UTRGV Football Extends Home Winning Streak to 10 Games after Defeating No.2 Southeastern Louisiana

UTRGV football is continuing to establish its presence in the Southland Conference, protecting its home field in the program’s second season.

On Oct. 10, the Vaqueros defeated No. 25 Southeastern Louisiana 13-3 at the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg.

The victory marked the program’s first win against a nationally ranked opponent, extendeding its undefeated home record to 10-0 since last season.

Fifth-year defensive back TJ Neal played a key role in the victory, recording two interceptions and 10 tackles. His performance helped the Vaqueros’ defense limit Southeastern Louisiana to just three points.

For Neal, creating turnovers is about more than individual performance. It is also about giving the offense opportunities to make plays.

“I mean, turnovers are amazing. I mean, they really get the offense going,”
Neal said.

The Vaqueros recorded three interceptions during the game, with linebacker Jaiden Haygood securing the third on a crucial third-down play near the goal line in the fourth quarter.

Haygood finished with 10 tackles and helped prevent Southeastern Louisiana from getting back into the game. After suffering a difficult road loss the previous weekend, the victory also demonstrated the team’s ability to respond to adversity.

“Now we can overcome adversity, There was a really tough loss last weekend. They come back and win against a top 25 opponent shows a lot about how we overcome adversity.”
Haygood said.

The defensive performance was especially important against a Southeastern Louisiana team that entered the matchup averaging 32.4 points per game. UTRGV held the Lions to three points, helping secure the program’s first victory against a ranked opponent.

While the defense created momentum with its takeaways, the offense also came through in a critical moment. Quarterback Aidan Jakobsohn connected with junior receiver Jaydon Smith for a 16-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, extending the Vaqueros’ lead and putting the game away.

Smith described the moment as familiar because of the work he and Jakobsohn have put in together during practice.

“He’s put it there a thousand times. We’ve practiced it a thousand times. Like, it was really nice,”
Smith said.

The win reinforced the importance of protecting home-field advantage as UTRGV continues to build its football program. With 10 consecutive home victories, the Vaqueros are setting a standard they want to maintain throughout the season.