Offense finds spark in 56-28 Homecoming win against UIW

Diaz, Flores and Marburger shine through the air to defeat defending SLC champs

Vaqueros redshirt sophomore wide receiver Hunter Luke intercepts the ball during Saturday’s game at the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg.
Jose Rodriguez/THE RIDER

EDINBURG, Texas – Starting fast as an offense was a priority for the Vaqueros entering their Homecoming game, and they certainly did that in Saturday’s 56-28 win over the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals.

On a night that marked the first-ever Homecoming football game in UTRGV history, the Vaqueros’ offense put on yet another show in front of their home crowd. UTRGV remains undefeated at Vackar Stadium this season.

With a win, the Vaqueros (6-2, 2-2 SLC) are now tied for second place in the Southland Conference, while the struggling UIW Cardinals (2-6, 0-4 SLC) are tied for last after a championship season last year.

Vaqueros head coach Travis Bush said he was “so proud of this group” for the way they responded and rallied following their 23-21 loss last week at Lamar University.

“We’re still growing every week,” Bush said. “And from the wins, the losses, we’re still growing. And we got so much better this week at practice because of the leadership, because of the chemistry.”

Starting quarterback Eddie Lee Marburger (26-36, 7 total TDs) and redshirt sophomore tight end Ismael Smith Flores (2 rec, 2 TDs) gave the Vaqueros an early sparkplug Saturday.

“Everybody likes to give me credit, but it’s not really me,” Marburger said after calling offense “the best in the conference.” “I’m putting the ball in the area and they’re gonna make a play every time.”

Smith Flores, who hauled in two touchdown catches on the eve of National Tight End Day, said he always trusts his quarterback to make plays and get the ball where it needs to go.

“I trusted my guys and coach put a good game plan,” he said.

Vaqueros redshirt senior defensive back Elijah Graham rushes to tackle Cardinals quarterback EJ Colson as he runs toward the end zone during Saturday’s game at the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg.
Jose Rodriguez/THE RIDER

But the star of the show Saturday was redshirt freshman wide receiver Tony Diaz, who hauled in 17 passes (second most in SLC history) for 172 yards to go with and an incredible one-handed touchdown catch.

Diaz, who had a tough game in the heartbreaking loss to Lamar, told reporters after the game that Marburger “put it where only I could get it.”

“I took it like [last week] happened for a reason,” the star wideout said. “You just gotta lock back in next week and have a short term memory about it.”

The night began very quickly for the Vaqueros’ offense. In six plays, UTRGV marched down until Marburger found Smith Flores in the end zone for his first TD catch of the night.

Cardinals defensive back Kaden Jammer and Vaqueros redshirt senior defensive back Dorian Blackwell stare each other down as they line up during Saturday’s game at the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg.
Jose Rodriguez/THE RIDER

Following a UIW turnover on downs, the Vaqueros also stalled out, pinning the Cardinals at their 3 on a punt. Incarnate Word then stalled and punted to set up Smith Flores’ second touchdown catch of the game to make it 14-0.

Marburger would notch another three touchdowns in the first half, two on passes to graduate student RB Nathan Denney and redshirt sophomore WR Xayvion Noland, and one he ran in himself on a keeper, running the score up to 35-0 UTRGV by halftime.

From the start of the second half, the defending conference champions made it clear they were not going down without a fight, opening the third quarter with a 77-yard TD pass from QB EJ Colson to WR Jalen Walthall.

UIW continued their scoring ways early in the quarter, netting a second touchdown on a Colson keeper and a third on a touchdown rush by senior RB Harlan Dixon.

Finding themselves suddenly in a two-score game, the Vaqueros responded loudly by marching down the field, reaching the end zone on a beautiful one-handed catch by Diaz to make it 42-21 UTRGV.

Though the Cardinals responded with a big TD play of their own, a 39-yard pass to Walthall and his second TD catch of the game, the Vaqueros would tack on another with a 75-yard TD pass to Noland.

A fourth-quarter fumble that turned into a big man touchdown by junior defensive lineman Jayden House was the final nail in the coffin for UIW, and the final whistle sealed the end of a 56-28 rout for a Vaqueros win.

UTRGV will look to carry this momentum on the road next week against conference frontrunners Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. Nov. 1.