CONWAY, Arkansas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team is set to play a midyear non-conference game Saturday at 4 p.m. at Estes Stadium against the Central Arkansas (UCA) Bears. 
 
This will be UTRGV's second non-conference game against a fellow FCS institution. The first saw the Vaqueros travel to Prairie View A&M and earn a win in 2025. UTRGV (3-4, 2-3 Southland Conference) is looking for its first road win of the season and first win away from Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium since Nov. 15, 2025. The sophomore campaign has brought ups and downs for the Vaqueros, but through it all, the team is taking accountability and putting in the work to keep building. 
 
"The guys are fighting. The culture is there. They're taking ownership, taking accountability. They haven't experienced what we're going through before. And you see the attitude and chemistry is still good and everybody has each other's back," head coach Travis Bush said. "We are where we are right now and just pushing forward, having the best attitude and focus we can each week." 
 
Central Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 United Athletic Conference) is returning to Estes Stadium for the first time since Sept. 12 after playing four consecutive road games. The Bears are on a four-game losing streak, but one of those contests was at Florida State and two were against UAC foes that have received attention in the national rankings, including Tarleton State, which is No. 1 in the StatsPerform and AFCA Top 25 polls while holding the No. 2 spot in the first FCS Committee rankings of the season. 
 
UTRGV enters this game scoring 23.0 points per game behind 402.6 yards per game. Central Arkansas averages 24.8 PPG and 379.4 YPG with a balanced ground-to-air game. The Vaqueros are averaging over 100 yards more per game in the air than in the run game and have been held to under 100 rushing yards four times this season. Quarterback Donovyn Omolo and running back Jalen Washington lead a Bears offense that is methodical and sound. 
 
"They've played four road games in a row so the record doesn't match the talent there. The goal is going to be trying to stop the run. They do such a good job. They will eat the clock, so it's going to be a game with limited possessions," Bush said. "Their defensive line is going to be the best we've seen to this point. They're big, physically strong up front. It's going to be about finding a way to pipe some runs, handle those guys up front to give us some time and take advantage of the opportunities because we won't have many." 
 
Defense gives an edge to the Vaqueros week after week. UTRGV's defense ranks first in the Southland Conference holding opponents to 326.3 yards/game and is second in the league limiting opponents to 21.4 PPG, 132.9 rushing yards per game, and 193.4 passing yards/game. UTRGV leads the nation with 11 interceptions and has had three interceptions in a game three times this season. Sixth-year linebacker Spencer Rich is tops in the conference and seventh in the nation averaging 10.7 tackles per game and junior linebacker Jaiden Haygood is right behind averaging 8.6 with over three solo tackles per game. 
 
Estes Stadium presents another new challenge for the young UTRGV Vaqueros program. The turf alternates between purple and gray, allowing the Bears defenders to camouflage and sit and wait for opposing quarterbacks to not see them and make mistakes. It's also a slick surface. 
 
The Vaqueros are coming into this game a bit banged up and will see players get new opportunities. It'll be another good learning opportunity for the second-year squad against a fresh opponent. 
 
"Sometimes things don't go your way. Some things are out of your control. That's life. How you handle it, how you respond, how you move forward and how you continue to get better is what matters," Bush said. "Guys came out this week with good attitudes and great energy. It's a new opportunity to have some guys step up and an opportunity to compete against a really good football team. The goal is to be 1-0 at the end of the week." 

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