ACU-Javelinas play for LSC title
11/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Wildcats looking for LSC crown
Win over Javelinas would give ACU share of crown
SETTING THE SCENE: The Wildcats will play their most meaningful game in 16 years Saturday night when they travel to Kingsville to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville in a game that should decide the Lone Star Conference championship.
ACU and A&M-Kingsville are each 5-1 and tied atop the LSC standings, while the Wildcats are 4-0 and in first place in the LSC South Division, one game ahead of the Javelinas. An ACU win would clinch the LSC South title for the Wildcats and clinch at least a share of the overall LSC title.
An ACU win would stretch its winning streak to six games overall, which would be its longest streak since the 1977 NAIA Division I national championship team won its final seven straight. An ACU victory would also mean ACU would need to only beat winless West Texas A&M in the season finale (Nov. 16) to win the LSC title outright for the first time since 1977, and possibly claim the school's first-ever spot in the NCAA Division II national playoffs.
The last time the Wildcats played a game with as much on the line was the 1986 season-finale against West Texas State. The Wildcats lost that game, 32-28, after leading 28-7 early in the contest. The loss cost the Wildcats the LSC crown and a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
RADIO: KULL 92.5 FM. David Bacon (play-by-play), Chuck Statler (color) and Steve Landtroop (sideline). ACU is no longer broadcasting its games over the internet.
SCOUTING THE WILDCAT OFFENSE
The Wildcats go into their biggest game of the season coming off one of their best offensive performances of the season. ACU compiled 415 yards of offense and a season-high 47 points in a 47-6 rout of Texas A&M-Commerce. ... The 47 points is the highest offensive point output since a 51-50 win over West Texas A&M in 1994. In fact, ACU had scored 40 points or more just once since then (in a 40-7 win at Eastern New Mexico in 1997). ... The 41-point margin of victory is the Wildcats' largest margin of victory since a 42-point win (57-15) over Tarleton State in 1993. ... Senior RB Eric Polk put together his fourth 100-yard game of the season against Commerce, rushing for 140 yards and three scores on 23 carries. He now has 730 yards on the season and is just 270 yards away from becoming the first Wildcat to rush for 1,000 yards or more in consecutive seasons. .. His 1,941 career rushing yards are the seventh-most in ACU history. His 425 career carries are seventh on the all-time list, and his 18 touchdowns are ninth on the all-time list. ... Junior QB Colby Freeman has put up some impressive numbers this season, and, if not for sitting out most of the fourth quarter last week, would have thrown for at least 200 yards for the fifth straight week and sixth time this season. ... Freeman has thrown for 2,205 yards in 13 games as a Wildcat, an average of 169.6 yards per game. However, in games in which he has started and played the entire game (10 games), he has thrown for 2,089 yards (208.9 per game). ... Freeman is directing the LSC's second-ranked passing offense (218.5 yards per game) and eight-ranked overall offense (344.4 yards per game). ... Freeman is fourth in the LSC in passing yards per game (182.5 yards per game), seventh in the LSC in total offense per game (186.8 yards per game) and fifth in the LSC in passing efficiency with a quarterback rating of 135.0. ... Junior WR DaRay Sims continues to leads the Wildcats in receiving with 21 catches for 368 yards and a pair of touchdowns. ... Freshman WR Don Hooks is second on the club with 19 catches for 319 yards and a team-leading three touchdown catches. ... Sophomore WR Sneezy Beltran also has 19 catches for 192 yards, and sophomore Dillon Cobb has 16 catches for 259 yards and one touchdown.
SCOUTING THE WILDCAT DEFENSE
The Wildcats have strung together three of their best defensive efforts in at least the last five years in their last three games. The Wildcats have allowed an average of just 276.7 yards and 18.3 points per game in their last three outings as the they have stretched their winning streak to five games. ... ACU allowed just 175 total yards last week against Texas A&M-Commerce, including just one yard of rushing on 28 carries. The Wildcats gave up just six points, recorded seven sacks and recovered four A&M-Commerce fumbles in the win. The six points is the fewest points allowed by the Wildcats in a game since a 26-3 win over West Texas A&M in the 1996 season-finale. ... Sophomore outside linebacker Shawn Taylor had eight tackles, 2.5 sacks for 26 yards in losses, one fumble recovery and one pass defended to earn LSC South Division Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. ... Taylor continues to lead the Wildcats in tackles with 74 (45 solo), including 11 for 47 yards in losses. ... Senior safety Steven Riddley is second on the club with 56 tackles (25 solo), while junior safety David Jones is third with 52 tackles (30 solo). ... Redshirt freshman Jayme Jackson had 2.5 sacks against the Lions to give him seven for the season, the most an ACU defensive player has posted in a single season since James Henderson had 15 in 1997. ... The Wildcats have 25 sacks as a team, the most ACU has recorded since the 1998 team had 27 sacks. ... ACU's defensive tackle tandem of senior Barrett Allen and junior Devian Mims have been a force in the middle of the Wildcats' defense. Allen has 29 tackles (16 solo) and three sacks for 26 yards in losses, while Mims has 27 tackles (11 solo) and one sack for five yards in losses. They will have to play big games Saturday at Kingsville against a Javelina team that ranks second in the LSC in rushing offense at 215.9 yards per game.
SCOUTING THE WILDCAT SPECIAL TEAMS
The Wildcats have one of the best special teams units in the LSC, ranking first in punting average (36.6 yards per punt), first in kickoff returns (24.2 yards per return) and sixth in punt returns (10.7 yards per return). ... DaRay Sims leads the LSC in kick-return yardage at 35.3 yards per return, while Kendrick Walker is second in the league in punt-return yardage at 13.4 yards per return. ... Sophomore placekicker Eben Nelson is second in the league kick scoring (51 points / 6.4 points per game) and in field goals (11 of 15 / 73.3 conversion rate). ... Redshirt freshman punter Chase Fishback is averaging 36.6 yards per punt on 40 punts.
INJURY UPDATE
DE Nick Gray (broken right foot), out indefinitely; OL Buddy Dowden (broken foot), out indefinitely.
THIS WEEK IN THE LONE STAR CONFERENCE
* After starting the season as the overwhelming favorite to win the LSC North Division title, Tarleton State must beat Southwestern Oklahoma State this week in order to keep its championship hopes alive. A loss to the Bulldogs, though, clinches at least a share of the title for Southwestern Oklahoma, which was picked to finish fifth in the six-team North Division.
* Angelo State's 38-6 loss to Midwestern State was the Rams' seventh this season, marking the first time since the 1968 season that an Angelo State team has lost as many as seven games in one season. That 1968 team finished 2-9, the second-worst record in school history, following the 0-10 mark posted by the 1966 team. The 1965 Ram team that finished 3-7 is the only other team in school history to post at least seven losses in one season.
* The 47 points posted by Abilene Christian in its 47-6 win over Texas A&M-Commerce are the most the Lions have allowed since a 48-21 loss at Stephen F. Austin in the second week of the 2000 season. They are also the most points the Lions have allowed in a Lone Star Conference South Division game since a 49-21 loss to Tarleton State in the 1997 season finale.
* West Texas A&M is two losses away from completing the second winless campaign in school history after falling to 0-8 with last Saturday's 42-17 loss to Tarleton State. The Buffaloes host Eastern New Mexico this week, and will close the regular season Nov. 16 at Abilene Christian. The only winless season in school history was the 0-10 campaign the 1983 team posted.
