RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Three weeks after the biggest home win in program history, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team has yet another chance to prove the power of the Valley Voodoo as the #15/13 Lamar Cardinals come to town Saturday for a Southland Conference (SLC) game at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium at 7 p.m.
 
Lamar (6-2, 4-1 SLC) has had a solid season and comes into this one after a sound 35-10 win over Houston Christian. The UTRGV Vaqueros (4-4, 2-3 SLC) have had ups and downs throughout the program's second season but have some momentum following a key win at Central Arkansas last week. The Vaqueros earned their first road win of the season and played the first overtime game in program history, needing just one offensive play in the overtime period to clinch the 30-27 win after the defense came up big to limit the UCA Bears to a field goal, setting up the walk-off victory. 
 
Even with a limited roster affected by injuries, the Vaqueros found a way to get it done in a gritty, hard battle and learned a lot in the process. 
 
"Both teams had opportunities. Both teams made a mistake. Looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way," head coach Travis Bush said after the win. "We needed it. We needed to show we can overcome mistakes on the road, fight to the end and just go harder for longer. I'm proud of the team. We made some bonehead mistakes, especially in the red zone that took away touchdowns, but they just never flinched. They just kept fighting." 
 
The Vaqueros will need that fight when they take on Lamar. The Cardinals are averaging 30.7 points per game and have the new No. 1 defense in the conference as they're holding opponents to 327.3 yards per game and 22.5 points per game, which is third in the league. UTRGV averages 23.8 points per game behind 404.5 yards per game with a balanced attack which has scored 11 touchdowns each in the air and on the ground. UTRGV's defense is second in the conference limiting opponents to 22.1 points per game. 
 
Defense has been the headliner for UTRGV this season. The linebacker duo of Jaiden Haygood and Spencer Rich lead the conference averaging 10.0 tackles per game. Haygood is coming off a massive week which saw him earn national and conference defensive player of the week honors after recording a program-record 20 tackles against Central Arkansas – the second-most in a game by a FCS player and most by a SLC player this season.
 
When these teams faced off last season, it was a low-scoring affair that saw UTRGV erase a 17-point deficit before falling, 23-21, on a 57-yard field goal by the Cardinals. Expect UTRGV's defense to have a massive role in this one as well. The Vaqueros will need to slow down Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown, the second-most efficient QB in the conference, and running back Jojo Uga, who is second in the conference averaging 66.2 rushing yards per game and with seven rushing touchdowns. The Cardinals have good size up front and are racking up 167.0 rushing yards per game. 
 
This will be the second of three consecutive home games against ranked opponents to wrap up the home slate for UTRGV. 
 
"We had a top 25 team come in here last time, and these guys should be back in the top 15 this week. Good, solid team playing really good football right now," Bush said of Lamar. "They've got a good, talented roster. They have huge tight ends, good running backs, a lot of inside, downhill run game. McCown can do a lot of stuff with his feet as well at quarterback. Being able to stop the run, not giving up the explosive plays, and being able to move the ball and make some plays offensively will be the big deal. It's going to boil down to execution – third down conversions, turnovers. It'll be a great matchup." 
 
UTRGV boasts the fourth-longest active home winning streak in FCS with an unbeaten 10-0 record at Vackar Stadium. Keeping that streak alive will be tough against Lamar, but the Vaqueros will be ready for the challenge. They'll debut the dark gray alternate uniforms and lean on the supernatural power of the home crowd to chase the victory. 
 
"It's Halloween night in Vackar Stadium, so what a great night for all the Valley Voodoo we can get. Light candles, cast spells, we need it all. We need everyone in the stands. It'll be a great night in the Valley," Bush said. 

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