Vaqueros wrap up inaugural regular season perfect at home

EDINBURG — Rally the Valley.
That has been UTRGV’s motto since the university announced its NCAA Division I football program.

During their inaugural season, the Vaqueros did just that, finishing perfect at home after a 33-14 win over East Texas A&M on Saturday at Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg.

The victory closes UTRGV’s regular season at 9-3 overall and 5-3 in Southland Conference play, including a 7-0 mark at home.

“We said it back in August, it was going to be a process,” UTRGV head coach Travis Bush said. “Our guys’ mindset was how can we speed up that process. Just extremely proud of everything they’ve done. The way we’ve battled and come together. They’ve done things everybody told them they couldn’t. To sit here at 9-3, just extremely proud of this group.”

UTRGV’s undefeated home record looked in danger early, falling behind 7-0 after a 1-yard touchdown run by Lions running back EJ Oakmon.

The Vaqueros’ defense jump-started the team late in the first, however, with senior Logic Hudgens picking off Eric Rodriguez and returning it 52 yards to tie the game.

The defensive score sparked a run of three straight scoring drives by the offense, sending the Vaqueros into halftime up 20-7.

Senior kicker Brysen Gardner capped two of those drives with field goals of 31 and 36 yards, while tight end Ismael Smith Flores added a 20-yard touchdown grab from Eddie Lee Marburger.

“My mindset today was to just continue what we were doing so we could continue to win,” Hudgens said. “I did everything I could to make sure we got this win. I’m very proud of this team, but at the same time I knew we could do this. I had faith in us from the jump.”

Gardner wasn’t finished, adding two more field goals in the second half to finish with a career-high four.

Marburger tossed another touchdown in the fourth, hitting Kyran Lee from 4 yards out. He finished 17-of-22 for 141 yards and two scores.

“Being from here, it has been so special,” Marburger said. “Growing up here, I know it is a special place. Y’all see it out there. The fans that show up to every home game. It’s just so much fun. We play for those guys. Then just a special team too. Just a bond these guys have, it is unbreakable. I think that’s why we’re so good at home. It’s just a special place.”

UTRGV finished the year tied for third in the SLC with Lamar, with both teams going 5-3 in league play.

The Vaqueros’ inaugural season also set multiple FCS records, becoming the only program to go undefeated at home in its first year and the only one to win more than seven games in its debut season.

“It’s just a special group, man,” Bush said. “Nobody knows outside of our building this group and what they’ve done. They came here on a dream. They came here on a vision, especially those seniors. They exemplify everything we want to be. We talked in a team meeting a year ago about looking for seniors with the mindset of coming in and setting the standard and foundation for this program and the future. That’s exactly what these guys did.”