Saturday, November 14
Abilene, Texas
2 p.m.
Abilene Christian
vs
Southeastern Louisiana
Photo by: Jeremy Enlow
Wildcats close home season Saturday against SE Louisiana
11/12/2015 11:03:00 PM | Football
Gameday Central
ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats close out the home portion of the schedule today against Southeastern Louisiana in the first meeting between the teams in more than 40 years.
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The Wildcats enter the game riding a six-game losing streak – the program's longest in-season skid since the 2000 team lost its final six games of the season – and carrying a 2-7 overall mark and 2-6 Southland Conference record. Southeastern Louisiana, meanwhile, has also struggled this season and brings a 4-5 overall record and 3-4 Southland record into today's game.
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Both teams suffered losses last week as ACU dropped a 39-22 road decision at Northwestern State on a cold, rainy night in Natchitoches, La., while the Lions fell to Incarnate Word, 16-2, on a similar kind of night in Hammond, La.
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The Lions and Wildcats haven't played since Sept. 23, 1972, when Southeastern came away with a 14-10 win over the Wildcats in Abilene. The only other game between the two teams was played Nov. 6, 1971, in Hammond, La., with ACU winning the game, 28-7.
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The injury-plagued Wildcats – who at times this season have had as many as 15 players (most either starters or key players) unavailable to play – will honor their seniors today as they play their final home game at Shotwell Stadium. This class of players has helped usher in the NCAA Division I era of Wildcat football and has put together a 29-25 overall record against some of the toughest schedules in ACU football history.
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The seniors on this year's team were also part of a Wildcat team that in 2014 knocked off Troy for ACU's first win over an NCAA Division I FBS level team since a 1959 win over Texas-El Paso. Â The group of 13 players helped the Wildcats finish 4-4 in league play last season in ACU's first season at the FCS level, and first season to play a Southland Conference schedule since 1972.
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The Wildcats' season-long first-half woes continued last Saturday against Northwestern State as the Demons turned a 7-6 ACU lead at the end of the first quarter into a 23-7 ACU deficit at halftime. The Demons would then outscore ACU 16-0 in the third quarter (a 33-0 scoring streak) to carry a 39-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
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In their six-game losing streak, the Wildcats have been outscored 130-30 in the first half of those games (214-125 overall), and have been virtually out of the game at the break in four of the six losses (32-7 at Central Arkansas, 24-0 at Lamar, 35-7 vs. Sam Houston State and 23-7 at Northwestern State).
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Southeastern has also been plagued by injuries and enters Saturday's game with a losing record after being picked in the pre-season to finish second in the Southland.
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Monday, September 21
Monday, September 21
Saturday, September 19
Tuesday, September 15
