RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The unbeaten streak at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium continued Saturday as The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team shut out the UT Permian Basin (UTPB) Falcons, 44-0, to start the season 1-0 in front of a program-record crowd of 13,698.
UTRGV's (1-0) defense, which was one of the best in the FCS in 2025, didn't miss a beat in the season opener, pitching a third shutout at home and the second consecutive season-opening shutout. Between 2025 and 2026, the Vaqueros have outscored opponents 110-0 in their first games of the season. The Vaqueros totaled three interceptions – one each from
Jordan Ford, Dorian Blackwell and
Tyler Thomas – and held the Falcons to 165 yards of offense.
The Vaqueros racked up 675 yards of offense – the second-most in a game in program history. Junior wide receiver
Kyran Lee totaled a career-high 141 receiving yards and scored one touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver
Corey Holmes added 119 receiving yards and graduate student
Tavian Cord had 76 yards with one touchdown. Running backs
Brennan Carroll and
Malachi Lane both scored rushing touchdowns. Carroll led UTRGV with 84 rushing yards and Lane finished with 16 on five carries.
Junior
Aidan Jakobsohn started the game at quarterback and finished 10-for-16 with 180 passing yards, one touchdown, and 42 rushing yards. Fifth year quarterback
Garret Rangel led the team with 211 passing yards, going 12-for-15 with one passing touchdown and one rushing score.
UTPB (0-1) quarterback
Nate TenBarge totaled 151 passing yards and threw two interceptions.
Traylen Suel and
Heston Kelly rushed for 63 and 59 yards, respectively.
The Vaqueros wasted no time getting on the board. On the opening series, Jakobsohn took the Vaqueros right down the field with a five play, 72-yard scoring drive capped by a 15-yard touchdown toss to Lee.
Gardner made a pair of field goals in the first half. The first was a 28-yarder to make it 10-0. Then, he added a 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter, extending the lead to 20-0.
In the middle of those scores, head coach
Travis Bush made good on his promise to show fans both quarterbacks early. Rangel came in on the third drive and quickly led an efficient four-play, 92-yard scoring drive highlighted by the deep ball. He hit Holmes for a 42-yard gain down the left sideline, then connected with Cord on a 29-yard pass-and-catch for the score, placing the ball just over the defender where it fell right into Cord's basket in the back of the end zone.
UT Permian Basin attempted a 51-yard field goal late in the first half but it hit the right upright.
Gardner added a 36-yard field goal to close the half and send UTRGV to the locker room up 23-0.
UTRGV's stingy defense forced the Falcons to punt on their first possession of the second half. Rangel was the first under center in the third quarter and got the Vaqueros into the red zone in a hurry. UTRGV fooled everyone with the ball on the two-yard line, lined up as if it was going to bulldoze behind the offensive line for the score. While the other 21 players all pushed the pile, Rangel pulled it and ran untouched to his right to the end zone, making it 30-0.
Blackwell stopped the Falcons on the ensuing drive. UTPB was finally getting some rhythm and had traveled 39 yards in three plays — its second-most productive drive of the night. The Falcons tried to capitalize on the momentum and threw it deep. Blackwell had a step on the receiver and tipped the ball up, giving himself time to get under it for the interception.
UTRGV leaned on the run game in the fourth, and the backs carved up the UTPB defense. Lane scored his first points in a Vaqueros jersey as he bruised up the middle for a six-yard rushing score in the opening minute of the final quarter. Carroll took a carry and followed some big blocks to the sideline, then showed off his speed as he raced for a 38-yard touchdown. UTRGV led 44-0 with 11:37 remaining after the back-to-back rushing scores.
UTRGV's defense capped the shutout victory with an exciting interception by
Tyler Thomas in the final two minutes of the contest.
The Vaqueros will be back in action Sept. 5 at 2:30 p.m. at UTSA for their first game against a FBS opponent.
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