other Small College Games:

Saturday, Oct. 16

NCAA FCS

Prairie View A&M at Bethune-Cookman, noon, The CatEye Network (YouTube)

Texas Southern at Grambling, 2 p.m., GSUTigers.com

Lamar at Abilene Christian, 3 p.m., ESPN+

Houston Baptist at No. 11 Southeastern La., 4 p.m., ESPN+

Tarleton at Dixie State, 8 p.m., ESPN+

NCAA Division II

Western New Mexico at Texas A&M-Commerce, 4 p.m., LSC Network

West Texas A&M at Eastern New Mexico, 7 p.m., LSC Network

Lincoln (Calif.) at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7 p.m., LSC Network

NCAA Division III

Sul Ross State at Belhaven, noon

Texas Lutheran at No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1 p.m., CruAthletics.com

Austin College at McMurry, 1 p.m., McMurrySports.com

Howard Payne at Southwestern, 1 p.m., SouthwesternPirates.com

Millsaps at No. 23 Trinity, 1 p.m., TrinityTigers.com

NAIA

Louisiana College at Wayland Baptist, 2 p.m., WBUAthletics.com

SAGU at Oklahoma Panhandle State, 2 p.m., OPSUAggies.com

Lyon at Texas College, 2 p.m.

NJCAA

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M at Cisco, 1 p.m.

Southern-Shreveport at Navarro, 3 p.m.

No. 4 Trinity Valley at Blinn, 3 p.m., BlinnBuccaneers.com

Tyler at No. 6 New Mexico Military, 4 p.m.

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