Football | 9/8/2016 10:42:00 PM
Gameday Central
ABILENE – On the surface, it wouldn't appear that Saturday's game between ACU and the visiting Bears of Northern Colorado has much historical significance.
However, Saturday's game is the final regular-season home-opener at Shotwell Stadium for the Wildcats, who are playing in their 58th and final season at the venerable stadium before moving into their new on-campus stadium next fall. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and can be heard locally on 98.1 FM.
ACU is 40-17 in its previous 57 season-openers and has won nine of its last 10 home-openers, including last season's 49-21 win over Southland Conference foe Houston Baptist. The Wildcats' most-frequent home-opening opponent is its old rival from the Lone Star Conference, Texas A&M-Commerce, against whom the Wildcats hold a 5-2 record in such games.
ACU's next most-frequent home-opening are the Bears of Northern Colorado, the same program that visits Shotwell Stadium this week for the final time. In six previous meetings between the teams in Wildcat home-openers, ACU holds a 4-2 edge, although the Bears have won each of the last two meetings (1988 and 1990). ACU won the first four games between the teams in 1978, 1981, 1984 and 1986.
The Bears enter Saturday's game at 1-0 on the season after a 56-27 home win last week over NAIA member Rocky Mountain College. Northern Colorado, which ended last season with a 40-36 home win over the Wildcats to clinch its first winning season in 12 years, was led in its season-opening win by quarterback Jacob Knipp, who completed 11 of 16 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns, while the Bears also ran for 272 yards as seven different players carried the ball. Last year's top rusher, Trae Riek, had just 55 yards on 11 carries.
Northern Colorado's defense limited RMC to just 57 yards on the ground, but allowed quarterback Chase White to complete 31 of 51 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Luke Nelson finished with seven tackles, while Sherand Boyd Jr and Kyle Newsom each finished with six tackles.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, will try to bounce back from last Saturday's season-opening 37-21 loss at Air Force, which has been picked to finish second in the FBS Mountain West Conference. ACU trailed 28-7 at halftime, but cut the lead to 28-14 in the third quarter and had a chance to make it a 28-21 game late in the quarter before finally missing a field goal that seemed to signal ACU's last chance to win the game.
ACU was led by quarterback
Dallas Sealey, who completed 16 of 33 passes for 274 and three touchdowns, including throws of 43 yards to
D.J. Fuller (five catches for 109 yards) and 76 yards to
Tracy James.
Defensively, the Wildcats gave up 401 rushing yards to the ground-oriented Falcons. However, the Wildcats also forced two turnovers and allowed nine points in the second half. Sophomore middle linebacker
Gavin Burford led the Wildcats with 12 tackles in his first start in the middle. Burford had 15 tackles during the entire 2015 season. Junior outside linebacker
Bryson Gates finished with 11 tackles and two tackles for loss in one of his best games as a Wildcat.
