RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valey (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team is opening the 2026 season with a 7 p.m. contest Saturday against the UT Permian Basin (UTPB) Falcons at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium. 
 
The Vaqueros are eager to get back in front of the home crowd and try to remain perfect at Vackar Stadium. The first opponent is the only non-Division I team on UTRGV's schedule, but that doesn't make the Falcons a squad to overlook. 
 
While UTRGV made history as a first-year program, UTPB made history of its own with an 11-3 record, a second trip to the NCAA Div. II Playoffs in three seasons, and the program's first appearance in the Super Region 4 Final. But this year's Falcons squad looks different, with a new head coach in place, plenty of coaching staff turnover, and new guys looking to make plays. That made game-planning a little tough for UTRGV head coach Travis Bush, but it's a challenge he has faced before. 
 
"Kind of the same boat as last year with Sul Ross, UTPB has a new staff, so we're not going to know anything. So that first game, it kind of scares you a little bit, but the focus is on us and execution," UTRGV head coach Travis Bush said. "We're so multiple offensively and defensively, there's really nothing we should see that we don't see in practice on both sides. So really the focus is on cleaning up our details. We researched where the head coach came from and where the coordinators came from so we've looked at other places and we're guessing at what they'll do and who they are. We're really just going to get in the game and stay in base early and see what they do to us." 
 
UTPB is 0-3 all-time against FCS opponents and returns fewer combined starters than UTRGV returns on defense alone, according to Falcons head coach Chris Softley. But they start the season ranked 18^th in the D2Football.com and AFCA Preseason Polls. Traylen Suel is a name to watch as the UTPB wide receiver made the D2 Elite 100 Watch List and made the All-Lone Star Conference Preseason Players to Watch list. UTPB defensive lineman Godgive Ugochukwu also tabbed preseason recognition. 
 
The Vaqueros will lean on their defense to set the tone early. UTRGV returns nine starters on a defensive unit that finished 2025 ranked sixth in the FCS as it held opponents to just 39.6 points per game and 19^th in the FCS holding opponents to 328.4 yards per game. Key defensive returners include linebackers Jaiden Haygood and Spencer Rich and defensive backs Alijah Prosser and TJ Neal. 
 
UTRGV has four of five starters returning on the offensive line, including All-American and All-Conference honoree Nick Hughes. But the Vaqueros had work to do during the offseason to figure out skill positions – and no position battle has drawn more attention than the quarterback battle. Aidan Jakobsohn, the returning back-up quarterback, and FBS transfer Garret Rangel have emerged as the QB1 hopefuls, but Bush's decision about who will start Game 1 is coming down to more than pure talent. Saturday's game will give Bush even more to study as he builds the QB room. 
 
"Really, it boils down to execution," Bush said. "It's understanding the offense, getting us in the right positions and the right calls. Who executes the offense, protects the football, and makes the play? Who does the team rally around? Who's going to take that ownership and take over this offense?" 
 
UTRGV hopes to get clarity at some positions and see continued growth at others during the first game of the season with a big test looming in Week 2. Whatever UTPB throws at them, the Vaqueros are keeping the focus on themselves. Bush was pleased with the retention and speed of installations through camp he saw from a quickly maturing group and knows there's a lot of potential for the season. 
 
"Really excited about this group. We've been with a lot of them for three years now. We've seen them mature from squirrelly little freshmen and high school guys that nobody else wanted to All-Conference players and big-time FCS players. It's a good group, a special group, and we're really excited to see what happens," Bush said. 

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