The No. 19 Angelo State football falls to UT-Permian Basin, No. 1 ranked D-II offense
The 19th-ranked Angelo State football team fell to the University of Texas-Permian Basin 28-23 after the defense struggled to stop the top-ranked offense in Division II.
Coming into the matchup, the Rams (4-3, 3-2) defense gave up an average of 249.2 yards per game, but against the Falcons (7-1, 5-0), they surrendered 219 yards by halftime and 366 yards by the end of the game.
UTPB quarterback Kenny Hrncir, who came into the game as the conference's leading passer, completed 21 of 27 passes for 203 yards and four touchdowns against an ASU defense that only gave up 153.9 yards passing a game.
Despite the Rams' early lead, untimely penalties and special teams mistakes stalled Angelo State drives in the second half culminating in two late turnovers on offense.
How it happened
The Rams struck first and took a 10-point lead in the first quarter after a blocked field goal that was returned 59 yards for a touchdown. After the double-digit lead, the two teams traded blows until UTPB took its first lead of the game on a touchdown pass from Hrncir to wide receiver Laquon Wells.
ASU retook the lead on a field goal, but the Falcons responded with a touchdown to take a 28-23 advantage late in the third quarter.
The Rams had a couple of opportunities to retake the lead in the fourth quarter, but penalties put the Rams behind the sticks. The game ended on a Hail-Mary attempt that was intercepted on a batted ball in the end zone.
Saturday's stars
Running back Brayden Wilcox rushed 10 times for 80 yards, wide receiver Kel Williams caught four passes for 46 yards and Gardner completed 17 passes for 122 yards and had one touchdown rush.
They said it
Coach Jeff Girsch on what happened in the second half: "We just didn't put the ball in the endzone. We would hit a big play and then get a 10-yard holding call. We didn't have a lot of penalties tonight, but when we had them, they were just absolutely crushing.
Preview
The 19th-ranked Angelo State football team returns home this week for a matchup against the resurgent University of Texas-Permian Basin Falcons.
The Falcons boast their best season in program history with a 6-1 start and are 4-0 in Lone Star Conference play. Meanwhile, the Rams righted the ship after back-to-back losses to the No. 1 Colorado School of Mines and Central Washington early in the season.
Last week, the Rams pulled out a big 38-16 win over Texas A&M - Kingsville on the road behind three touchdown passes and a touchdown run from quarterback Gerald Gardner. The Falcons also had a big win over Eastern New Mexico last week 52-9 and have LSC wins over West Texas A&M, the Javelinas and Midwestern State.
The Rams hold the all-time series at 6-0 against the Falcons, who started their young football program in 2016. Angelo State averages 53.5 points per game against the Falcons but played them close last year with a 34-21 win on the road.
UT-Permian Basin has the second-best offense in Division II, averaging 50.3 points per game, and ranks fifth in total offense with 494.6 yards per game. They also rank second in points allowed in the LSC at 20.1 per game and yards at 258.7. Falcons quarterback Kenny Hrncir leads the LSC with 1,747 yards passing and 16 touchdowns passing.
The Rams hold the top defense in the LSC, allowing 18.5 points per game and giving up 249.2 yards per game. The Ram offense is second in the conference, averaging 34.3 points per game and 400.3 yards per game, which is also good for second.
How to watch/listen to Angelo State
Listen to the game live on the radio at 101.9 KWFR or watch the game at lonestarconferenetwrok.com.
Last week: No. 20 Angelo State football beats Texas A&M-Kingsville with stout defense
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: The No. 19 Angelo State football falls to UT-Permian Basin
