UTRGV's last opportunity for a road conference win
- Rey Silva
- Nov 13
- 2 min read
With their most recent victory on Saturday night over Nicholls, UTRGV becomes the 11th football program 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. The only other one to win seven games was South Alabama, which did not play any NCAA Division I competition while going 7-0 in 2009.
The Vaqueros will have one final attempt to earn their first conference road win over McNeese on Saturday night in Lake Charles, LA. UTRGV will need to avoid the slow start that has plagued them during the road portion of the conference schedule if they want to be in line for a 9-win season. While nine wins for a debutant FCS program from its initial stages may have sounded far-fetched over two years ago, now it has an opportunity to make more heads turn and pay a little more attention.
UTRGV has a record of 7-3 overall and 3-3 in conference. With post-season aspirations being a bit distant at the moment, closing the road portion of the schedule can reinvigorate conversations, but it needs a victory first on Saturday night.
“They are a good football team. I have known Coach Viator since my days at Texas State,” said head football coach Travis Bush on the upcoming trip to Lake Charles. “That is a team that is in a rebuilding mindset, but is doing a good job, and they have been contenders with him. They have an explosive QB that can hurt you both ways, so we need to be aware.” Some of the keys that the Vaqueros will need to improve to have an opportunity to win on Saturday night are to sustain longer drives, as they currently rank ninth in conference play, and convert the most out of their red zone opportunities, as they rank seventh during conference play. Defensively, during conference contests, UTRGV ranks 9th in both third and fourth-down conversions allowed.
McNeese also enters the game with a conference record of 3-3, but with an overall record of 4-6, and with a record of 3-2 at home. Some of their notable results during their home portion of the schedule include a loss to FCS foe Weber State, a home shutout loss to in-state rival Southeastern, and a shutout win over Houston Christian.
Game Information: UTRGV at McNeese
Stadium: Navarre Stadium in Lake Charles, LA
Kickoff: 6 PM
TV / Stream: ESPN +
Audio: Rio Grande Valley: 90.1 FM / Lake Charles: 92.9 FM
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