October 18th, 2025 7:10pm
From Western Oregon sports information
Photo by Eddie Bruning for WOU Athletics
MONMOUTH --- The Western Oregon football team appeared to be at least heading to overtime with 13th-ranked Texas Permian Basin as the Falcons drove into red zone trailing the Wolves 31-28 in the fourth.
But you know that saying, big players make big plays at big moments? Well for WOU, that's just what happened.
UTPB fired a ball over the middle and a receiver caught it inside the 10 before all-conference linebacker Malcolm Liufau punched it out and Tamaaulelei Ma'alona was there to jump on top of it with 25 seconds remaining to secure WOU's first win over a nationally ranked opponent since 2016 when the Wolves beat Humboldt State, 48-42.
The Wolves (5-2 overall, 4-1 LSC) jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the contest before a late UTPB score in the second quarter followed by a quick score to start the third quarter quickly cut the WOU lead to 17-14.
The score remained that way until the fourth when WOU bolstered its lead to 24-14 on a 23-yard touchdown reception from Jordan McCarty to Keyvaun Eady.
UTPB - which was ranked No. 6 in the nation last week before losing at home to Central Washington - answered with back-to-back touchdowns in a four-minute span, the last coming with 6:46 left to make it 28-24 Falcons - the first time WOU trailed in the contest.
The Wolves didn't panic, however, as they put together a nine-play, 65-yard drive that took 4:51 off the clock and was capped by a McCarty 10-yard rushing touchdown to make it 31-28 with 1:55 left in the contest.
UTPB looked prime to at least tie the game, if not take the lead, before the big play by Liufau and Ma'alona.