RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Stats Perform announced on Monday that The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) head football coach
Travis Bush is a finalist for the 2025 Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the FCS coach of the year.
Bush is among 15 finalists nationwide and two in the Southland Conference.
Bush guided the Vaqueros to a historic inaugural season, finishing with a 9-3 overall record, making them the winningest of 11 inaugural FCS programs since Division I college football split into two levels in 1978. No other team had ever won more than seven games or six while playing a schedule including NCAA Division I competition.
UTRGV is the first inaugural team to win six games against NCAA DI-AA (1978-2005)/FCS (2006-Present) competition, breaking the record of five set by Florida International in 2002.
UTRGV is the only inaugural team to go undefeated at home, as the Vaqueros finished 7-0.
UTRGV is one of two programs to receive votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll at any point during its inaugural season, along with Kennesaw State, which received two points in the 2015 Week 7 poll. UTRGV is the only program to earn more than two points or receive votes in multiple weeks, receiving votes nine times.
UTRGV is the first inaugural program to score at least 17 points in all its Division I games and the only one to score at least 17 points in all games while playing a schedule that includes NCAA Division I competition. UTRGV is also the only team to score 60+ points three times and 50+ points four times.
UTRGV set a record for largest margin of victory by a brand new program, beating Langston 80-0 in week 3. UTRGV is one of two new teams to score 80 points, along with South Florida (1997), who beat Kentucky Wesleyan 80-3 in week 1.
UTRGV is one of four programs to win its first game against an NCAA Division I opponent, doing so at Prairie View A&M 27-21 in week 2. Kennesaw State (2015) beat East Tennessee State 56-16 on the road in week 1. FIU (2002) beat Saint Peter's 27-3 at home in week 1. Florida Atlantic (2001) beat Bethune-Cookman 31-28 on the road in week 2.
Among 2025's new football programs, UTRGV finished with the most wins by going 9-3, ahead of Roanoke (NCAA DIII), which finished 5-4. Marine Maritime (NCAA DIII) finished 0-10 while Rio Grande (NAIA) finished 0-9.
UTRGV finished its inaugural season 5-3 in Southland Conference, tying for third place with Lamar, which made the FCS Playoffs. UTRGV's only losses were to playoff teams on the road, including No. 7 seed Stephen F. Austin and No. 16 seed Southeastern.
UTRGV finished ranked 33
rd in the Massey Ratings.
UTRGV leads the Southland in 15 statistical categories, ranking first in the FCS in blocked kicks allowed (0), blocked punts allowed (0), and fumbles lost (1), second in fumbles recovered (13), turnovers gained (25), and turnover margin (1.33), fifth in defensive touchdowns (4), seventh in points per game (39.6), eighth in team passing efficiency (165.62), 12
th in the turnovers lost (9), 14
th in passing yards per completion (13.72), 18
th in total yards per game (435.2), 24
th in fewest penalties per game (5.08) and third down conversion percentage (45.0%), and 26
th in fewest penalties (61).
The Vaqueros' lone fumble lost was on a muffed punt in the inaugural game. The Vaqueros did not lose an offensive fumble. None of the Vaqueros' penalties were defensive substitution penalties, showing UTRGV's exceptional preparation, communication, and discipline.
UTRGV is also 14
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in team passing efficiency defense (116.93), 16
th in the FCS and second in the Southland in winning percentage (.750), 16
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in points allowed per game (18.8), 19
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in passes intercepted (12) and rushing yards allowed per game (119.3), 20
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in punt return defense (5.05), 21
st in the FCS and fourth in the Southland in total yards allowed per game (328.4), 22
nd in the FCS and second in the Southland in rushing yards per game (188.3), 22
nd in the FCS and third in the Southland in net punting (39.41), 23
rd in the FCS and second in the Southland in passing yards per game (246.9), 23
rd in the FCS and fifth in the Southland in tackles for loss per game (6.5), 25
th in the FCS and fourth in the southland in kickoff return defense (18.19), 30
th in the FCS and second in the Southland in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.67), 31
st in the FCS and second in the Southland in sacks allowed per game (1.50), 32
nd in the FCS and fourth in the Southland in red zone offensive conversions (86.5%), 33
rd in the FCS and fourth in the Southland in completion percentage (64.1%), 34
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in fewest penalty yards per game (46.25), 36
th in the FCS and fourth in the Southland in sacks per game (2.25), 37
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in fewest penalty yards (555), 38
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in first downs gained (247), and 40
th in the FCS and third in the Southland in red zone conversion defense (79.3%).
Eddie Robinson Award
The Eddie Robinson Award, first presented in 1987 and in its 39
th season, is named for legendary Grambling State coach
Eddie Robinson. Past recipients include
Mark Duffner,
Erk Russell,
Chris Ault,
Jim Tressel,
Houston Nutt,
Andy Talley,
Paul Johnson,
Joe Glenn,
Mike Ayers,
Jerry Kill,
Jerry Moore,
K.C. Keeler,
Deion Sanders,
John Stiegelmeier,
Brent Vigen and two-time recipients
Mickey Matthews,
Sean McDonnell, and
Craig Bohl.
All 13 FCS leagues are represented by an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tenn.
Also to be presented are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman of the Year), HBCU National Player of the Year, and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
2025 Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
Andrew Aurich, Harvard (Ivy League)
Travis Bush, UTRGV (Southland Conference)
Kevin Cahill, Lehigh (Patriot League)
Colby Carthel, Stephen F. Austin (Southland Conference)
Steve Englehart, Presbyterian (Pioneer Football League)
Jim Fleming, Rhode Island (CAA Football)
Bobby Hauck, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
DeSean Jackson, Delaware State (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View A&M (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Mike Jacobs, Mercer (Southern Conference)
Adam Lechtenberg, Central Connecticut State (NEC Football)
Tim Polasek, North Dakota State (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Joel Taylor, West Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
Todd Whitten, Tarleton State (United Athletic Conference)
Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech (OVC-Big South Football Association)
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