FORT WORTH - Texas Wesleyan will take its third road trip of the season into uncharted territory Saturday night when the Rams face one of the nation's newest college football stories, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium, where another sellout crowd is expected.
The Rams (1-1, 1-0 SAC) enter the matchup on the heels of a decisive 52-13 victory over Texas College last week in Tyler. Quarterback Carson Rodgers paced the attack with 280 passing yards and three touchdowns, finding targets across the field. Paul Summers hauled in a 44-yard touchdown, Cameron Smith scored on a 53-yard strike, and Ronnie Schneider added another touchdown reception.
On the ground, sophomore running back Jalen March carried 17 times for 135 yards and powered into the end zone four times, marking one of the most productive performances of his career. The Rams finished with 453 yards of total offense, including 173 rushing, while holding Texas College to just 42 yards on the ground. The defense came up with two interceptions and repeatedly stalled the Steers' drives, setting up the offense with favorable field position.
The win not only evened Texas Wesleyan's record at 1-1 but also gave the program an important 1-0 start in conference play. Now, head coach Brad Sherrod's squad shifts its attention from a familiar SAC opponent to a high-profile nonconference challenge under the lights in the Rio Grande Valley.
UTRGV (3-0), in its inaugural season, has quickly emerged as one of the most talked-about programs in the Football Championship Subdivision. Under head coach Travis Bush, the Vaqueros became just the third brand-new FCS program since 2008 to start 3-0, joining Kennesaw State in 2015 and South Alabama in 2009.
The program was created after a student referendum and has since drawn extraordinary community support, with sellout crowds at each of its first three home games.
The Vaqueros showcased their firepower last weekend with an 80-0 rout of Langston University, a member of Texas Wesleyan's own Sooner Athletic Conference. Senior quarterback and Sharyland Pioneer alum Eddie Lee Marburger completed 12 of 19 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Sophomore wideout Xayvion Noland was the top target, catching five passes for 151 yards and two scores.
UTRGV's defense also played a starring role, highlighted by senior Elijah Graham's pair of interceptions, including the first defensive touchdown in program history. The Vaqueros added big plays on the ground as freshmen and reserves piled up touchdowns in the second half. Redshirt freshman Brennan Carroll rushed for 134 yards, while freshman quarterback Aidan Jakobsohn threw two touchdown passes.
Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between the Rams and Vaqueros. For Texas Wesleyan, it offers a chance to measure itself against a surging FCS program making national headlines. For
