UTRGV FOOTBALL RECEIVING VOTES IN WEEK 4 AFCA FCS COACHES POLL

RIO GRANDE VALLEY –The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) football program is receiving votes in the week 4 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, marking the program’s first-ever appearance in a national poll.

In their inaugural season, the Vaqueros (4-0) are one of 15 remaining undefeated programs in the FCS and one of six undefeated teams with at least four wins.

Undefeated Teams in NCAA Division I FCS Football

Team Record Last Game Next Game

#1 North Dakota State 3-0 W 41-14 vs. (RV) Southeast Missouri State (9/13) vs. #18 South Dakota (9/27)

#2 South Dakota State 3-0 W 37-21 vs. Drake (9/13) vs. Mercyhurst (9/27)

#3 Tarleton State 5-0 W 52-24 vs. Chattanooga (9/20) vs. Southern Utah (10/4)

#4 Montana 3-0 W 63-20 vs. (RV) Indiana State (9/20) vs. #10 Idaho (9/27)

#7 Rhode Island 4-0 W 28-7 vs. (RV) LIU (9/20) @ Western Michigan (9/27)

#9 Lehigh 4-0 W 41-24 @ Bucknell (9/20) vs. Penn (9/27)

#11 Tennessee Tech 3-0 W 72-14 vs. Davidson (9/13) @ Tennessee State (9/27)

#20 West Georgia 4-0 W 33-12 vs. (RV) Eastern Kentucky (9/20) @ Southern Utah (9/27)

(RV) UTRGV 4-0 W 61-13 vs. Texas Wesleyan (9/20) @ (RV) Southeastern (9/27)

(RV) Presbyterian 4-0 W 76-3 vs. Bluefield (9/20) vs. Morehead State (9/27)

(RV) Brown 1-0 W 46-0 vs. Georgetown (9/20) @ (RV) Harvard (9/27)

(RV) Dartmouth 1-0 W 27-20 vs. #23 New Hampshire (9/20) @ Central Connecticut State (9/27)

(RV) Harvard 1-0 W 59-7 @ Stetson (9/20) vs. (RV) Brown (9/27)

(RV) Yale 1-0 W 28-10 vs. Holy Cross (9/20) vs. Cornell (9/27)

Penn 1-0 W 24-21 @ Stonehill (9/20) @ #9 Lehigh (9/27)

The Vaqueros are the second brand new FCS program to start 4-0 in their inaugural season since 2008, joining South Alabama (2009).

AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl – September 22, 2025

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week 4	Next Game
1	North Dakota St. (25)	3-0	649	1	Idle	Sept. 27 vs. No. 18 South Dakota
2	South Dakota St. (1)	3-0	622	2	Idle	Sept. 27 vs. Mercyhurst
3	Tarleton St.	5-0	598	3	D. Chattanooga, 52-24	Oct. 4 vs. Southern Utah
4	Montana	3-0	552	5	D. Indiana St., 63-20	Sept. 27 vs. No. 10 Idaho
5	Illinois St.	3-1	546	4	D. North Alabama, 38-36	Oct. 4 vs. No. 1 North Dakota St.
6	Montana St.	2-2	525	6t	D. Mercyhurst, 17-0	Sept. 27 vs. Eastern Washington
7	Rhode Island	4-0	492	6t	D. LIU, 28-7	Sept. 27 at Western Michigan
8	UC Davis	2-1	418	9	D. Southern Utah, 50-34	Sept. 27 vs. Weber St.
9	Lehigh	4-0	402	10	D. Bucknell, 41-24	Sept. 27 vs. Penn
10	Idaho	2-2	381	8	Lost to San Jose St., 31-28	Sept. 27 at No. 4 Montana
11	Tennessee Tech	3-0	370	12t	Idle	Sept. 27 at Tennessee St.
12	Southern Illinois	3-1	363	11	D. Southeast Missouri St., 59-31	Oct. 4 vs. Indiana St.
13	ACU	2-2	308	15	D. No. 20 Austin Peay, 45-31	Sept. 27 at No. 24 UIW
14	Monmouth (N.J.)	3-1	296	18	D. No. 12t Villanova, 51-33	Oct. 4 vs. Delaware St.
15t.	North Dakota	2-2	267	17	D. Valparaiso, 58-7	Oct. 4 at Northern Iowa
15t.	Northern Arizona	3-1	267	19	D. No. 14 UIW, 31-23	Sept. 27 at Portland St.
17	Jackson St.	2-1	235	16	Idle	Sept. 27 at Southern
18	South Dakota	2-2	173	21	D. Drake, 42-21	Sept. 27 at No. 1 North Dakota St.
19	Youngstown St.	3-1	149	24	D. Towson, 31-28	Oct. 4 vs. No. 2 South Dakota St.
20	West Georgia	4-0	142	NR	D. Eastern Kentucky, 33-12	Sept. 27 at Southern Utah
21	Sacramento St.	2-2	128	22	D. Central Arkansas, 45-16	Sept. 27 vs. Cal Poly
22	Villanova	1-2	118	12t	Lost to No. 18 Monmouth (N.J.), 51-33	Sept. 27 vs. William & Mary
23	Mercer	2-1	82	25	D. The Citadel, 38-0	Sept. 27 at East Tennessee St.
24	UIW	1-3	61	14	Lost to No. 19 Northern Arizona, 31-23	Sept. 27 vs. No. 13 ACU
25	Austin Peay	2-2	52	20	Lost to No. 15 ACU, 45-31	Sept. 27 vs. Utah Tech

Dropped Out: New Hampshire (23)

Others Receiving Votes: Presbyterian, 51; Lamar, 42; Dartmouth, 31; Lafayette, 26; Harvard, 16; Southeastern Louisiana, 14; Yale, 13; Furman, 11; New Hampshire, 9; Stephen F. Austin, 9; North Carolina Central, 7; East Tennessee St., 5; Gardner-Webb, 5; UT Rio Grande Valley, 5; Richmond, 3; Brown, 2; Chattanooga, 2; Eastern Washington, 1; San Diego, 1; South Carolina St., 1.

In the National Rankings

UTRGV currently leads the FCS in four statistical categories, ranks in the top five in 18 categories, and the top 25 in 31 categories:

Category Value FCS Rank SLC Rank

Blocked Kicks Allowed 0 1 1

Blocked Punts Allowed 0 1 1

Total Yards Per Game 604.0 1 1

Winning Percentage 1.000 1 1

Passing Yards Per Game 321.5 2 1

Turnovers Gained 10 2 1

Points Per Game 58.5 3 1

Rushing Yards Per Game 282.5 2 1

Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game 71.0 3 1

Defensive Touchdowns 2 3 2

Fumbles Recovered 5 4 1

Points Allowed Per Game 8.5 4 1

Team Passing Efficiency 197.06 4 1

Team Passing Efficiency Defense 84.02 4 1

Turnover Margin 2.00 4 1

First Downs Gained 101 5 1

Passing Yards Per Completion 15.88 5 1

Total Yards Allowed Per Game 217.3 5 1

Passes Intercepted 5 6 1

Passes Had Intercepted 1 10 1

Passing Yards Allowed Per Game 146.3 11 1

First Downs Allowed 48 13 1

Third Down Conversion Pct. .478 13 1

Completion Percentage .704 13 2

Team Tackles for Loss 7.3 14 2

Turnovers Lost 2 16 1

Third Down Conversion Pct. Defense .302 17 2

Blocked Kicks 1 18 3

Fourth Down Conversion Pct. Defense .300 19 2

Fumbles Lost 1 19 1

Sacks Allowed Per Game 1.25 25 1

UTRGV also has 18 student-athletes ranking among the national leaders:

Player	Stat	Total	FCS Rank	SLC Rank
Eddie Lee Marburger	Yards Per Pass Attempt	12.10	2	1
	Passing Efficiency	209.1	3	1
	Passing Yards Per Completion	16.79	3	1
	Passing Touchdowns	10	4	1
	Passing Yards	1,125	5	1
	Passing Yards Per Game	281.3	5	1
	Total Yards Per Game	298.3	6	1
	Completion Percentage	.720	7	2
	Points Responsible For	66	8	1
	Points Responsible For Per Game	16.5	12	1
	Completions Per Game	16.75	38	3

Xayvion Noland	Receiving Yards	470	3	1
	Yards Per Reception	36.15	3	1
	Receiving Yards Per Game	117.5	4	1
	Receiving Touchdowns	4	8	1
	All Purpose Yards Per Game	131.00	18	1
	Total Touchdowns