RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team is receiving votes after defeating UT Permian Basin, a preseason No. 18 team in two Div. II polls, 44-0, in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Poll and the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll.
UTRGV received 13 votes, tied with Chattanooga for 14
th-most among those receiving votes outside of the top 25 in the AFCA poll. Other Southland Conference (SLC) schools in the AFCA FCS poll are Stephen F. Austin (11), Lamar (16), Southeastern (RV), Houston Christian University (RV), and UIW (RV).
The Vaqueros are receiving 32 points in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, which is sixth-most among teams receiving points outside of the top 25. The SLC has a heavy presence in the Stats Perform poll, too, with SFA (13), Lamar (14), HCU (RP), and Southeastern (RP).
The Vaqueros are ranked No. 1 in FCS in total offense after racking up 675 yards against UTPB and are one of seven teams to record a shutout win.
UTRGV's next game is Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at UTSA, its first against a FBS opponent.
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll – August 31, 2026
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
Pts. |
Prev. |
Season Opener |
Next Game |
| 1 |
Montana St. (26) |
1-0 |
650 |
1 |
D. Utah Tech, 54-0 |
Sept. 5 vs. Butler |
| 2 |
South Dakota St. |
1-0 |
604 |
3 |
D. Stetson, 70-7 |
Sept. 5 at Northwestern |
| 3 |
Montana |
1-0 |
599 |
2 |
D. Southern Utah, 28-21 |
Sept. 5 vs. Drake |
| 4 |
Illinois St. |
1-0 |
563 |
4 |
D. St. Francis (Ill.), 76-0 |
Sept. 5 at Western Illinois |
| 5 |
Tarleton St. |
1-0 |
554 |
5 |
D. Prairie View A&M, 49-30 |
Sept. 5 at Bowling Green |
| 6 |
UC Davis |
1-0 |
493 |
6 |
D. Portland St., 31-24 |
Sept. 5 at San Diego |
| 7 |
Youngstown St. |
1-0 |
466 |
9 |
D. Mercyhurst, 43-10 |
Sept. 5 at Kentucky |
| 8 |
Rhode Island |
1-0 |
463 |
8 |
D. Merrimack, 34-7 |
Sept. 5 at Temple |
| 9 |
North Dakota |
1-0 |
421 |
10 |
D. LIU, 42-21 |
Sept. 5 vs. St. Thomas (Minn.) |
| 10 |
Lehigh |
1-0 |
382 |
11 |
D. Holy Cross, 35-10 |
Sept. 5 at Georgetown (D.C.) |
| 11 |
Stephen F. Austin |
1-0 |
374 |
13 |
D. McNeese St., 38-27 |
Sept. 5 vs. East Texas A&M |
| 12 |
South Dakota |
1-0 |
354 |
12 |
D. Central Connecticut St., 59-20 |
Sept. 5 at Northern Colorado |
| 13 |
Tennessee Tech |
1-0 |
330 |
15 |
D. No. 23 Monmouth (N.J.), 38-14 |
Sept. 5 at Chattanooga |
| 14 |
Austin Peay |
1-0 |
284 |
18 |
D. Gardner-Webb, 35-17 |
Sept. 5 at Vanderbilt |
| 15 |
Mercer |
1-0 |
267 |
17 |
D. East Texas A&M, 23-15 |
Sept. 5 vs. Presbyterian |
| 16 |
Lamar |
1-0 |
230 |
21 |
D. No. 14 ACU, 21-14 |
Sept. 5 at Louisiana |
| 17 |
Villanova |
0-1 |
185 |
7 |
Lost to William & Mary, 35-32 |
Sept. 5 at Bucknell |
| 18 |
Yale |
0-0 |
158 |
19 |
Idle |
Sept. 19 at Holy Cross |
| 19 |
William & Mary |
1-0 |
137 |
NR |
D. No. 7 Villanova, 35-32 |
Sept. 5 vs. Delaware St. |
| 20 |
Northern Arizona |
1-0 |
120 |
24 |
D. Eastern Washington, 34-27 |
Sept. 5 at Arizona |
| 21 |
ACU |
0-1 |
118 |
14 |
Lost to No. 21 Lamar, 21-14 |
Sept. 5 at Texas Tech |
| 22 |
South Carolina St. |
1-0 |
87 |
25 |
D. Savannah St., 87-0 |
Sept. 6 vs. Florida A&M |
| 23 |
Richmond |
1-0 |
71 |
NR |
D. Bucknell, 35-14 |
Sept. 5 at Howard |
| 24 |
Central Arkansas |
1-0 |
63 |
NR |
D. No. 22 UT Martin, 36-24 |
Sept. 5 vs. West Florida |
| 25 |
Southern Illinois |
0-1 |
231 |
16 |
Lost to West Florida, 34-31 |
Sept. 3 at Samford |
Dropped Out: Southeastern Louisiana (20), UT Martin (22), Monmouth (N.J.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Western Carolina, 47; UT Martin, 31; Idaho St., 29; Wofford, 29; Southeast Missouri St., 24; Alabama St., 22; Maine, 20; Southeastern Louisiana, 20; Monmouth (N.J.), 17; Furman, 16; Harvard, 16; Prairie View A&M, 14; Southern Utah, 14; Chattanooga, 13; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 13; West Florida, 13; Cal Poly, 11; Elon, 11; HCU, 10; UIW, 10; Delaware St., 9; Dartmouth, 8; Idaho, 7; Jackson St., 7; Campbell, 6; East Tennessee St., 3.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Aug. 31)
1. Montana State (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,425;
Previous Ranking: 1;
Week 0: 54-0 win at Utah Tech;
Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Butler (8:30 p.m., ESPN+)
2. South Dakota State (1-0)
Points: 1,333;
Previous Ranking: 3;
Week 0: 70-7 win over Stetson;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Northwestern (8 p.m., Big Ten Network)
3. Montana (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,303;
Previous Ranking: 2;
Week 0: 28-21 win over Southern Utah;
Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Drake (3 p.m., ESPN+/MTN)
4. Illinois State (1-0)
Points: 1,228;
Previous Ranking: 4;
Week 0: 76-0 win over St. Francis (IL);
Week 1:Sept. 5 at Western Illinois (7 p.m., ESPN+)
5. Tarleton State (1-0)
Points: 1,163;
Previous Ranking: 5;
Week 0: 49-30 win over Prairie View A&M;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Bowling Green (noon, ESPN+)
6. Rhode Island (1-0)
Points: 1,070;
Previous Ranking: 7;
Week 0: 34-7 win over Merrimack;
Week 1:Sept. 5 at Temple (2 p.m., ESPN+)
7. UC Davis (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,006;
Previous Ranking: 6;
Week 0: 31-24 win at Portland State;
Week 1:Sept. 5 at San Diego (10 p.m., ESPN+)
8. North Dakota (1-0)
Points: 1,004;
Previous Ranking: 10;
Week 0: 42-21 win over LIU;
Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. St. Thomas (4 p.m., Midco/ESPN+)
9. Youngstown State (1-0)
Points: 981;
Previous Ranking: 9;
Week 0: 43-10 win over Mercyhurst;
Week 1:Sept. 5 at Kentucky (1 p.m., SECN+)
10. Lehigh (1-0, 1-0 Patriot)
Points: 927;
Previous Ranking: 11;
Week 0: 35-10 win at Holy Cross;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Georgetown (12:30 p.m., ESPN+)
11. South Dakota (1-0)
Points: 860;
Previous Ranking: 12;
Week 0: 59-20 win over Central Connecticut State;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Northern Colorado (8 p.m., ESPN+)
12. Tennessee Tech (1-0)
Points: 810;
Previous Ranking: 14;
Week 0: 38-14 win over then-No. 22 Monmouth;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Chattanooga (6 p.m., Nexstar/ESPN+)
13. Stephen F. Austin (1-0, 1-0 Southland)
Points: 806;
Previous Ranking: 13;
Week 0: 38-27 win at McNeese;
Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. East Texas A&M (8 p.m., ESPN+)
14. Lamar (1-0)
Points: 626;
Previous Ranking: 20;
Week 0: 21-14 win over then-No. 15 Abilene Christian;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Louisiana (8 p.m., ESPN+)
15. Austin Peay (1-0)
Points: 574;
Previous Ranking: 17;
Week 0: 35-17 win over Gardner-Webb;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Vanderbilt (7 p.m., SECN+)
16. Yale (0-0)
Points: 415;
Previous Ranking: 18;
Week 0: No game;
Week 1: No game
17. William & Mary (1-0, 1-0 Patriot)
Points: 408;
Previous Ranking: NR;
Week 0: 35-32 win at then-No. 8 Villanova;
Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Delaware State (6 p.m., ESPN+)
18. Villanova (0-1, 0-1 Patriot)
Points: 406;
Previous Ranking: 8;
Week 0: 35-32 loss to William & Mary;
Week 1:Sept. 5 at Bucknell (6 p.m., ESPN+)
19. Mercer (1-0)
Points: 381;
Previous Ranking: 21;
Week 0: 23-15 win over East Texas A&M;
Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Presbyterian (6 p.m., ESPN+)
20. Abilene Christian (0-1)
Points: 282;
Previous Ranking: 15;
Week 0: 21-14 loss at then-No. 20 Lamar;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Texas Tech (7 p.m., FS1)
21. South Carolina State (1-0)
Points: 247;
Previous Ranking: 24;
Week 0: 87-0 win over Savannah State;
Week 1:Sept. 6 vs. Florida A&M in Miami Gardens, Florida (3 p.m., ESPN)
22. Northern Arizona (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 217;
Previous Ranking: 25;
Week 0: 34-27 win over Eastern Washington;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Arizona (9:30 p.m., ESPN+)
23. Idaho State (1-0)
Points: 184;
Previous Ranking: NR;
Week 0: 38-10 win over VMI;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Utah State (7 p.m., CBSSN)
24. Western Carolina (1-0)
Points: 165;
Previous Ranking: NR;
Week 0: 45-21 win over Eastern Kentucky;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Campbell (3:30 p.m., FloSports)
25. West Florida (1-0)
Points: 110;
Previous Ranking: NR;
Week 0: 34-31 win over then-No. 16 Southern Illinois;
Week 1: Sept. 5 at Central Arkansas (7 p.m., ESPN+)
Others Receiving Points (schools listed on two or more ballots): Southern Illinois (0-1): 99;
Alabama State (1-0): 64;
Harvard (0-0): 64;
Central Arkansas (1-0): 60;
Southern Utah (0-1): 46;
UTRGV (1-0): 32;
Houston Christian (1-0, 1-0 Southland): 28;
Cal Poly (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky): 27;
Delaware State (1-0): 24;
Jackson State (1-0): 21;
Elon (1-0): 19;
Southeast Missouri (1-0): 19;
Southeastern Louisiana (0-1, 0-1 Southland): 19;
Richmond (1-0, 1-0 Patriot): 18;
Monmouth (0-1): 16;
Chattanooga (1-0): 8;
UAlbany (1-0, 1-0 CAA): 6;
Prairie View A&M (0-1): 4;
UT Martin (0-1): 2
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