ODESSA, Texas – West Texas A&M recorded a season-high four interceptions en route to a 14-10 victory UT Permian Basin at Ratliff Stadium on Saturday evening. Following the win, the Buffs improve to 5-1 on the year with a 2-1 mark in Lone Star Conference play, while the Falcons drop to 2-4 overall and 0-4 in LSC competition. 

Trailing 10-0 at halftime, WT relied on their defense to get them back into the game beginning with a Joseph Barron interception on the Falcons opening drive of the second half. Barron recorded his second career interception after the ball was tipped at the lineup of scrimmage to put the Buffs at the UTPB 26-yard line.

Nick Gerber found Markel Stephens-Peppers on a third-and-9 for 11 yards to put the Buffs in the red zone for their first time of the game. Two plays later, Gerber connected with Jordan Johnson for a 12-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to three, 10-7. 

Gerber continued to spread the ball around the field on the Buffs next possession finding Jamaal Hamilton for a 31-yard gain on the first play of the drive. He would connect with the sophomore for a 12-yard gain later in the drive before a pass interference call put the Buffs at the UTPB 19. WT would get as close as the 4-yard line but were unable to connect on a 21-yard field goal to tie the game. 

The defense continued to flex their muscles stopping the Falcons short on fourth down near midfield. WT would take advantage of the field position to take a 14-10 lead on a 7-play drive. Duke Carter IV picked up five yards on third-and-4 on the final play of the third quarter. Gerber opened the fourth with a 38-yard completion to Chase Sojka to the 1-yard line. Two plays later, J. Johnson muscled his way into the endzone for his sixth rushing touchdown of the season.

The teams traded punts before Keimone Davis picked off UTPB's Caleb Leake on second-and-10 with 9:31 remaining in the game. Following another Buff punt, the Falcons reached WT territory before Davis jumped the route for his second interception of the game. The Buffs took close to four minutes off the clock on the following drive after Gerber found J. Johnson for 30 yards on third-and-14 from their own 9-yard line. 

The Buffs defense made one last stop in the final minute to seal their fourth straight victory over UTPB as Caleb Leake's pass to Jeremiah Cooley was broken up near the Falcon sideline. 

Gerber completed 22-of-33 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown with Carter IV running for a team-high 44 yards on 17 carries. Sojka pulled in four receptions for a team-high 55 yards while J. Johnson added four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. 

Frank Honang recorded a game-high 16 tackles and three tackles for loss with Hayden Dennis also reaching double figures with 10. Davis became the first Buff since 2018 to record multiple interceptions in the same game as Barron and Tobias Harris recorded their first interceptions of the season. 

WT returns to the friendly confines of Buffalo Stadium against Angelo State on Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.