The UT Permian Basin Falcons football team represents the University of Texas Permian Basin (abbreviated as UTPB) in college football at the NCAA Division II level. The Falcons are members of the Lone Star Conference (LSC), fielding its team in the LSC since 2016. The Falcons play their home games at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa, Texas while Astound Broadband Stadium in the neighboring city of Midland, Texas serves as an alternate home stadium.
They are led by head coach Chris Softley, who took over the position following the 2025 season.
History In December 2013, the University of Texas System Regents approved the business plan that the University of Texas Permian Basin needed to secure $9.5 million be the end of 2014 in order to support the first five years of their American football program, including start-up costs and four seasons of play. In order to help fund the required amount, the $35 student union fee was transformed into an athletic fee. The school hoped to expand the school's student body up to 8,000 students by 2020, hoping that football would help expand the student population.
On October 15, 2014, the UTPB announced that the school had secured the necessary $9.5 million in funding to move forward with establishing the school's football program. The team was slated to begin play for the 2016 season. The school began its search for a head coach in November 2014.
Justin Carrigan era (2016–2022) On January 8, 2015, the school hired former Tarleton State offensive coordinator Justin Carrigan as the school's first head coach. Carrigan played college football for Angelo State and also coached for Midwestern State and UTEP along with his stint at Tarleton State.
The team's first season consisted of seven home games and four away games. The team's home games were played at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa, Texas, and also hosted a game annually at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland, Texas, Starting off the season they faced Division III Sul Ross in their first-ever game. The Falcons won 27–6 and the school's football program officially played, and won, its first ever game as a Division II school. The team won their next game against NAIA opponent Arizona Christian before losing their remaining nine games of the season.
The following three seasons, the team went 2–9 in 2017, 2–9 in 2018, and an improved 4–7 in 2019. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lone Star Conference announced that it would not be holding conference play. Despite the conference not officially holding in-conference play, UTPB still played fellow conference members, Western New Mexico, Texas A&M–Kingsville, and Midwestern State as the games were not counted as conference games. Due to Ratliff Stadium being used as a mass COVID-19 vaccination hub, the school used Grande Communications Stadium as their home field. In the shortened season, the Falcons won all five of their matchups and finished the season with a 5–0 record—their highest win total under Carrigan. In 2021 and 2022, the team finished 5–6 and made it to the Heritage Bowl in 2021. On November 28, 2022, Carrigan announced that he was stepping down as the head coach of the school's football team after reaching the team's first-ever bowl game a year prior.
Kris McCullough era (2023–2025) On December 22, 2022, the school hired former East Central head coach Kris McCullough to be the school's second head coach. McCullough previously coached for Henderson State, Old Dominion, and Fairmont State before joining East Central. He was promoted to head coach for the 2022 season and lead the team to a Heritage Bowl win.
In McCullough's coaching debut he helped lead the Falcons to a 96–0 win over NAIA opponent Texas College; the 96 points scored are the most in program history. Two weeks later, the Falcons would score 80-plus points again, defeating Southwest Baptist 86–7. On October 16, 2023, the Falcons were ranked no. 25 in the D2 Football poll, marking the first time in program history that the Falcons were ranked in a national poll. A week later, October 23, the Falcons were ranked in the AFCA poll for the first time in program history, entering the poll at no. 22. The Falcons would finish the regular season at 10–1, 8–0 in LSC play, securing both the program's first winning season (outside of the amended spring 2021 season) and first conference title. McCullough would be named LSC coach of the year while quarterback Kenny Hrncir was named LSC Offensive Player of the Year. The Falcons received a bid for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in program history, hosting in the first round.
The 2024 team finished with an overall record of 7–5 (6–3 in LSC play), marking the first time in program history that the Falcons finished with a winning record in back-to-back seasons. The team received the conference's bid for the Heritage Bowl, which was the program's second bowl appearance.
The Falcons would finish the 2025 regular season with an overall record of 9–2, going 7–2 in LSC play to finish in a three-way tie for second. The team received a bid for the NCAA Division II playoffs, facing off against in the first round. The Falcons defeated the TunderWolves 37–24 for the first playoff win in program history. In the second round, the Falcons defeated in overtime, 21–15, after being down 15–0 in the fourth quarter.
On December 23, McCullough announced that he would be stepping down as the Falcons' head coach, with assistant head coach Mike Babcock being named interim coach. Later that day it was revealed that McCullough had been hired as the new head coach for Gardner–Webb.
Chris Softley era (2026–present) On December 31, 2025, Lubbock Christian School head coach Chris Softley was named the program's third head coach.
Conference affiliations Lone Star Conference (2016–present)
List of head coaches Key
Coaches + List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards No. Name Season(s) GC OW OL O% CW CL C% PW PL DC CC NC Awards 1 Justin Carrigan 2016–2022 61 25 36 11 28 0 1 – – – – 2 Kris McCullough 2023–2025 38 28 10 21 5 2 3 – 1 – 2023 LSC Coach of the Year 3 Chris Softley 2026–present 0 – –
Current coaching staff UT Permian Basin Falcons Name Position Consecutive season at UT Permian Basin in current position Previous position UTPB profile Tommy Crayton Assistant head coach / Tackles and tight ends 1st Western Illinois – Tight ends / fullbacks / co-special teams coordinator (2023) Blake Crandall Co-offensive coordinator / wide receivers 2nd East Central – Running backs (2022) Kenny Hrncir Co-offensive coordinator / quarterbacks 1st None Jake Shaw Defensive coordinator 1st East Central – Defensive coordinator / inside linebackers (2022–2023) Devin Gaulden Co-defensive coordinator / secondary 1st Delta State – Defensive backs (2022–2023) Zack Santolla Defensive line / run game coordinator 1st Charleston – Defensive line / defensive run game coordinator (2016–2023) Spencer Region Interior offensive line 1st UT Permian Basin – Assistant offensive line and tight ends (2023) Marquez Gollman Safeties 1st Louisiana Tech – Graduate assistant (2023) Hayden Kelly Linebackers 1st None Reference:
Year-by-year results National championsConference championsBowl game berthPlayoff berth
SeasonYearHeadCoachAssociationDivisionConferenceRecordPostseasonFinalAFCArankingOverallConferenceWinLossFinishWinLossUT Permian Basin Falcons 2016 2016Justin CarriganNCAADivision IILSC 2 9 10th 0 9—— 2017 2017 2 9 T–8th 1 7 —— 2018 2018 2 9 8th 1 7—— 2019 2019 4 7 7th 2 6 —— 2020–21 2020 5 0 N/A 0 0—— 2021 2021 5 6 T–5th 3 4L Heritage Bowl— 2022 2022 5 6 7th 4 5—— 20232023Kris McCullough 10 2 1st 8 0L NCAA Division II First Round18 2024 2024 7 5 T–3rd 6 3 L Heritage Bowl— 2025 2025 11 3 T–2nd 7 2 L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal 5 2026 2026Chris Softley 0 0 TBD 0 0——
Individual accomplishments All-Americans + List of All-Americans showing the year won, player, position, and team Year Player name Position Team 2019 Chris Hoad LB Second Team 2020 Chris Hoad LB Second Team
LSC Player of the Year Offensive player of the year Year Player name Position 2023 Kenny Hrncir QB
Defensive player of the year Year Player name Position 2025 Tristan Exline LB
All-time record vs. LSC teams Official record (including any NCAA imposed vacates and forfeits) against all current LSC opponents as of the completion of the 2025 season.
Opponent Won Lost Pct. Streak First meeting Latest meeting Angelo State 2 7 Won 1 2016 2025 Central Washington 2 2 Lost 1 2022 2025 Eastern New Mexico 6 3 Won 6 2016 2025 Midwestern State 4 6 Won 2 2016 2025 Oklahoma Panhandle State* 0 1 Lost 1 2016 2016 Simon Fraser* 1 0 Won 1 2022 2022 Sul Ross 3 1 Won 2 2016 2025 Tarleton State* 0 4 Lost 4 2016 2019 Texas A&M–Commerce* 0 5 Lost 5 2016 2021 Texas A&M–Kingsville 4 6 Won 1 2016 2025 West Texas A&M 4 5 Won 3 2016 2025 Western New Mexico 8 2 Won 5 2016 2025 Western Oregon 2 2 Lost 2 2022 2025 Totals 36 44 * Signifies former LSC members
Bowl games The Falcons have an all-time bowl game record of 0–2. 2021 Heritage Bowl Oklahoma Baptist L 21–24 2024 Heritage Bowl Central Missouri L 37–39 2OT
Playoffs NCAA Division II The Falcons have made two appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a record of 2–1.
2023 First Round Bemidji State L, 3–10 2025 First RoundSecond RoundQuarterfinal CSU PuebloWestern ColoradoHarding W, 37–24W, 21–15 OTL, 28–34
Notable former players Corin Brooks, OT – Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants (2017)
See also UT Permian Basin Falcons
Notes
References
External links