Michelle Hernandez/THE RIDER
The Vaqueros (1-1) suffered their first loss of the season 45-16 today against their first-ever FBS opponent in program history, the UTSA Roadrunners (1-0), at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Head coach Travis Bush said the result was expected to be a tough one for the team and that there had to be realistic expectations for games such as these.
“I mean, we knew the matchup,” Bush said. “We talked all week. You’re playing a team like that, that’s good, is that good. They’ll expose some weaknesses and you get in a game like that and … there’s no room for error.”
Despite the downsides, the Vaqueros saw the loss as a means of exposure and understanding their next obstacles moving forward this season.
“But you know hats off, congrats, UTSA, and, you know, we saw a lot of good things today, and we learned a lot about some stuff that, again, that we knew that we’d get exposed, and now we can get it fixed before conference,” Bush said.
Michelle Hernandez/THE RIDER
UTRGV senior kicker Brysen Gardner tallied three of four field-goal attempts to give the Vaqueros 9 points up until the fourth quarter.
Afterward, Vaquero junior quarterback Atzel Chavez Jr. found the endzone after a 1-yard quarterback keeper in the last four seconds of the game.
UTRGV senior linebacker Spencer Rich led the Vaquero defense with a total of 10 tackles, including three solo stops.
The Roadrunners first got on the board after a deep left pass from UTSA quarterback Owen McCown to fellow wide receiver AJ Wilson Jr. for a 36-yard touchdown.
Entering the second quarter, the Roadrunners scored a 7-yard passing touchdown. To follow up, the Roadrunners would score a pick six after intercepting a pass from Vaquero quarterback Aiden Jakobsohn, extending the lead to 21-0.
The Vaqueros would then make their mark to get on the board in the second quarter after a 13-play drive that ended with a field goal.
Michelle Hernandez/THE RIDER
The Roadrunners started the fourth quarter with a deep 62-yard touchdown pass. UTRGV responded with Gardner’s third and final field goal to make it 38-9 in favor of the home team.
With little time left in the fourth quarter, the Roadrunners scored once again after a 53-yard touchdown run. However, the Vaqueros on the dime would make a lasting touchdown from Chavez Jr. to end the game.
UTRGV will be back in action on the road against Nicholls at 6 p.m. Sept. 12 for its first conference game of the season.
