SAN ANTONIO -- To say 2026 has been a hard-luck season for the University of the Incarnate Word football team seems like an understatement.

Despite being just 2-4, the Cardinals have repeatedly proven themselves capable of playing with the best teams in the country. 

UIW's three losses against FCS opponents have come on the road to Northern Arizona, Stephen F. Austin and Lamar by a combined total of 15 points. All three of those teams are currently ranked in the top-10 of the FCS.

"You can probably point to four to five plays and all three outcomes go in our favor," Cardinal coach Clint Killough said. "There's just critical moments...moments where we need to lock in and we have to be fully cerebral football players.

"We're really close. We've got good players, we've got good coaches. This is just the part where we are really going to test our (mentality) and our approach and our love for this game."

Playing at home for the first time in nearly a month, the Cardinals will test their resolve against an inconsistent, but talented UTRGV squad that comes in with a top-15 defense and the momentum of a top-25 win a week ago.

The game at Benson Stadium will kick off at 6 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN Plus.

LAST TIME OUT: LAMAR 38, UIW 35

Trailing by 17 early in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals got a major spark when Xavier Trotter forced a fumble that Patrick Batiste returned 58 yards for a touchdown. 

After another stop, UIW capped a 61-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Emmett Brown to Tyrece Fairly-Diyem to make it a 38-35 game.

The defense came through again, giving UIW one more shot with under two minutes to play. Unfortunately, what looked to be a first down ended up being a game-ending lost fumble, with Lamar recovered, allowing it to run out the clock. 

The most persistent issue facing the Cardinals this year has been giveaways. UIW's negative-12 turnovers differential is the second worst in the FCS.

This has hurt one of the most prolific offenses in the country. The Cardinals still rank fourth in the FCS with 309.8 passing yards per-game and 14th overall at 456 yards per-game.

Brown has thrown for over 300 yards in each of the last two games and is seventh in the nation with 1,728 yards.

Four different Cardinal receivers have at least 200 yards, with Isaiah Champagne leading the group with 414 on a Southland Conference-best 37 catches.

Defensively, Christian Barney is second in the SLC with 58 tackles while Jeremiah Young is third in both tackles for-loss (seven) and sacks (four).

On special teams, Jayden Hibbler is third in the country with 235 punt return yards.

ABOUT THE VAQUEROS

It's been an up-and-down season for UTRGV. which comes in 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the Southland.

Despite consistency issues, the Vaqueros are coming off their biggest win of the year, a 13-3 victory over No. 25 Southeastern last Saturday, in which they scored 10 fourth-quarter points to blow open a low-scoring game.

As as been the case for much of the season, last week's effort was led by a stout defense.

UTRGV has the 14th-best scoring defense in the nation, allowing 18.17 points per-game. The unit is also in the top-25 in total yards (17th, 315) and passing yards (121.5) allowed per-game and is tied for second in the FCS with 10 interceptions. 

TJ Neal has picked off three passes with Jaiden Haygood and Dorian Blackwell both swiping two.

Just ahead of Barney on the SLC tackle list is Vaquero linebacker Spencer Rich, who has 63 stops on the season.

On the other end, UTRGV has one of the SLC's top wideouts in Kyran Lee, who has a league-best 445 yards and is second with four touchdown catches.

Quarterback Aidan Jakobsohn has completed 54 percent of his passes with 982 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions, while Brennan Carroll leads the rushing attack with 322 yards.

Kicker Brysen Gardner leads the Southland with 11 made field goals and is tied for 21st in the country in scoring with 48 points.

MATCHUP HISTORY AND OTHER NOTES

This marks just the second meeting between the two teams and the first in San Antonio.

In their inaugural season last fall, the Vaqueros put together a surprise 9-3 campaign, which included a 56-28 win over the Cardinals in Edinburg.

UTRGV dominated the Cardinals early, building up a 35-0 halftime lead. Incarnate Word put together a 28-7 scoring run in the second half, only for the Vaqueros to close the night out with two straight touchdowns.

Thus far, both teams have put together undefeated records at home while going winless on the road. UIW is 2-0 at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, and 0-4 away, while UTRGV is 3-0 at home and 0-3 on the road.

FOLLOW ALONG  

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