TOPEKA, Kan. -- One of the weaknesses the 2009 ACU Wildcats endured during a 9-4 campaign was inconsistency at the quarterback position.
But if Saturday was any indication of what lies ahead in 2010, that's one position the Wildcats won't have to worry about.
Sophomore
Mitchell Gale got his second year as the starting quarterback off to a rousing start as he threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns as he led the sixth-ranked Wildcats to a 34-26 win over No. 9 Washburn in the season-opener at Yager Stadium.
Gale -- whose own up-and-down performance in 2009 mirrored that of ACU's other two quarterbacks -- played the most complete game of his career, completing 24 of 30 passes and led an offense that didn't turn the ball over while the ACU defense collected three turnovers from the Ichabods.
At one point from midway through the second quarter to the end of the third quarter, Gale completed 13 straight passes for 148 yards and two scores.
For the last couple of weeks, ACU head coach Chris Thomen said he believed that he had seen his sophomore quarterback turn the corner in his grasp of the offense and his ability to play at a high level. Gale's performance Saturday proved his belief correct.
"We've seen him mature a lot since the end of last season, and we believed he could put together the kind of performance he delivered (Saturday)," Thomsen said. "But his performance also had a lot to do with the improvement of the people around him."
ACU led 17-12 at halftime, and the Wildcat defense forced a punt on the opening possession of the second half. ACU took over on its own 19-yard line with 11:07 left and proceeded to drive 81 yards using 13 plays and taking 7 minutes, 10 seconds off the clock.
Gale was 9 for 9 on the drive for 70 yards, and he capped the drive with a 4-yard scoring pass to senior fullback
Emery Dudensing, the first touchdown of his career. The touchdown gave the Wildcats a 24-12 lead, although Washburn marched right back down the field, scoring on a 44-yard pass from Simoneau to Joe Hastings to make it 24-19 with 2:03 left in the third quarter.
But ACU answered again with a 33-yard
Morgan Lineberry field goal to push the lead to 27-19 with 14:17 to play in the game. Two Washburn possessions later, the Ichabods drove down the field before ACU forced them to settle for a field goal attempt. But
Aston Whiteside blocked the 3-yard attempt, turning the ball back over to the offense with an eight-point lead and 7:22 left in the game.
After two plays netted just three yards, Gale hit
Darrell Cantu-Harkless for two yards on a swing pass, but Washburn was whistled for a personal foul late hit, giving the Wildcats an automatic first down. Two plays later, Gale hit Gates for 18 yards and a first down, and two plays after that the two hooked up again on a 41-yard scoring pass that made the score 34-19, effectively sealing the game with 4:23 to play.
ACU started sluggishly as Lineberry missed a field goal on the opening drive and then falling behind 6-0 after a Vershon Moore 1-yard touchdown run gave Washburn the lead with 5:33 left in the first quarter. The Wildcats answered with a drive to a 21-yard field goal by Lineberry that cut the lead to 6-3 near the end of the first quarter.
The Wildcats then grabbed their first lead of the season as
Daryl Richardson scored on a 27-yard run, capping a nine-play, 67-yard drive, making the score 10-6 with 3:44 left in the first half.
Senior linebacker
Kevin Washington then made the defensive play of the game when he sacked quarterback Dane Simoneau, knocking the ball loose.
Mike Jones recovered for ACU, giving the Wildcat the ball at their own 49-yard line with 1:24 left in the first half.
It took just six seconds for the Wildcats to score as Gale dropped a 51-yard bomb to
Edmund Gates for a touchdown and a 17-6 lead. Washburn, though, drove 65 yards on just six plays to a score, cutting the Wildcats' lead to 17-12 at the half.
The Wildcats (1-0) will be back in action next Saturday when they travel to Tahlequah, Okla., to take on Northeastern State in a Lone Star Conference crossover game.
Richardson led the Wildcats with 74 yards on 21 carries, while Gates had five catches for 138 yards and the two touchdowns.
