NATCHITOCHES, La. – The road demons were exorcised Saturday as The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team defeated Northwestern State (NSU), 52-7, in a Southland Conference (SLC) game at Turpin Stadium, earning the first road conference win of the season and tabbing back-to-back road wins for the first time in program history.
Junior defensive back
Alijah Prosser recorded two interceptions and returned one for a 90-yard touchdown, the longest interception return in program history. For the first time ever, UTRGV (5-5, 3-4 SLC) returned two touchdowns for interceptions as it totaled three interceptions against the Demons (0-10, 0-7 SLC) to secure its fourth game of the season with three interceptions. This was UTRGV's first conference road win since beating McNeese on Nov. 15, 2025.
Junior linebacker
Jaiden Haygood broke two of his own program records with his 13-tackle performance. He now boasts 107 tackles this season, increasing his own single-season program record of 102 from last year. Haygood also had six solo tackles at NSU, which brings his season total to 48 – besting his own record of 45. This was his fifth consecutive game with 10+ tackles.
Junior quarterback
Aidan Jakobsohn went 15-for-20 with 188 yards and three passing touchdowns to junior receiver
Kyran Lee, junior receiver
Jaydon Smith, and junior tight end
Tyler Day. Lee brought in five catches for 61 yards. Sophomore running back
Brockerick Taylor totaled 97 rushing yards on six carries. Linebacker
Spencer Rich had eight tackles and one fumble recovery to help a defensive effort that held the Demons to 49 rushing yards.
The Vaqueros came out blazing and opened up a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. On the first pass of the game, fifth-year defensive back
TJ Neal notched an interception and returned it 53 yards for the 7-0 lead. UTRGV scored in a flurry on its first three offensive possessions. Junior running back
Fabian Garcia raced around the edge for a seven-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 14-0.
UTRGV's defense forced a three-and-out as Neal and Prosser broke up pass attempts to set up the last score of the opening quarter. Taylor got the drive started with a 66-yard gain, showing his burst to get through the front seven before turning on the jets to get inside the NSU 10-yard line. Jakobsohn found Smith for a four-yard touchdown catch to have the Vaqueros up big after the first. Junior defensive end
Ja'Marcus Anderson tabbed back-to-back sacks to close the quarter on a high note for UTRGV.
Jakobsohn and Lee connected over the top for a 35-yard score, extending the gap to 28. The Demons were driving well and got near the red zone early in the second quarter, then Prosser stymied the comeback attempt with his interception return, making it 35-0. NSU responded by taking the ensuing kickoff 93 yards to the house to put the first points on the board courtesy of
Antonio Hall. The Demons used that spark to notch their first three-and-out against the red-hot UTRGV offense. Senior kicker
Brysen Gardner nailed a 40-yard field goal to close the first half, sending UTRGV to the locker room with a 38-7 advantage.
Northwestern State's defense stumped the Vaqueros on their first two possessions of the second half. Rich and Haygood came up with stops to keep the Demons off the board as well while the Vaqueros offense got back on track. UTRGV drove methodically deep into Demons territory, then Jakobsohn delivered a three-yard passing touchdown to Day
. Junior quarterback
Atzel Chavez Jr. took over at quarterback late in the fourth and converted a 4
th & 1 play with a 10-yard rush. A few plays later, junior running back
Brennan Carroll finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 52-7.
UTRGV's last home game of the season at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium will be at 5 p.m. Nov. 14 against #3/2/2 Stephen F. Austin. Tickets will go on sale Monday at 8 a.m. at
UTRGVTickets.com. All tickets for UTRGV Athletics home events will use NFC scanning, therefore screenshots will not grant entry. Fans can save and access tickets for entry via Apple or Google Wallet or by logging into your account at
UTRGVTickets.com.
Fans are encouraged to visit
RallyTheValley.com for everything they need to know about attending home football games. If you're unable to attend, the game will be streamed on
ESPN+ domestically and
Southland International for international fans.
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