Gameday
ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats open the home portion of the 2011 football season tonight against long-time Lone Star Conference rival Angelo State, and they do so trying to bounce back from a rare regular-season loss.
The Wildcats enter tonight's game at 1-1 on the season after dropping a 23-17 decison to then-fourth-ranked North Alabama last Saturday at the Lone Star Football Festival at Cowboys Stadium. The loss is only the Wildcats' fourth regular-season loss since 2008, and three of those came in the 2009 season.
Fans can hear the broadcast on local radio on KULL Mix 92.5 FM with the pre-game show starting at 5:30 p.m.
For the Wildcats, it's also their first loss in a September game since dropping a 27-17 decision at Central Oklahoma on Sept. 1, 2007, snapping a 16-game winning streak in September games.
Saturday's game marks the 48th meeting between ACU and Angelo State, which is the third-oldest series in ACU history behind the 67 games against Texas A&M-Commerce and 51 games against
Howard Payne.
ACU junior quarterback Mitchell Gale – who made the second start of his career against Angelo State in a 2009 ACU victory in San Angelo – has thrown for 362.5 yards per game in the Wildcats' first two games, but he's also thrown four interceptions, one more than he threw the entire 2010 season.
Sophomore receiver
Taylor Gabriel had a career day last Saturday against North Alabama, coming up with career highs with eight catches and 135 yards and caught the first two touchdown passes of his career.
Darian Hogg has 11 catches for 116 yards on the season.
ACU, though, hasn't gotten its running game going yet this season. The Wildcats are averaging just 102.0 yards per game through two weeks with
Daryl Richardson leading the way with 63 yards on 10 carries.
Defensively, the Wildcats are led by senior defensive end
Aston Whiteside, who is currently fourth on ACU's career sacks list with 26.5. Junior defensive end
Ryan Smith, linebackers
Thor Woerner and
Derek Odelusi, and defensive backs
Darien Williams,
Nate Bailey and
L.B. Suggs are also key defensive cogs.
