RIO GRANDE VALLEY – For the eighth time this season and seventh week in a row, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) football program is receiving votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
The Vaqueros earned 15 points in the week 12 poll after previously receiving nine points in week 11 10 points in week 10, 25 points in the week 9, seven in week 8, 10 in week 7, four in week 6, and five in week 4.
At 8-3, UTRGV has clinched a winning season and become the first of the 11 football programs to start from scratch at the NCAA DI-AA (1978-2005)/FCS (2006-Present) level since Division I college football split into two levels in 1978 to win eight games. UTRGV is also one of two programs to win five FCS games in its inaugural season along with Florida International (5, 2002), one of only two programs to win multiple road games (two), along with Coastal Carolina (2003), which won four total road games, three of which were against DI-AA competition, and one of two programs to receive votes at any point during its inaugural season, along with Kennesaw State (2015), which received two points in the Week 7 AFCA Coaches Poll. UTRGV is the only program to earn more than two points or receive votes in multiple weeks.
UTRGV's only losses were on the road at No. 13 Stephen F. Austin, No. 19 Lamar, and No. 20 Southeastern. UTRGV also has a road win over Prairie View A&M, which received a vote this week.
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl – November 17, 2025
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
Pts. |
Prev. |
Week 12 |
Next Game |
| 1 |
North Dakota St. (23) |
11-0 |
599 |
1 |
D. Northern Iowa, 48-16 |
Nov. 22 vs. St. Thomas (Minn.) |
| 2 |
Montana (1) |
11-0 |
573 |
2 |
D. Portland St., 63-17 |
Nov. 22 vs. No. 3 Montana St. |
| 3 |
Montana St. |
9-2 |
549 |
3 |
D. No. 10 UC Davis, 38-17 |
Nov. 22 at No. 2 Montana |
| 4 |
Lehigh |
11-0 |
523 |
4 |
D. Colgate, 27-7 |
Nov. 22 at No. 24 Lafayette |
| 5 |
Tarleton St. |
10-1 |
505 |
5 |
D. North Alabama, 61-0 |
Nov. 22 vs. Austin Peay |
| 6 |
Mercer |
9-1 |
437 |
8 |
D. Chattanooga, 63-17 |
Nov. 22 at Auburn |
| 7 |
Villanova |
8-2 |
433 |
7 |
D. Stony Brook, 30-27 OT |
Nov. 22 vs. Sacred Heart |
| 8 |
Tennessee Tech |
10-1 |
423 |
6 |
Lost to Kentucky, 42-10 |
Nov. 22 vs. UT Martin |
| 9 |
Rhode Island |
9-2 |
402 |
9 |
D. Maine, 45-13 |
Nov. 22 vs. Hampton |
| 10 |
Harvard |
9-0 |
342 |
11 |
D. Penn, 45-43 |
Nov. 22 at No. 25 Yale |
| 11t. |
Illinois St. |
8-3 |
338 |
13 |
D. No. 15 South Dakota St., 35-21 |
Nov. 22 vs. Southern Illinois |
| 11t. |
Monmouth |
9-2 |
338 |
12 |
D. North Carolina A&T, 63-19 |
Nov. 22 vs. UAlbany |
| 13 |
Stephen F. Austin |
9-2 |
290 |
17 |
D. No. 14 Lamar, 26-15 |
Nov. 20 at Northwestern St. |
| 14 |
UC Davis |
7-3 |
259 |
10 |
Lost to No. 3 Montana St., 38-17 |
Nov. 22 vs. Sacramento St. |
| 15 |
Jackson St. |
8-2 |
251 |
16 |
D. Bethune-Cookman, 28-13 |
Nov. 22 vs. Alcorn St. |
| 16 |
North Dakota |
7-4 |
228 |
18 |
D. Murray St., 35-17 |
Nov. 22 vs. No. 22 South Dakota St. |
| 17 |
Youngstown St. |
7-4 |
203 |
19 |
D. Indiana St., 48-29 |
Nov. 22 at Northern Iowa |
| 18 |
ACU |
7-4 |
184 |
20 |
D. Eastern Kentucky, 17-10 |
Nov. 22 at Central Arkansas |
| 19 |
Lamar |
8-3 |
168 |
14 |
Lost to No. 17 Stephen F. Austin, 26-15 |
Nov. 22 vs. McNeese |
| 20 |
Southeastern |
8-3 |
156 |
21 |
D. UIW, 10-7 |
Nov. 20 vs. Nicholls |
| 21 |
South Dakota |
8-4 |
127 |
22 |
D. No. 23 Southern Illinois, 53-51 5OT |
Regular Season Complete |
| 22 |
South Dakota St. |
7-4 |
110 |
15 |
Lost to No. 13 Illinois St., 35-21 |
Nov. 22 at No. 16 North Dakota |
| 23 |
West Georgia |
8-3 |
91 |
24 |
D. Utah Tech, 23-0 |
Regular Season Complete |
| 24 |
Lafayette |
8-3 |
86 |
25 |
D. Richmond, 35-28 |
Nov. 22 vs. No. 4 Lehigh |
| 25 |
Yale |
7-2 |
37 |
NR |
D. Princeton, 13-10 |
Nov. 22 vs. No. 10 Harvard |
Dropped Out: Southern Illinois (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois, 28; Alabama St., 27; Dartmouth, 22;
UT Rio Grande Valley, 15; Gardner-Webb, 13; Sacramento St., 12; Austin Peay, 8; New Hampshire, 7; South Carolina St., 4; Presbyterian, 3; East Tennessee St., 2; Southern Utah, 2; William & Mary, 2; Elon, 1; Northern Arizona, 1; Prairie View A&M, 1.
In the National Rankings
UTRGV currently ranks in the top 10 in the FCS in nine statistical categories, and the top 40 in 34 categories:
| Category |
Value |
FCS Rank |
SLC Rank |
| Blocked Kicks Allowed |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Blocked Punts Allowed |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Fumbles Lost |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Fumbles Recovered |
12 |
2 |
1 |
| Turnovers Gained |
22 |
2 |
1 |
| Turnover Margin |
1.18 |
3 |
1 |
| Team Passing Efficiency |
166.35 |
7 |
1 |
| Defensive Touchdowns |
3 |
8 |
2 |
| Points Per Game |
40.2 |
9 |
1 |
| Passing Yards Per Completion |
14.18 |
11 |
1 |
| Total Yards Per Game |
446.4 |
11 |
1 |
| Turnovers Lost |
9 |
14 |
1 |
| Punt Return Defense |
4.60 |
16 |
2 |
| Passing Yards Per Game |
256.5 |
18 |
2 |
| Winning Percentage |
.727 |
18 |
2 |
| Net Punting |
39.45 |
19 |
3 |
| Points Allowed Per Game |
19.3 |
19 |
3 |
| Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game |
118.5 |
19 |
3 |
| Rushing Yards Per Game |
189.8 |
20 |
1 |
| Third Down Converstion Pct. |
45.5% |
20 |
1 |
| Team Passing Efficiency Defense |
120.15 |
20 |
5 |
| Tackles for Loss Per Game |
6.7 |
21 |
4 |
| Passes Intercepted |
10 |
24 |
4 |
| Total Yards Allowed Per Game |
329.7 |
25 |
4 |
| Fewest Penalties Per Game |
5.18 |
26 |
2 |
| Kickoff Return Defense |
18.46 |
26 |
4 |
| Fewest Penalties |
57 |
28 |
2 |
| Sacks Per Game |
2.36 |
28 |
3 |
| Sacks Allowed Per Game |
1.55 |
32 |
2 |
| Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game |
45.91 |
32 |
3 |
| Tackles for Loss Allowed Per Game |
4.82 |
34 |
2 |
| Fewest Penalty Yards |
505 |
35 |
3 |
| First Downs Allowed |
198 |
36 |
5 |
| Completion Percentage |
63.4% |
38 |
4 |
UTRGV also has 21 student-athletes ranking among the national leaders:
| Player |
Stat |
Total |
FCS Rank |
SLC Rank |
| Eddie Lee Marburger |
Passing Touchdowns |
29 |
3 |
1 |
|
Passing Efficiency |
171.5 |
5 |
1 |
|
Points Responsible For Per Game |
18.0 |
5 |
1 |
|
Passing Yards Per Completion |
14.5 |
6 |
1 |
|
Points Responsible For |
198 |
6 |
1 |
|
Yards Per Pass Attempt |
9.33 |
6 |
1 |
|
Passing Yards |
2,639 |
12 |
1 |
|
Passing Yards Per Game |
239.9 |
14 |
1 |
|
Total Yards Per Game |
268.3 |
16 |
1 |
|
Completion Percentage |
64.3% |
35 |
3 |
|
Completions Per Game |
16.55 |
44 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Tony Diaz |
Receiving Touchdowns |
11 |
4 |
1 |
|
Receptions Per Game |
5.73 |
11 |
2 |
|
Receiving Yards |
825 |
15 |
1 |
|
Receiving Yards Per Game |
75.0 |
26 |
2 |
|
Total Touchdowns |
11 |
29 |
2 |
|
Total Points Scored |
66 |
71 |
6 |
|
Scoring |
6.0 |
81 |
7 |
|
All Purpose Yards Per Game |
74.91 |
132 |
8 |
|
Points Responsible For |
66 |
165 |
13 |
|
Yards Per Reception |
13.10 |
157 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Xayvion Noland |
Yards Per Reception |
23.88 |
1 |
1 |
|
Receiving Touchdowns |
7 |
22 |
4 |
|
Receiving Yards |
812 |
19 |
3 |
|
Receiving Yards Per Game |
73.8 |
31 |
3 |
|
All Purpose Yards Per Game |
88.45 |
79 |
3 |
|
Total Touchdowns |
7 |
95 |
7 |
|
Kick Return Yards |
161 |
149 |
14 |
|
Receptions Per Game |
3.09 |
170 |
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Brysen Gardner |
Total Points Scored |
72 |
44 |
3 |
|
Scoring |
6.5 |
58 |
4 |
|
Field Goal Percentage |
.692 |
65 |
6 |
|
Field Goals Per Game |
0.82 |
67 |
6 |
|
Points Responsible For |
72 |
134 |
8 |
|
Points Responsible For Per Game |
6.5 |
147 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Elijah Graham |
Fumble Recoveries |
2 |
8 |
3 |
|
Interceptions Per Game |
0.27 |
46 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jaiden Haygood |
Total Tackles Per Game |
8.8 |
29 |
4 |
|
Fumble Recoveries |
1 |
79 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Logic Hudgens |
Fumble Recoveries |
1 |
79 |
9 |
|
Interceptions Per Game |
0.18 |
118 |
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Spencer Rich |
Fumble Recoveries |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Total Tackles Per Game |
7.7 |
70 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ian Box |
Sacks Per Game |
0.50 |
65 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Tavian Cord |
Receiving Touchdowns |
4 |
110 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| TJ Dement |
Rushing Touchdowns |
5 |
121 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Nathan Denney |
Rushing Yards |
506 |
123 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Hank Filamar |
Fumble Recoveries |
1 |
79 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Carter Hewitt |
Kick Return Yards |
134 |
169 |
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jayden House |
Fumble Recoveries |
1 |
79 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Percy Jackson III |
Fumble Recoveries |
1 |
79 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Abdon Mata |
Sacks Per Game |
0.36 |
134 |
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
| TJ Neal |
Fumble Recoveries |
1 |
79 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Amari Pouncy |
Fumble Recoveries |
1 |
79 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ismael Smith Flores |
Receiving Touchdowns |
5 |
71 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Nathaniel Wallce-Dilling |
Punting Average |
43.5 |
17 |
2 |
Up Next
UTRGV wraps up its inaugural season against East Texas A&M on Saturday at
5 p.m. at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium.
A limited number of individual tickets go on sale Friday at 8 a.m. at
UTRGVTickets.com.
The action starts with KRGV's Vaqueros Game Day at 10 a.m. in Schlotzsky's Vaquero Village at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. Tailgating at Vackar Stadium begins at
12 p.m. The Vaqueros Walk is at
2:45 p.m. in the H-E-B Tailgate Zone followed by a pep rally in the amphitheater. Fans do not need a game ticket to access Vaqueros Game Day or the tailgating areas.
Gates to Vackar Stadium open at
3:30 p.m.
Fans can learn more about game day, including parking information, maps, and the clear bag policy, by visiting
RallyTheValley.com.
Fans can watch online domestically on
ESPN+ and internationally on
Southland International.
Fans can listen in English locally on Ultra 90.1 FM, in Laredo on Pure Country 95.7 FM, and online via the
Radio Para Mi app, and in Spanish locally on KYWW 1530 AM Puro Tejano and KGBT-FM 98.5 La Preferida and online via the
Uforia app.
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