WICHITA FALLS, Texas – No. 24-ranked Midwestern State has a three-game winning streak after picking up its second road win of the season last week, and the Mustangs have put themselves in contention for a possible playoff berth, but they must win their final two games.  UT Permian Basin visits MSU for the home finale on Saturday afternoon. It will be Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Midwestern State (7-2, 6-1) is 5-0 at home this season but has lost its last three meetings with the Falcons, including a 37-15 loss in Midland, Texas, last year. UTPB has won its last two visits to Memorial Stadium, defeating MSU two years ago, 27-3. The Mustangs are 6-4 in the all-time series, which started in 2016, and won the first four meetings. The last win over UTPB was at Midland in 2022, when the Mustangs overcame a 23-7 deficit with 5:17 to play in the third quarter, and Ritse Vaes hit a game-winning field goal with nine seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Last season, the Falcons out gained MSU 564 yards to 296 yards and erupted for 24 points in the second quarter. Kanon Gibson completed 21-of-29 passes for 331 yards and three touchdown, propelling UTPB to a decisive 37-15 victory.

Last week, Midwestern State raced out to a 30-0 halftime lead at Texas A&M-Kingsville and cruised to a 37-14 triumph at Javelina Stadium. Kaden Brown completed 27-of-39 passes for 337 yards and five touchdowns. Dominic Cox caught a school record 14 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Fabian Cox caught six passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

The Mustangs rushed for 155 yards at Kingsville, led by Kenji Johsnon and Joseph Dodds. Johnson carried the ball 13 times for 62 yards, while Dodds gained 52 yards on 16 carries for the Mustangs, who had 42 rushing plays against the Javelinas, who turned the ball over twice and had intentional grounding called in the end zone for a safety. MSU stopped TAMUK four times on fourth down, including twice in the first half.

Midwestern State is No. 2 in NCAA Division II in total offense with 544.6 yards per game, and the passing attack is No. 1 in the nation with 363 yards per game. The Mustangs are the highest scoring team in the LSC and fifth in the nation with 44.3 points per game.

The Mustangs have picked up more first downs than any other program in D2 with 254 through nine games, and they are second in the league —eighth in the nation — with a third-down conversion rate of 52 percent. MSU also boasts the best third-down defense in the league as opponents are only converting 33 percent of the time.

Brown is completing 69 percent of his passes (221-of-320) for 330.7 yards per game, which leads the conference and is third in the nation. Brown has thrown for 2,976 yards this season and 27 touchdowns. Brown surpassed Mitch Brown's 1998 season for the fourth-most passing yards in a season at Midwestern State. Brown is 129 yards behind Layton Rabb's 2018 campaign for third, and he needs 133 yards to move past Rabb's 2017 season. Zack Eskridge holds the school record with 3,295 yards passing in the 2009 season. Brown has the fourth-most touchdown passes by an MSU quarterback, surpassing Dillon-Sterling Cole's 20 TD passes in 2021. Rabb and Zack Estridge are the only MSU signal callers to throw more touchdowns in a season. Rabb had 31 touchdown passes in 2017 and still holds the record. Rabb tied Eskridge with 29 touchdown strikes in 2018. Eskridge threw 29 touchdowns 2009.

Baez leads the team with 721 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions. Dominic Cox has 497 yards receiving and has also caught seven touchdown passes. Baez and Cox lead the Stangs in receptions per game — Cox with 5.4 and Baez with 4.9.

Joseph Dodds is the leading rusher for the Mustangs with 590 yards on 126 carries and has rushed for a team-leading seven touchdowns. Dodds also leads MSU with 84.9 all-purpose yards per game.

Midwestern State is third in the LSC in total defense, allowing 382.6 yards per game, and has the fourth-best scoring defense in the league with opponents putting up 26.8 points per game.

Brycen Lewis leads the team in tackles with 47, including 20 solo stops, and he leads MSU with three interceptions. Oliver Jack leads the team with six of the Mustangs 58.5 tackles for loss. Ronald Manning has 3.5 of the team's 16 sacks this season.

UT Permian Basin (6-3, 5-2) is coming off a 20-10 win at Angelo State as Braxton Baker completed 22-of-39 passes for 214 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Cheno Navarrette gained 73 yards on 12 carries and caught six passes for 66 yards, and he scored two touchdowns for the Falcons, who led the Rams at halftime, 17-3.

The Falcons have the No. 1 scoring defense in the LSC, holding opponents to 23.2 points per game, and are No. 1 in total defense among LSC programs, as opponents average 370.1 yards per game against the Falcons defense, which leads NCAA Division II with 18 interceptions this season.

Nicholas Butler leads the teamwith five interception, and he also has seven pass breakups, tied with Elijah Robinson and Jaden Welch for the team lead. Layne Horak has three interceptions for the Falcons, who have forced 26 turnovers this season and boast a plus-11 turnover ratio.

Nicholas Elko and Isaiah Mathews are among the conference leaders in sacks. Elko has six sacks, and Mathews has taken down the quarterback five times this season. UTPB has recorded 24 sacks through nine games this season and also has 57 hurries.

The Falcons are fourth in the LSC with 33.9 points per game and ninth in total offense with 377.1 yards per game. The UTPB defense has scored four touchdowns this season, which is fourth most in NCAA Division II and tops in the LSC.

Baker has played four games and completed 49-of-82 passes for 507 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Nate TenBarge has played nine games, completing 109-of-205 passes for 1,406 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Navarrette is the leading rusher for UTPB with 390 yards on 59 carries (6.5 ypc), and he has rushed for three touchdowns this season. Navarette has also caught 22 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

Traylen Suel is the leading receiver for the Falcons with 37 receptions in nine games for 463 yards and five touchdowns. Tre Brown has appeared in eight games and has 22 receptions fro 417 yards and two touchdowns. JT Seagraves has caught 13 passes for 178 yards but has four touchdown receptions for the Falcons.

UTPB has blocked three punts this season, most in the LSC, and is allowing less than three yards per punt return, which leads the conference.

Midwestern State completes the regular season next week in Portales, New Mexico, as it visits Eastern New Mexico. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT.