UT Permian Basin at Midwestern State

When: 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas

Broadcast: Lone Star Conference Digital Network

The Matchup: Certainly, this game looked more enticing three weeks ago, but no matchup in the state of Texas provides more storylines in Week 11.

UT Permian Basin head coach Justin Carrigan got his coaching start under Midwestern State head coach Bill Maskill from 2005-2009. Carrigan began his time as a graduate assistant and was elevated to the passing game coordinator before his departure.

Carrigan was named the first head football coach in Falcons’ history before the 2016 season, and his games against MSU have become increasingly competitive.

UTPB and Carrigan overcame the Mustangs hurdle with a thrilling 22-21 overtime win to end the 2021 spring season.

That’s when the rivalry began to simmer.

The rivalry intensified with the ensuing on-field celebration by UTPB characterized by a recap on MSUMustangs.com as “a celebration generally reserved for national championships rather than five wins during a partial spring campaign.”

The heat between the programs gained steam during the Lone Star Conference Media Day in July when Carrigan said Maskill “has spent the last few years telling recruits to not go to a new program because you’ll get beat.”

The rivalry could reach a boiling point on Saturday, with MSU needing a win and some help to reach the NCAA Division II playoffs following a road loss last week. At the same time, UTPB is currently mired in a two-game losing streak and has lost three of its previous four contests.

Let’s hope the emotions don’t become too hot because these teams could provide us with one of the most memorable games in LSC history.

Players to Watch: 

UTPB

MJ Link, WR, Jr, Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson HS)

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

La’Daidreain Glasker, DL, Sr, Waco, Texas (Waco HS)

MSU

Kylan Harrison, Wr, Sr, Paris, Texas (W.T. White HS)

Justin Guillory, LB, Jr, Houston, Texas (Spring HS)

Melik Owens, DE, Sr, Houston, Texas (Cypress Ridge HS)

Key to Victory: The offense that can consistently produce this week will win this game. However, both offenses have struggled at times this year. 

The Falcons’ have been held to 22 points or less in three of their last four games and were shut out by Texas A&M-Commerce two weeks ago. The offense struggled in the first half against Texas A&M-Kingsville before freshman Suddin Sapien was placed in the game and provided UTPB with a needed spark.

The Mustangs offense has averaged 30.3 points per game this year but were held to a combined 35 points in their two losses to NCAA Division II competition. The culprit for MSU has been turnovers, with the Mustangs committing a combined seven turnovers in the second half of road losses to Central Washington and West Texas A&M.

Prediction: UTPB has not performed well on the road this season, losing their last two road games to LSC competition. MSU has outscored its opponents 113-47 in three home games this year. The Mustangs are better at home and are desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive.

MSU by 9

Best of the Rest:

Saturday, Nov. 13

No. 21 UIW at Nicholls, 3 p.m., ESPN3

No. 25 Eastern Kentucky at No. 1 Sam Houston, noon, ESPN+

Prairie View A&M at Alcorn State, 2 p.m.

Other Small College Games:

Saturday, Nov. 13

NCAA FCS

Tarleton at Abilene Christian, 1 p.m., ESPN+

McNeese at Houston Baptist, 2 p.m., ESPN+

Alabama A&M at Texas Southern, 2 p.m., ESPN3

Jacksonville State at Lamar, 4 p.m., ESPN+

SFA at Central Arkansas, 4 p.m., ESPN+

NCAA Division II

No. 10 Bethel College (Kan.) at West Texas A&M, 11 a.m., LSC Network

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

Angelo State at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7 p.m., LSC Network

NCAA Division III

No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor at McMurry, 1 p.m., McMurrySports.com

Belhaven at East Texas Baptist, 1 p.m.

Austin College at Howard Payne, 1 p.m., HPUSports.com

Texas Lutheran at No. 8 Hardin-Simmons, 1 p.m., HSUAthletics.com

Sul Ross State at Southwestern, 1 p.m., SouthwesternPirates.com

Rhodes at No. 16 Trinity, 1 p.m., TrinityTigers.com

NAIA

Wayland Baptist at No. 21 Arizona Christian, 11 a.m., GSACSportsNetwork.com

Texas Wesleyan at Lyon, 2 p.m., LyonScots.com

Texas College at Louisiana College, 2 p.m., LCWildcats.net

SAGU at No. 25 Langston, 4 p.m.

NJCAA

Tyler at No. 15 Kilgore, 1 p.m.

Blinn at No. 3 New Mexico Military Institute, 3 p.m.