RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team is receiving votes in the Week 3 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Poll announced Monday.
The Vaqueros (2-2, 1-1 SLC) jumped back into the poll after being out for one week following a 27-10 Southland Conference (SLC) win over McNeese. UTRGV received three votes, tied for the 12
th-most of teams receiving votes but not in the Top 25.
UTRGV is one of five SLC teams recognized in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, along with #6 Stephen F. Austin, #15 Lamar, (RV) UIW, and (RV) Southeastern.
The Vaqueros lead the SLC and are fourth in the nation in first downs with 98 and are the conference leaders with seven interceptions this season, second-most in the nation.
UTRGV's next game is Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. at East Texas A&M.
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll – September 21, 2026
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
Pts. |
Prev. |
Week 3 |
Next Game |
| 1 |
Montana St. (25) |
4-0 |
649 |
1 |
D. Central Connecticut St., 35-30 |
Sept. 26 vs. No. 17 Northern Arizona |
| 2 |
South Dakota St. |
3-1 |
598 |
3 |
D. No. 9 Youngstown St., 27-20 |
Sept. 26 vs. Eastern Illinois |
| 3 |
Tarleton St. |
4-0 |
566 |
5 |
D. Merrimack, 45-20 |
Oct. 3 vs. Chicago St. |
| 4t. |
Illinois St. (1) |
4-0 |
561 |
4 |
D. Eastern Illinois, 49-13 |
Sept. 26 at Northern Iowa |
| 4t. |
Montana |
3-1 |
561 |
2 |
Lost to Oregon St., 52-17 |
Sept. 26 at No. 9 UC Davis |
| 6 |
Stephen F. Austin |
4-0 |
480 |
8 |
D. Prairie View A&M, 31-10 |
Sept. 26 vs. Northeastern St. |
| 7 |
Lehigh |
4-0 |
461 |
7 |
D. Dartmouth, 24-20 |
Sept. 26 at Penn |
| 8 |
North Dakota |
3-1 |
459 |
6 |
Lost to Nebraska, 34-7 |
Sept. 26 at Indiana St. |
| 9 |
UC Davis |
3-1 |
439 |
11 |
D. Stetson, 45-7 |
Sept. 26 vs. No. 4t Montana |
| 10 |
Tennessee Tech |
3-0 |
415 |
10 |
Idle |
Sept. 26 at Wofford |
| 11 |
Austin Peay |
3-1 |
378 |
14 |
D. No. 17 West Florida, 38-16 |
Sept. 26 vs. UT Martin |
| 12 |
South Dakota |
3-1 |
366 |
12 |
Lost to Boise St., 38-24 |
Sept. 26 at No. 13 Youngstown St. |
| 13 |
Youngstown St. |
2-2 |
363 |
9 |
Lost to No. 3 South Dakota St., 27-20 |
Sept. 26 vs. No. 12 South Dakota |
| 14 |
South Carolina St. |
4-0 |
303 |
16 |
D. No. 24 Furman, 20-17 |
Sept. 26 at Bethune-Cookman |
| 15 |
Lamar |
2-1 |
296 |
15 |
Idle |
Sept. 26 at Nicholls |
| 16 |
Idaho St. |
3-0 |
273 |
18 |
Idle |
Sept. 26 at Southern Utah |
| 17 |
Northern Arizona |
3-1 |
228 |
19 |
D. Utah Tech, 35-23 |
Sept. 26 at No. 1 Montana St. |
| 18 |
Yale |
1-0 |
188 |
20 |
D. Holy Cross, 38-28 |
Sept. 26 at Cornell |
| 19 |
Richmond |
3-1 |
104 |
NR |
D. Georgetown (D.C.), 24-21 |
Sept. 26 vs. Furman |
| 20 |
West Florida |
2-1 |
97 |
17 |
Lost to No. 14 Austin Peay, 38-16 |
Sept. 26 at Southeast Missouri St. |
| 21 |
Rhode Island |
2-2 |
93 |
13 |
Lost to Stony Brook, 56-24 |
Sept. 26 at North Carolina A&T |
| 22 |
Villanova |
2-2 |
85 |
23 |
D. LIU, 20-16 |
Sept. 26 vs. No. 23t Colgate |
| 23t. |
Colgate |
3-1 |
71 |
NR |
D. Cornell, 20-7 |
Sept. 26 at No. 22 Villanova |
| 23t. |
Mercer |
2-2 |
71 |
22 |
Lost to Georgia Tech, 44-11 |
Sept. 26 at ACU |
| 25 |
Harvard |
1-0 |
50 |
NR |
D. New Hampshire, 31-7 |
Sept. 25 at Brown |
Dropped Out: William & Mary (21), Furman (24), Southern Illinois (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois, 45; Campbell, 41; Jackson St., 39; Elon, 38; Furman, 37; Alabama St., 14; Prairie View A&M, 12; Stony Brook, 12; Bryant, 7; Central Connecticut St., 6; Dartmouth, 6; UIW, 6; William & Mary, 6; ACU, 5; Monmouth (N.J.), 5; Southeastern Louisiana, 4; Southeast Missouri St., 3;
UTRGV, 3; Robert Morris (Pa.), 2; San Diego, 2; Chattanooga, 1; St. Thomas (Minn.), 1.
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