UTRGV Defensive Line 11-15-25


Kristella Cruz

UTRGV’s defensive line at McNeese (11/15/25)



Football
11/17/2025 10:00:00 AM







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RIO GRANDE VALLEY – For the eighth time this season and seventh week in a row, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) football program is receiving votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
 
The Vaqueros earned 15 points in the week 12 poll after previously receiving nine points in week 11 10 points in week 10, 25 points in the week 9, seven in week 8, 10 in week 7, four in week 6, and five in week 4.
 
At 8-3, UTRGV has clinched a winning season and become the first of the 11 football programs to start from scratch at the NCAA DI-AA (1978-2005)/FCS (2006-Present) level since Division I college football split into two levels in 1978 to win eight games. UTRGV is also one of two programs to win five FCS games in its inaugural season along with Florida International (5, 2002), one of only two programs to win multiple road games (two), along with Coastal Carolina (2003), which won four total road games, three of which were against DI-AA competition, and one of two programs to receive votes at any point during its inaugural season, along with Kennesaw State (2015), which received two points in the Week 7 AFCA Coaches Poll. UTRGV is the only program to earn more than two points or receive votes in multiple weeks.
 

UTRGV’s only losses were on the road at No. 13 Stephen F. Austin, No. 19 Lamar, and No. 20 Southeastern. UTRGV also has a road win over Prairie View A&M, which received a vote this week.
 
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl – November 17, 2025
                                                      



Rank
School (1st votes)
Rec.
Pts.
Prev.
Week 12
Next Game


1
North Dakota St. (23)
11-0
599
1
D. Northern Iowa, 48-16
Nov. 22 vs. St. Thomas (Minn.)


2
Montana (1)
11-0
573
2
D. Portland St., 63-17
Nov. 22 vs. No. 3 Montana St.


3
Montana St.
9-2
549
3
D. No. 10 UC Davis, 38-17
Nov. 22 at No. 2 Montana


4
Lehigh
11-0
523
4
D. Colgate, 27-7
Nov. 22 at No. 24 Lafayette


5
Tarleton St.
10-1
505
5
D. North Alabama, 61-0
Nov. 22 vs. Austin Peay


6
Mercer
9-1
437
8
D. Chattanooga, 63-17
Nov. 22 at Auburn


7
Villanova
8-2
433
7
D. Stony Brook, 30-27 OT
Nov. 22 vs. Sacred Heart


8
Tennessee Tech
10-1
423
6
Lost to Kentucky, 42-10
Nov. 22 vs. UT Martin


9
Rhode Island
9-2
402
9
D. Maine, 45-13
Nov. 22 vs. Hampton


10
Harvard
9-0
342
11
D. Penn, 45-43
Nov. 22 at No. 25 Yale


11t.
Illinois St.
8-3
338
13
D. No. 15 South Dakota St., 35-21
Nov. 22 vs. Southern Illinois


11t.
Monmouth
9-2
338
12
D. North Carolina A&T, 63-19
Nov. 22 vs. UAlbany


13
Stephen F. Austin
9-2
290
17
D. No. 14 Lamar, 26-15
Nov. 20 at Northwestern St.


14
UC Davis
7-3
259
10
Lost to No. 3 Montana St., 38-17
Nov. 22 vs. Sacramento St.


15
Jackson St.
8-2
251
16
D. Bethune-Cookman, 28-13
Nov. 22 vs. Alcorn St.


16
North Dakota
7-4
228
18
D. Murray St., 35-17
Nov. 22 vs. No. 22 South Dakota St.


17
Youngstown St.
7-4
203
19
D. Indiana St., 48-29
Nov. 22 at Northern Iowa


18
ACU
7-4
184
20
D. Eastern Kentucky, 17-10
Nov. 22 at Central Arkansas


19
Lamar
8-3
168
14
Lost to No. 17 Stephen F. Austin, 26-15
Nov. 22 vs. McNeese


20
Southeastern
8-3
156
21
D. UIW, 10-7
Nov. 20 vs. Nicholls


21
South Dakota
8-4
127
22
D. No. 23 Southern Illinois, 53-51 5OT
Regular Season Complete


22
South Dakota St.
7-4
110
15
Lost to No. 13 Illinois St., 35-21
Nov. 22 at No. 16 North Dakota


23
West Georgia
8-3
91
24
D. Utah Tech, 23-0
Regular Season Complete


24
Lafayette
8-3
86
25
D. Richmond, 35-28
Nov. 22 vs. No. 4 Lehigh


25
Yale
7-2
37
NR
D. Princeton, 13-10
Nov. 22 vs. No. 10 Harvard

 
Dropped Out: Southern Illinois (23)
 
Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois, 28; Alabama St., 27; Dartmouth, 22; UT Rio Grande Valley, 15; Gardner-Webb, 13; Sacramento St., 12; Austin Peay, 8; New Hampshire, 7; South Carolina St., 4; Presbyterian, 3; East Tennessee St., 2; Southern Utah, 2; William & Mary, 2; Elon, 1; Northern Arizona, 1; Prairie View A&M, 1.
 
In the National Rankings
 
UTRGV currently ranks in the top 10 in the FCS in nine statistical categories, and the top 40 in 34 categories:



Category
Value
FCS Rank
SLC Rank


Blocked Kicks Allowed
0
1
1


Blocked Punts Allowed
0
1
1


Fumbles Lost
1
1
1


Fumbles Recovered
12
2
1


Turnovers Gained
22
2
1


Turnover Margin
1.18
3
1


Team Passing Efficiency
166.35
7
1


Defensive Touchdowns
3
8
2


Points Per Game
40.2
9
1


Passing Yards Per Completion
14.18
11
1


Total Yards Per Game
446.4
11
1


Turnovers Lost
9
14
1


Punt Return Defense
4.60
16
2


Passing Yards Per Game
256.5
18
2


Winning Percentage
.727
18
2


Net Punting
39.45
19
3


Points Allowed Per Game
19.3
19
3


Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game
118.5
19
3


Rushing Yards Per Game
189.8
20
1


Third Down Converstion Pct.
45.5%
20
1


Team Passing Efficiency Defense
120.15
20
5


Tackles for Loss Per Game
6.7
21
4


Passes Intercepted
10
24
4


Total Yards Allowed Per Game
329.7
25
4


Fewest Penalties Per Game
5.18
26
2


Kickoff Return Defense
18.46
26
4


Fewest Penalties
57
28
2


Sacks Per Game
2.36
28
3


Sacks Allowed Per Game
1.55
32
2


Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game
45.91
32
3


Tackles for Loss Allowed Per Game
4.82
34
2


Fewest Penalty Yards
505
35
3


First Downs Allowed
198
36
5


Completion Percentage
63.4%
38
4

 
UTRGV also has 21 student-athletes ranking among the national leaders:



Player
Stat
Total
FCS Rank
SLC Rank


Eddie Lee Marburger
Passing Touchdowns
29
3
1



Passing Efficiency
171.5
5
1



Points Responsible For Per Game
18.0
5
1



Passing Yards Per Completion
14.5
6
1



Points Responsible For
198
6
1



Yards Per Pass Attempt
9.33
6
1



Passing Yards
2,639
12
1



Passing Yards Per Game
239.9
14
1



Total Yards Per Game
268.3
16
1



Completion Percentage
64.3%
35
3



Completions Per Game
16.55
44
3









Tony Diaz
Receiving Touchdowns
11
4
1



Receptions Per Game
5.73
11
2



Receiving Yards
825
15
1



Receiving Yards Per Game
75.0
26
2



Total Touchdowns
11
29
2



Total Points Scored
66
71
6



Scoring
6.0
81
7



All Purpose Yards Per Game
74.91
132
8



Points Responsible For
66
165
13



Yards Per Reception
13.10
157
8









Xayvion Noland
Yards Per Reception
23.88
1
1



Receiving Touchdowns
7
22
4



Receiving Yards
812
19
3



Receiving Yards Per Game
73.8
31
3



All Purpose Yards Per Game
88.45
79
3



Total Touchdowns
7
95
7



Kick Return Yards
161
149
14



Receptions Per Game
3.09
170
13









Brysen Gardner
Total Points Scored
72
44
3



Scoring
6.5
58
4



Field Goal Percentage
.692
65
6



Field Goals Per Game
0.82
67
6



Points Responsible For
72
134
8



Points Responsible For Per Game
6.5
147
10









Elijah Graham
Fumble Recoveries
2
8
3



Interceptions Per Game
0.27
46
5









Jaiden Haygood
Total Tackles Per Game
8.8
29
4



Fumble Recoveries
1
79
9









Logic Hudgens
Fumble Recoveries
1
79
9



Interceptions Per Game
0.18
118
12









Spencer Rich
Fumble Recoveries
3
2
1



Total Tackles Per Game
7.7
70
10









Ian Box
Sacks Per Game
0.50
65
3









Tavian Cord
Receiving Touchdowns
4
110
9









TJ Dement
Rushing Touchdowns
5
121
7









Nathan Denney
Rushing Yards
506
123
5









Hank Filamar
Fumble Recoveries
1
79
9









Carter Hewitt
Kick Return Yards
134
169
15









Jayden House
Fumble Recoveries
1
79
9









Percy Jackson III
Fumble Recoveries
1
79
9









Abdon Mata
Sacks Per Game
0.36
134
11









TJ Neal
Fumble Recoveries
1
79
9









Amari Pouncy
Fumble Recoveries
1
79
9









Ismael Smith Flores
Receiving Touchdowns
5
71
7









Nathaniel Wallce-Dilling
Punting Average
43.5
17
2

 
Up Next
 

UTRGV wraps up its inaugural season against East Texas A&M on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium.
 
A limited number of individual tickets go on sale Friday at 8 a.m. at UTRGVTickets.com.
 
The action starts with KRGV’s Vaqueros Game Day at 10 a.m. in Schlotzsky’s Vaquero Village at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. Tailgating at Vackar Stadium begins at 12 p.m. The Vaqueros Walk is at 2:45 p.m. in the H-E-B Tailgate Zone followed by a pep rally in the amphitheater. Fans do not need a game ticket to access Vaqueros Game Day or the tailgating areas.
 
Gates to Vackar Stadium open at 3:30 p.m.
 
Fans can learn more about game day, including parking information, maps, and the clear bag policy, by visiting RallyTheValley.com.
 
Fans can watch online domestically on ESPN+ and internationally on Southland International.
 
Fans can listen in English locally on Ultra 90.1 FM, in Laredo on Pure Country 95.7 FM, and online via the Radio Para Mi app, and in Spanish locally on KYWW 1530 AM Puro Tejano and KGBT-FM 98.5 La Preferida and online via the Uforia app.

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