UTPB’s biggest nemesis this season has been expectations.
One year after surprising everyone in the Lone Star Conference — and the NCAA Division II nation — the Falcons have had to deal with the high expectations not only set for themselves but also from other opponents.
That’s just the price of no longer being a pushover.
Now, everyone in the conference is preparing for UTPB and not overlooking the Falcons.
That was evident in last week’s Lone Star Conference loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville as the Falcons were dealt a 20-14 defeat last Saturday at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland.
It was UTPB’s first conference loss since 2022, ending a nine-game winning streak in the LSC.
UTPB head coach Kris McCullough didn’t hold back in taking some of the blame for last week’s loss.
“It all falls on me,” McCullough said at his weekly press conference Monday at the D. Kirk Edwards Human Performance Center. “Our preparation wasn’t up to our standards. It all falls on me. It showed in that first half. I thought we came out sluggish and slow. When we play someone in Lone Star Conference play, we’re everybody’s Super Bowl. Coming off the year we had last season, everyone wants to knock us off. We have to compete. I expect the same from Midwestern State next week. We have to play our best ball every week.”
UTPB now sits at 2-2 overall, 1-1 in Lone Star Conference play.
The Javelinas improved to 2-1, 1-0.
TOUGH START: UTPB fell behind early.
By the 10:12 mark in the second quarter, Texas A&M-Kingsville had a 17-0 lead.
UTPB scored two unanswered touchdowns to cut the deficit to 17-14, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Javelinas added a fourth quarter field goal to make it 20-14 and hold off the Falcons.
“We stayed together,” McCullough said. “There wasn’t a single player or coach that didn’t think we could win at halftime. That’s what I’m proud of … We were back in the game in the third quarter. But we missed a couple of field goals. We just didn’t get it done. We couldn’t get the ball into the end zone. It hurts. That’s on me. You have to look in the mirror and that’s what I did on Sunday after that game.”
>> TOUGH CONFERENCE: It may be the Falcons’ first loss in two years, but McCullough and his players know there’s still plenty of season left and by no means is UTPB out of the hunt for a second consecutive conference title.
“Kingsville is a good team,” McCullough said. “I think the way this conference is, anyone can get beat on any given day. I think every team will have a loss. I think this is the year where everyone in the Lone Star Conference beats each other up.”
>> AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Angelo State remains in first place at 2-2, 2-0 after defeating Western New Mexico 21-0 last week in Silver City, N.M.
Central Washington (2-1, 1-0) got its first win in conference play with a 45-3 victory against West Texas A&M (1-3, 1-1).
The Falcons’ next opponent, Midwestern State, remains ahead of UTPB in the standings at 2-1, 1-1.
The Mustangs are coming off a 36-15 win against Eastern New Mexico last week.
>> NEXT GAME: UTPB will be back on the road when the Falcons face Midwestern State at 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls.
UTPB survived a close game last year against Midwestern State, winning 21-13 on the road.
>> PLAYOFFS? UTPB’s loss on Saturday means the Falcons have very little room for error if they want to return to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The regional rankings aren’t due to be released for a while, but UTPB’s road to the playoffs may have to be to either win out and take the Lone Star Conference title or manage a second-place finish and hope for the best in the regional rankings.
