UTRGV FOOTBALL RECEIVING VOTES IN AFCA FCS COACHES POLL – WEEK 4
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team continues to receive votes in the Week 4 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Poll announced Monday.
The Vaqueros (2-2, 1-1 Southland Conference) received seven votes in Monday’s poll, the sixth-most among teams receiving votes that are not in the top 25. UTRGV was open Week 4 and will be back in action Saturday at 6 p.m. at East Texas A&M for a conference contest.
UTRGV is one of five Southland teams recognized in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. Stephen F. Austin sits at No. 5 after a 5-0, 2-0 SLC start to the season. Lamar (3-1, 1-0 SLC) is 13th, while Southeastern (3-2, 1-1 SLC) and UIW (2-2, 1-0 SLC) are receiving votes.
The Vaqueros lead the Southland in total defense, limiting opponents to 323.3 yards/game, with linebacker Spencer Rich leading the charge and ranking first in the conference with 37 tackles (9.25 tackles/game).
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll – September 28, 2026
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 4 | Next Game |
| 1 | Montana St. (25) | 5-0 | 625 | 1 | D. No. 17 Northern Arizona, 28-14 | Oct. 2 at Idaho |
| 2 | South Dakota St. | 4-1 | 590 | 2 | D. Eastern Illinois, 42-7 | Oct. 3 at No. 11 Illinois St. |
| 3 | Tarleton St. | 4-0 | 568 | 3 | Idle | Oct. 3 vs. Chicago St. |
| 4 | Montana | 4-1 | 550 | 4t | D. No. 9 UC Davis, 62-22 | Oct. 3 vs. Northern Colorado |
| 5 | Stephen F. Austin | 5-0 | 521 | 6 | D. Northeastern St., 63-14 | Oct. 3 vs. UIW |
| 6 | Lehigh | 5-0 | 484 | 7 | D. Penn, 20-7 | Oct. 3 vs. Fordham |
| 7 | North Dakota | 4-1 | 467 | 8 | D. Indiana St., 42-35 | Oct. 3 vs. Murray St. |
| 8 | Tennessee Tech | 4-0 | 429 | 10 | D. Wofford, 42-38 | Oct. 3 at Western Carolina |
| 9 | Austin Peay | 4-1 | 420 | 11 | D. UT Martin, 35-12 | Oct. 3 vs. New Haven |
| 10 | Youngstown St. | 3-2 | 386 | 13 | D. No. 12 South Dakota, 47-28 | Oct. 3 at No. 25 Southern Illinois |
| 11 | Illinois St. | 4-1 | 370 | 4t | Lost to Northern Iowa, 28-21 | Oct. 3 vs. No. 2 South Dakota St. |
| 12 | South Carolina St. | 5-0 | 329 | 14 | D. Bethune-Cookman, 31-21 | Oct. 3 vs. The Citadel |
| 13 | Lamar | 3-1 | 322 | 15 | D. Nicholls, 49-18 | Oct. 3 vs. Northwestern St. |
| 14 | Idaho St. | 4-0 | 311 | 16 | D. Southern Utah, 28-24 | Oct. 3 vs. No. 19 Northern Arizona |
| 15 | UC Davis | 3-2 | 236 | 9 | Lost to No. 4t Montana, 62-22 | Oct. 3 vs. Eastern Washington |
| 16 | South Dakota | 3-2 | 223 | 12 | Lost to No. 13 Youngstown St., 47-28 | Oct. 3 vs. Indiana St. |
| 17 | Richmond | 4-1 | 196 | 19 | D. Furman, 13-9 | Oct. 3 at Lafayette |
| 18 | West Florida | 3-1 | 193 | 20 | D. Southeast Missouri St., 20-17 | Oct. 3 at ACU |
| 19 | Northern Arizona | 3-2 | 175 | 17 | Lost to No. 1 Montana St., 28-14 | Oct. 3 at No. 14 Idaho St. |
| 20 | Colgate | 4-1 | 155 | 23t | D. No. 22 Villanova, 28-21 | Oct. 3 at No. 22 Harvard |
| 21 | Mercer | 3-2 | 117 | 23t | D. ACU, 34-17 | Oct. 3 at VMI |
| 22 | Harvard | 2-0 | 82 | 25 | D. Brown, 14-10 | Oct. 3 vs. No. 20 Colgate |
| 23 | Jackson St. | 4-0 | 72 | NR | D. Southern, 35-17 | Oct. 3 at Alabama A&M |
| 24 | Campbell | 4-1 | 71 | NR | D. Hampton, 44-20 | Oct. 3 at North Carolina Central |
| 25 | Southern Illinois | 3-2 | 57 | NR | D. Murray St., 46-6 | Oct. 3 vs. No. 10 Youngstown St. |
Dropped Out: Yale (18), Rhode Island (21), Villanova (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Elon, 55; Yale, 22; Alabama St., 19; Prairie View A&M, 17; Southeastern Louisiana, 14; UTRGV, 7; Furman, 6; Monmouth (N.J.), 6; Chattanooga, 5; Stony Brook, 5; Cal Poly, 4; Dartmouth, 4; St. Thomas (Minn.), 4; Cal Poly, 4; Delaware St., 3; Villanova, 2; Bryant, 1; Northern Iowa, 1; UIW, 1.