Give us an F-A-L-C-O-N-S — what’s that spell? Falcons! And better yet, it spells football and school spirit. Both are soon to arrive on the campus of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. In fact, the sport will be on the gridiron by the 2016 season with Ratliff Stadium as the home field. The big announcement came this week from UTPB officials and fundraisers who scored a big TD by securing the $9.5 million needed to cover the first five years of football. Odessa oilman Kirk Edwards helped spearhead the effort and deserves a big cheer of his own for helping raise the funds. UTPB also turned to its students, who voted in April to repurpose a $35 student union fee toward the football program. That fee will add an estimated $1.9 million to the first-five-years budget. “This is a big day for all of us,” Edwards told a crowd at the Wednesday announcement. “The great thing about West Texas right now is that so many people are doing well and they want to give back to the community.” ...
News and Updates about the Future of Football at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin