WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- For the second straight meeting between Midwestern State and UT Permian Basin, a big play finished off a hotly contested win.

Both victories touched off massive celebrations.

So when Melik Owens ripped around left end and landed a strip sack of UT Permian Basin quarterback Sudden Sapien with less than 10 seconds, it not only closed out a 36-30 win for Midwestern State. 

But, most importantly, it also clinched the Mustangs' fourth Lone Star Conference championship in program history. The actual one. The one with the presentation of actual league-sanctioned hardware.

It was a game that featured numerous momentum swings. The Falcons (5-5, 3-4) cashed in on two early MSU turnovers in the first quarter as Kevin Young, Jr. broke through for a 32-yard touchdown run less than a minute into the game then Sapien connected with Jordan Smart for a 69-yard scoring strike just three minutes later to stake UTPB to a 14-0 lead.

Smart would finish the game with eight receptions for a game-high 156 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons.

But the Mustangs chipped away thanks to the accurate leg of Ritse Vaes, who set a program single-game record with four field goal -- all in the first half -- from 33, 36, 40 and 30 yards out.

Sophomore quarterback Neiko Hollins, who made in first start for MSU in place of an injured Dillon Sterling-Cole, hit Kylan Harrison for a 14-yard score as the Mustangs pulled within 21-19 at halftime.

Midwestern State took advantage of a pair of interceptions and more solid special teams' play in the third quarter.

Safety Michael Gardner picked off Sapien to give the Mustangs a great scoring opportunity at the UTPB 13-yard line with 9:23 to play in the third quarter.

Freshman Jalen March, who finished with a career-best 159 yards on 21 carries, burst through for a first-and-goal with a 10-yard run before finding a hole behind the jumbo set behind Zach Zamora and Errin Davis to score from 3 yards to give the Mustangs their first lead of the game at 27-21 with 8:34 remaining in the third.

Sapien hit MSU sophomore cornerback Dylon Davis all alone at the MSU 44-yard on the next possession allowing Davis to set a program career record with his third pick six of the season. This one was a 56-yard return to push the MSU advantage to 34-21.

The Mustangs tacked on a safety after Fernando Piedra pinned UT Permian Basin on its own 1-yard line for the second time to push the lead to 36-21 heading into the fourth quarter.

UT Permian rallied in the fourth quarter first recording a safety of its own after Carson Roberts' 63-yard punt was downed at MSU's 1-yard line. 

The Falcons struck again on the next possession going 58 yards on five plays culminating in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Sapien to Brock Johnson to close to within 36-30 with 4:47 to play.

UT Permian Basin forced a three-and-out before pushing the ball to MSU's 9-yard line with 13 seconds to play, but Owens ended the threat with a strip sack to seal the victory.

Midwestern State closes the regular season with a 7-3 record winning the LSC title with a 6-1 mark. The Mustangs, who ranked eighth in the last NCAA Division II South Central Region rankings, await their postseason fate with the NCAA Division II Football Selection Show Sunday afternoon on NCAA.com. The top seven teams advance to the playoffs.