RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The Southland Conference announced on Monday that senior defensive back Elijah Graham of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) football team earned honorable mention for conference defensive player of the week. Graham was also named the UTRGV Student-Athlete of the Week.
 
During Saturday's 80-0 victory over Langston, Graham recorded two of the first three interceptions in program history, the first of which was a pick-six returned for a 26-yard touchdown. The interceptions were the first of Graham's NCAA Division I career spanning 21 games. He also had four tackles, one off his career high, and broke up a pass.
 
Graham ranks sixth in NCAA Division I FCS and first in the Southland in interceptions per game (0.67), 10^th in the FCS and first in the Southland in fumbles recovered (1), and 37^th in the FCS and third in the Southland in passes defended per game (1.00).
 
Graham is part of a defense that has shutout two of its three opponents and leads the FCS in team passing efficiency defense at 75.68. The defense also ranks second in the FCS in passing yards allowed per game (99.3), points allowed per game (7.0), and total yards allowed per game (182.3), third in first downs allowed (32), fourth in third down conversion percentage defense (24.4%), and seventh in rushing yards allowed per game (83.0).
 
At 3-0, UTRGV is one of 10 undefeated teams remaining out of 121 teams in the FCS. The Vaqueros will put their record on the line when they host Texas Wesleyan on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7 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 2 p.m. The Vaqueros Walk is at 4:45 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 5:30 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.
 
UTRGV Weekly Southland Conference Honors
Sept. 1 – Eddie Lee Marburger, Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Sept. 8 – Nathan Denney, Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 15 – Elijah Graham, Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention

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