Adrian Hernandez/ THE RIDER
UTRGV football will host its second homecoming game Oct. 31 against Lamar University at the Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium, continuing a tradition that began during the team’s inaugural season in 2025.
The game will also mark the Vaquero’s first homecoming matchup on Halloween night, giving the team another opportunity to establish football as part of UTRGV’s campus traditions.
Head coach Travis Bush said homecoming is an opportunity to build a tradition and that this is only the beginning.
“We got a couple alumni that are coming back, but you know, to be a part of the tradition now and have homecoming for football games, it’ll be a tradition that will start here with these first few years, and that’ll be here for a long time,” Bush said.
With the game falling on Halloween, Bush said the team is looking forward to the atmosphere surrounding the matchup and plans to wear gray uniforms. Attendees are encouraged to wear halloween costumes and participate in trunk-or-treating at the tailgate.
“We need everything this week, but I think just Halloween night our guys are excited, you know bring out the grey uniforms and we’ll have all the spirits in town, we need it all, we need all the voodoo this week,” Bush said.
Mechanical Engineering freshman Juan Martinez said each football game experience is different, but the activities available for the students, such as the tailgate, half time and mascot Victory Vaquero, are his favorite parts of the games.
“I’ve been to every single game, and the experience has been all over the place, but it’s real fun, our mascot’s great,” Martinez said. “I love our mascot, and the little activities we have between the games are always fun. Overall, the way it is right now, it’s real fun, the students also get to interact and … going from cheering to yelling at the football player to go back home, it’s been really fun.”
Mechanical engineering freshman Sebastian Cruz-Ponce said that he thinks culture at UTRGV makes football games a worthwhile experience.
“I think the culture here at UTRGV is really cool, and really fun. Having the experience to go watch college football here in the Valley is amazing,” Cruz-Ponce said. “Being able to go and help out our players with … just being there with the students, and cheering them up, is my favorite part.”
Edinburg campus.
Adrian Hernandez/ THE RIDER
UTRGV held its first football homecoming game Oct. 25, 2025, against the University of the Incarnate Word at Vackar Stadium. The tradition comes as the university continues developing its football program and building a presence in the Football Championship Subdivision.
The program’s development began years before its inaugural season. On Feb 19, 2016, UTRGV President Guy Bailey selected former University of Texas at Austin coach Mack Brown to chair a feasibility study committee examining the possibility of bringing football to the Rio Grande Valley, according to a university announcement on goutrgv.com.
On Sept. 7, 2021, UTRGV’s Student Government Association approved a referendum supporting increased athletics funding. The proposal included plans for football, women’s swimming and diving, and a marching band serving both campuses.
A total of 5,784 students, approximately 18% of the student body, voted on the referendum. Of those who voted, 60.5 % supported the proposal, while 39.5% opposed it.
The athletics department projected the football program could generate a $13.2 million economic impact in the Valley.
Another milestone came Feb. 25 2024, when UTRGV acquired H-E-B Park. The stadium was later renamed Robert & Janet Vackar stadium on March 21, 2024.
During its inaugural 2025 season, UTRGV became the first FCS program in its inaugural season to earn six victories against Division 1 opponents, surpassing a previous record of five set by Florida International in 2002, according to records from Southland Conference on goutrgv.com
The Vaqueros also finished their first season with a 7-0 home record, and at the time were one of 11 FCS teams on a home winning streak of seven or more.
As UTRGV prepares for its second football homecoming game, the matchup represents another step in establishing a tradition that Bush hopes will continue for years to come.
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