Gameday
PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The Wildcats will be back on the road to take on another NCAA Division II opponent, this time the Gorillas of Pittsburg State (Kan.), the 10th-ranked team in this week's American Football Coaches' Association poll.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. from Carnie Smith Stadium.
The Wildcats (247 points) and Pittsburg State (228) rank No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, in all of college football in points scored. The Wildcats have won their three games by an average score of 49-25, while the Gorillas have won an average by the score of 57-19.
ACU enters Saturday's contest in Pittsburg, Kan., riding a two-game losing streak that consists of a 31-17 loss to NCAA Division I FCS member Illinois State on Sept. 21 and last week's 41-34 double-overtime loss to Tarleton State, an NCAA Division II member.
The Wildcat offense is led by senior quarterback
John David Baker, who is second in touchdown passes (17), sixth in FCS in passing efficiency (173.2), seventh in total passing yards (1,388), tied for 12th in total offense (305.8 yards per game) and 15th in passing yards per game (277.6). Baker – in his first and only season as the Wildcats' starter – needs just five touchdown passes to tie the great Jim Lindsey for 10th on the all-time single-season list with 22.
Baker didn't throw his first interception of the season until the 1:11 mark of the first quarter last Saturday, but it was a costly one as it was taken back 51 yards for a touchdown by Desmond Jackson.
Defensively the Wildcats are led by junior defensive end
Nick Richardson, who had one sack last Saturday and now has 18.5 for his career, which is 11th in school history. ACU has a turnover margin of plus-11 (eight interceptions, eight fumble recoveries and only five giveaways), which is tied for second in the FCS.
With ACU's future schedules pretty well set through 2016, this Saturday's game will be the Wildcats' final football game against an NCAA Division II team for the foreseeable future. There are no NCAA Division II opponents on the Wildcats' tentative schedules for 2014, 2015 or 2016.
