UTRGV’s rally at Nicholls showed the Vaqueros could fight their way back into a game.
The 31–28 loss also left plenty to sort out before McNeese arrives in Edinburg. Three games into Year Two, the quarterback situation remains unsettled, mistakes are piling up, and the schedule offers little breathing room.
1. Where does UTRGV go at Quarterback?
I understood giving both quarterbacks opportunities to start the season. If neither had separated himself enough during fall camp, live game reps could help settle the competition. Making opponents prepare for two quarterbacks with different strengths could also have value.
The question now is what continuing the rotation does for the offense.
Through games against UTPB, UTSA and Nicholls, here is where Garret Rangel and Aidan Jakobsohn stand:
| Quarterback | Comp./Att. | Completion % | Passing yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garret Rangel | 43/75 | 57% | 490 | 2 | 2 |
| Aidan Jakobsohn | 23/44 | 52% | 408 | 3 | 2 |
| Combined | 66/119 | 55% | 898 | 5 | 4 |
Completion percentages rounded. Totals combine UTRGV’s official two-game statistics with the supplied Nicholls box score.
After two games, Rangel had the stronger case based on his completion rate and ability to avoid interceptions. Nicholls complicated that conversation. Jakobsohn threw for 137 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, while Rangel finished with 127 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Neither completed half his passes.
Rangel still leads in passing yards and completion percentage. Jakobsohn has more touchdown passes and the same number of interceptions on fewer attempts. There is production from both, but neither has put together the consistency that would make this an easy decision.
A two-quarterback system can work when each player has a clear role and the offense benefits from using both. At this point, I want to see what that benefit looks like for UTRGV. Is the rotation creating an advantage, or would the offense be better served by giving one quarterback more time to establish a rhythm? The numbers and game performances so far raise those questions, even if they cannot answer it by themselves.
2. The mistakes are adding up
Discipline was one of UTRGV’s strengths during its inaugural season. Through three games in Year Two, penalties and turnovers have become a concern.
The Vaqueros committed 17 penalties across their first two games, then added 10 against Nicholls. That is 27 penalties through three games, an average of nine per game. Whatever the updated national ranking looks like, that is too much to keep overcoming.
They have also committed seven turnovers through three games, compared with just one through the same stretch in 2025.
The competition deserves to be mentioned though. This season’s opening stretch has presented a tougher test, including an FBS opponent in UTSA. Better teams can force mistakes and punish them more effectively. But that also makes protecting possessions and avoiding unnecessary penalties more valuable.
A penalty can put the offense behind schedule or give an opposing drive another chance. A turnover takes away an opportunity to score and can leave the defense with a short field. In a game decided by three points, those lost opportunities deserve attention.
UTRGV cannot control how much better its opponents have become, but it can improve how cleanly it plays. Getting back to that discipline needs to be a priority.
3. The schedule leaves little room to settle in
Returning home should help, but McNeese is bringing a serious challenge.
The Cowboys pushed No. 4 Tarleton State to the final play Saturday, falling 27–24 on a 24-yard field goal as time expired. McNeese led 24–21 entering the fourth quarter. That performance should have UTRGV’s full attention ahead of September 19th.
After McNeese, five of the final eight games are on the road. The only remaining home opponents are Southeastern on October 10th, Lamar on October 31st and Stephen F. Austin on November 14th. Those are demanding opportunities to protect home field.
The road schedule includes East Texas A&M, UIW, Central Arkansas and Northwestern State before the November 21st finale at Houston Christian. The Huskies have already shown they deserve attention, opening their season with a 34–28 road win over then-No. 19 Southeastern.
There are still nine games left and plenty of opportunities to shape this season. But the Vaqueros need to start finding answers while facing teams capable of exposing the same problems that have surfaced through three weeks.
The fight at Nicholls was encouraging. Turning that fight into wins will require more consistent quarterback play, fewer wasted possessions and a cleaner game from start to finish. McNeese will provide the next measure of that progress.
