Saturday, November 11
Abilene, Texas
2 p.m.
Abilene Christian
2-8 , 2-6
35
vs
44
Sam Houston State
9-1 , 7-1
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston St. | 24 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 44 |
| Abilene Christian | 0 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
Team Stats
SHSU
ACU
Total Yards
390
451
Pass Yards
350
298
Rushing Yards
40
153
Penalty Yards
75
57
1st Downs
19
24
3rd Downs
5
7
4th Downs
0
2
TOP
24:25
35:35
1st Quarter
SHSU 3, ACU 0
SHSU - Honshtein, Tre 24 yd field goal 10 plays, 61 yards, TOP 2:28
SHSU 10, ACU 0
SHSU - Henderson, Raga 5 yd pass from Briscoe, Jeremi (Honshtein, Tre kick) 1 plays, 5 yards, TOP 0:04
SHSU 17, ACU 0
SHSU - Davis, Davion 17 yd pass from Briscoe, Jeremi (Honshtein, Tre kick) 5 plays, 46 yards, TOP 1:29
SHSU 24, ACU 0
SHSU - Louis, Yedidiah 32 yd pass from Briscoe, Jeremi (Honshtein, Tre kick) 4 plays, 52 yards, TOP 0:53
2nd Quarter
SHSU 24, ACU 7
ACU - T. Crain 3 yd pass from L. Anthony (N. Grau kick) 8 plays, 62 yards, TOP 3:25
3rd Quarter
SHSU 31, ACU 7
SHSU - Davis, Davion 18 yd pass from Briscoe, Jeremi (Honshtein, Tre kick) 4 plays, 43 yards, TOP 1:05
SHSU 31, ACU 14
ACU - T. Grant 10 yd pass from L. Anthony (N. Grau kick) 3 plays, 10 yards, TOP 0:13
SHSU 31, ACU 21
ACU - J. Miller 27 yd pass from L. Anthony (N. Grau kick) 8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 2:53
4th Quarter
SHSU 31, ACU 28
ACU - C. Whitley 3 yd pass from L. Anthony (N. Grau kick) 12 plays, 97 yards, TOP 3:45
SHSU 31, ACU 35
ACU - T. Grant 9 yd pass from L. Anthony (N. Grau kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:16
SHSU 37, ACU 35
SHSU - Louis, Yedidiah 15 yd pass from Briscoe, Jeremi (Contreras, Adri passintercepted) 4 plays, 56 yards, TOP 0:00
SHSU 44, ACU 35
SHSU - Davis, Davion 52 yd punt return (Honshtein, Tre kick)
Game Leaders
CMP
37
TD
5
YDS
297
INT
4
CMP
1
TD
0
YDS
1
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
PK
/ Football
OL
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ FootballPhoto by: Jeremy Enlow
Valiant rally falls short in 44-35 loss to Bearkats
11/11/2017 7:30:00 PM | Football
ABILENE – Jeremiah Briscoe threw for five touchdowns, and No. 4 Sam Houston State University survived a furious Abilene Christian University rally led by ACU quarterback Luke Anthony to beat the Wildcats 44-35 in a thrilling Southland Conference game Saturday afternoon at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.
ACU dropped to 2-8 overall and 2-5 in the Southland, while SHSU improved to 9-1 and 6-1 in the league, just behind leader Central Arkansas.
The Bearkats took advantage of a strong south win, speeding to a 24-0 first-quarter lead on three Briscoe TD passes and a field goal while keeping the Wildcats from advancing past mid-field on any of their drives. But ACU, behind five scoring passes in a record-setting performance by Anthony and a rejuvenated defense, caught Sam Houston State and took a 35-31 lead with 5:37 left in the game.
The Bearkats, who lead FCS in scoring and total offense, roared back with two late TDs of their own in the next two minutes, including a 52-yard punt return by Davion Davis plus an interception in the end zone in the final minute.
Briscoe (24 of 45 for 350 yards with two interceptions) and Anthony (37 of 67 for 297 yards with five interceptions) put on a show through the air. Anthony's 67 pass attempts eclipsed the school record of 63 set in 1970 by All-America quarterback Jim Lindsey and the single-game mark of 35 completions by Loyal Proffitt in 1983.
ACU's comeback was led by four straight TD passes by Anthony in the third quarter: 9 and 10 yards to Troy Grant, 3 yards to Carl Whitley and 27 yards to Justin Miller.
The Wildcat defense held the Bearkats' to 40 yards rushing for the game and only 122 yards of offense in the second and third quarters while carving into a Bearkat lead that looked insurmountable early in the game. The Bearkats had amassed more than 600 yards of offense in four of their last five games, but ACU outgained them in its final home game of the season, 451-390.
Tracy James became the first ACU back to rush for more than 100 yards in 2017, running for 142 on 16 carries, including a key 62-yarder in the fourth quarter to help fuel the Wildcat comeback.
Eleven tackles by linebacker Stan Denmark made him ACU's career leader, surpassing Ryan Boozer's 388 (1998-2001) in the third quarter. Denmark finished the game with 390 career tackles and has one more game to play to try and become the first Wildcat to reach 400 career tackles. Bearkat defensive lineman P.J. Hall recorded his 81st tackle for loss in the first quarter, setting a NCAA FCS career record.
Yedidiah Louis caught 11 Briscoe passes for 187 yards and two TDs.
PLAYS THAT MATTERED
- 1Q – Tre Honshtein's 24-yard field goal put the Bearkats on the scoreboard with 10:06 left in the first quarter. A 28-yard pass from Jeremiah Briscoe to Yedidiah Louis on third-and-8 from the SHSU 46-yard line was the big play in the 10-play, 61-yard drive.
- 1Q – Luke Anthony's pass intended to Justin Miller was picked off by Justin Johnson and returned 26 yards to the ACU 5-yard line. On the ensuing play, Briscoe threw the 99th TD pass of his career to Raga Henderson. Honshtein's successful PAT upped the Bearkat lead to 10-0 with 8:22 left.
- 1Q – Sam Houston's third drive was stopped when ACU's Royce Moore forced and recovered a fumble by running back Corey Avery at the Wildcat 35-yard line. ACU couldn't capitalize on the turnover, and Simon Laryea's punt was partially blocked by the Wildcats, giving SHSU the ball back at the 46-yard line. Briscoe's 100th career TD pass followed five plays later, a 17-yarder to Davion Davis with 2:30 left in the quarter. The Bearkats pulled further ahead, 17-0.
- 1Q – Briscoe tossed a 32-yard TD pass to Louis with 46 seconds left in the opening quarter.
- 2Q – Briscoe was intercepted by Jamar Mack at the ACU 38-yard line with 6:38 remaining in the half.
- 2Q – ACU got on the scoreboard when Anthony tossed a 3-yard scoring pass to tight end Trevor Crain with 3:13 left in the half, capping an eight-play, 62-yard drive.
- 2Q – Anthony's pass was tipped and intercepted by defensive end Deric Roberson at the ACU 35-yard line with 48 seconds left in the quarter.
- 3Q – Anthony was intercepted again on ACU's first drive of the second half. Four plays later, Briscoe threw his fourth scoring pass of the game, an 18-yarder to Davis with 11:20 left in the quarter. Honshtein's PAT made the new score 31-7.
- 3Q – Briscoe was intercepted for the second time in the game when his pass intended for wide receiver Nathan Stewart was tipped and caught by defensive end Temisan Kuyatsemi, giving ACU the ball at the Bearkat 10-yard line. ACU converted the turnover into points when Anthony threw a 10-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Troy Grant with 10:09 remaining in the quarter. Nik Grau's successful PAT cut the SHSU lead to 31-14.
- 3Q – Grau's attempted 44-yard field goal at the 6:31 mark was blocked by P.J. Hall, his 13th career kick block for the Bearkats.
- 3Q – ACU wide receiver Justin Miller caught Anthony's third TD pass of the afternoon, a 27-yarder with 2:33 left in the third quarter. Grau's PAT pulled ACU to within 31-21.
- 4Q – The Wildcats held SHSU out of the end zone with 11:51 remaining in the game when Briscoe's 3-yard pass to Nathan Stewart sailed wide at the goal line on fourth-and-2.
- 4Q – Anthony threw his fourth TD pass of the game with a 3-yarder to Carl Whitley with 8:06 on the clock. Grau's PAT cut the Bearkat lead to 31-28.
- 4Q – Brandon Richmond broke up a Briscoe pass on third-and-3 from the Bearkat 31-yard line, forcing SHSU to punt. On the first play after the ensuing punt, Wildcat running back Tracy James raced 62 yards to the Bearkat 13-yard line. Two plays later, Anthony's fifth TD pass of the game – a 9-yarder to Grant with 5:37 left – put ACU on top for the first time.
- 4Q – The Bearkats answered with Briscoe's fifth TD pass of the game – a 15-yarder to Louis at the 4:24 mark – but a PAT pass by Adri Contreras was intercepted by ACU's Royce Moore, keeping the score 37-35.
- 4Q – A Laryea punt was returned 52 yards by Davis with 3:32 left, his second of the year for the Bearkats. The successful PAT by Honshtein restored SHSU's lead to 9, 44-35.
- 4Q – Anthony's intended pass to Whitley was intercepted in the right corner of the end zone with 47 seconds remaining, and the Bearkats ran out the clock.
- After surrendering 24 points and 178 yards of offense in the opening quarter, ACU held the Bearkats to 46 yards of offense – and just 2 on the ground – while keeping Sam Houston State off the scoreboard in the second quarter. The Wildcats held the Bearkats to a total of 122 yards in quarters 2 and 3.
- Bearkat defensive lineman P.J. Hall recorded his 81st TFL (tackle for loss) in the first quarter, setting a NCAA FCS career record.
- Sam Denmark set ACU's career tackle record (389) in the third quarter, surpassing the previous mark held by Ryan Boozer (1998-2001).
- The Bearkats' Simon Laryea averaged just 21.7 yards on four punts into a stiff southwest wind during the first quarter. Sam Houston did not have to punt while scoring on four of its first five drives of the game.
- Briscoe threw four or more TD passes for the fourth time in five games.
- Tracy James became ACU's first back to surpass the 100yard mark this season, and the first to do so since Adrian Duncan ran for 101 yards against Northern Colorado on Sept. 10, 2016. James is the first ACU running back to crack the 100-yard barrier at Wildcat Stadium.
- In their four meetings since ACU re-joined the Southland Conference prior to the 2013 season, Sam Houston State has outscored ACU 66-0 in the first quarter: 7-0 in 2014, 28-0 in 2015, 7-0 in 2016 and 24-0 in 2017.
ACU head coach Adam Dorrel
… general comments
"I'm tremendously proud of the way our guys played against a really good football team. We were not very good at all in the first quarter, but we flipped a switch and found something and that got us back in the game."
… on the play of redshirt freshman quarterback Luke Anthony
"He was phenomenal (Saturday), but that doesn't surprise me. We had to remind him to not think too much and try to do too much. He's so smart that sometimes he thinks too much. Once he settled in and just played he was tremendous. The thing he's brought to our team that people don't see every day is a tremendous amount of leadership. He pours into our receivers and other players in the locker room and guys believe in him. He's playing great, but it's what he's doing off the field and in the locker room that's going to make him a tremendous player."
… on Sam Denmark breaking the all-time tackles record
"Sam embodies everything we want in our program. He's a great student, a great leader and a great player. He's a tremendous teammate and leader. We're trying to get a lot more guys like him."
Quarterback Luke Anthony
… general comments
"I was proud of the way we responded to being down big and coming back against a really good team. Unfortunately we couldn't come away with a win."
… feeling on the sideline down 24-0 at the end of the first quarter
"Our coaches do a great job of keeping us in the game and keeping us up instead of letting us get our heads down. I was just thinking that whether it was 56-0 or 7-0 we just needed to try and get a touchdown and stop the bleeding and get back into the game. We did that, but we just came up a few plays short of what we needed to make that happen."
Sam Denmark
… on breaking ACU's all-time tackles record
"Obviously a pretty special moment for me. My family had been counting down the last couple of weeks, and this was also the week that my teammates realized I was close, so there was a lot of pressure to get it today. Once I got the record and it was announced in the stadium there was a lot of stress that left my body."
… on what it takes to break the record
"I've learned that career records aren't about the individual; they're team records. For four years our defensive linemen have allowed me to get free to pursue the ballcarrier and make plays and get those tackles. Our defensive line was great (Saturday), and that allowed me to get what I needed to break the record."
NOTABLE
- Saturday's game was Senior Day for 16 Wildcats who played their final home game: defensive back Cydney Calvin; cornerback Aneas Henricks; defensive ends Bryson Gates and Dylan Douglass; linebackers Royce Moore and Sam Denmark; quarterback Kade Munden; running back De'Andre Brown; fullback Myles Solsberry; wide receivers Carl Whitley, Troy Grant and Hunter Lees; kicker Nik Grau; offensive linemen Austin Hisler and Chance Rieken; and tight end Trevor Crain.
- Running back De'Andre Brown finished the game with 18 yards rushing to give him 2,069 yards in his career, which pushes him past current Kansas City Chiefs running back Charcandrick West (2,059 yards from 2010-13) for 10th on ACU's all-time rushing list. Brown is one of only seven players in Wildcat football history to have at least 2,000 rushing yards and 3,000 all-purpose yards in his career.
- The Bearkats are defending champions of the Southland Conference and ranked No. 4 in the Football Championship Subdivision.
- ACU entered the game leading the Southland in pass defense at 182 yards per game and owning a 12-10-1 lead over Sam Houston State in its all-time series that began in 1926. ACU won 10 of 11 games from 1973-83 but SHSU has won the last four.
- The Bearkats and Wildcats once were rivals in the Lone Star Conference when it was affiliated with NAIA Division I and later, NCAA Division II.
- Sam Houston State entered the game attempting to become the second university since 1978 to lead the nation in total offense three consecutive seasons (Portland State was the first in 1978-80). They are on track through nine games, leading FCS in total offense and scoring. They have accumulated more than 600 yards of offense in six games in 2017.
The Wildcats wrap up their season at 3 p.m. next Saturday on the road against Southland leader Central Arkansas. The Bearkats host Houston Baptist in a 1 p.m. game in Huntsville.
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