Adrian Hernandez|THE RIDER
The UTRGV Football Team started off the season with a (1-0) lead by shutting out The University of Texas Permian Basin Aug. 29, 44-0. The season opener set off an expectation for the Vaqueros, and last Saturday’s game was predicted to push that expectation.
The Vaqueros played The University of Texas at San Antonio in the Alamodome Saturday, and as of press time, the final score was unavailable.
UTRGV displayed well-rounded defense and offense in the first game with junior quarterback Aidan Jakobsohn, fifth-year running back Malachi Lane, fifth-year quarterback Garret Rangel, and senior kicker Brysen Gardner.
Head coach Travis Bush described the performance of the specialty team from the game against UTPB in a weekly press conference Youtube video by GoUTRGV on Sept. 1.
“Yeah they did a good job … and the opportunities we had, guys flew down there and met our standard on the kickoff team,” Bush said.
He said the team was solid going 3-for-3 on field goals.
Adrian Hernandez|THE RIDER
“You know those are the hidden points, the hidden yardage, all those type of things that go into the ball game,” Bush said.
With this win for the Vaqueros, the next obstacle for the season was Saturday at the Alamodome against their first Division 1 opponent UTSA. The match will mark the first NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in the program’s history.
UTRGV Co-Offensive and Offensive Line coach Jeff Bowen was a graduate assistant coach at UTSA from 2011 to 2023.
“They’re going to be a good team,” Bowen said. “They’ve got a very talented roster, great coaches … highly ranked FBS team there. Definitely talented, definitely tough, definitely well coached, you know, so it’s going to be a fun environment and a good game.”
He said besides UTSA, the challenge of getting familiar with the Alamodome with all of the changes made would be another difference.
“The place has grown so much and everything,” Bowen said. “So, not besides just familiarity with getting inside the Alamodome … everything has changed so much there. But it is cool to get to play down and line up against a good football team there.”
The team will next take on Nicholls State University 6 p.m. Saturday in the John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
