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(Local fans can listen live on KYYW 1470 AM)
(The game will also be broadcast live on KTAB-TV in Abilene and KAMR-TV in Amarillo)
ABILENE – For the first time since ACU began playing at the NCAA Division II level in 1981, the Wildcats carry the nation's No. 1 ranking into a game.
The unbeaten Wildcats (7-0) ascended to the top of the American Football Coaches' Association poll Monday morning, taking over the No. 1 spot by virtue of their 38-14 win over Angelo State last Saturday and previous No. 1 Grand Valley State's upset loss.
The first game the Wildcats will play in as the nation's No. 1-ranked team is Saturday against their Lone Star Conference South Division rival West Texas A&M in ACU's annual homecoming contest. The Wildcats are 49-31-1 all-time on homecoming, but have lost three of their last five homecoming contests, including games against the Buffaloes in 2005 (40-24) and 2007 (41-31).
The unraked Buffaloes (2-5 on the season) are back in Abilene for the first time since last November when the teams hooked up in an epic NCAA Division II second-round playoff game.
The Wildcats won the game, 93-68, in game that shattered more than 50 NCAA, NCAA Division II, LSC, ACU and West Texas A&M single-game and playoff game records.
The Wildcats not only carry the nation's a No. 1 national ranking into today's game, but also a 17-game regular-season winning streak. That streak includes ACU's 52-35 win over the Buffaloes last October in Canyon.
ACU played its most complete game of the season last week in dispatching the then-No. 23 Angelo State Rams at San Angelo Stadium. The offense – led by redshirt freshman quarterback
Mitchell Gale in his second start – pushed the Wildcats to a 17-0 halftime lead and then responded with 21 straight points after the Rams cut the ACU lead to 17-7.
Daryl Richardson scored four touchdowns to give him seven TDs in the Wildcats' last two games. In the first two starts of his ACU career, Gale has completed 38 of 52 passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns.
The defense was superb against the Rams, limiting ASU to just 299 yards of total offense and seven points (one touchdown was scored on a fake field goal). The Wildcats created four turnovers and came up with three sacks.
For the first time since Don Carthel took over the WT program prior to the 2005 season, the Buffs are playing the role of spoiler going down the final stretch of the season. With no chance to reach the NCAA Division II playoffs, the Buffs will try to wreck ACU's chances at a second straight LSC title and fourth straight playoff bid.
The Buffs – who battled injury problems early in the season – appear to be gettin ghealthy at the right time and will pose a major challenge for the Wildcats.
Running back Keithon Flemming is back in the lineup and ran for 49 yards and one score on 10 carries in last week's 34-24 win over Eastern New Mexico. Quarterback Taylor Harris threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns in the win to give him 1,886 passing yards and nine TDs on the season.
