Box Score ABILENE – Abilene Christian University took defending its new home turf quite literally Saturday night, limiting Houston Baptist University to 129 yards of offense in a 24-3 win before a sellout crowd in the inaugural game at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.
ACU improved to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the Southland Conference, playing a home game on campus for the first time since 1958. HBU fell to 1-2 and 0-1 in the Southland. The Wildcats set a defensive tone early, limiting the Huskies to 18 yards of passing and 76 total yards in the first half.
Abilene Christian, which played several miles from campus at Shotwell Stadium for 57 full seasons, opened the scoring when
De'Andre Brown scampered 5 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. HBU countered with a 54-yard field goal by Alex Chadwick. Wildcat quarterback
Dallas Sealey tossed a 33-yard scoring pass to
Carl Whitley with 38 seconds left in the first half and
Nik Grau added a 23-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.
Luke Anthony wrapped up ACU's scoring with a 17-yard TD throw to
Josh Fink with 2:03 left in the game.
Sealey completed 28 of 38 passes for 195 yards and a TD. Tracey James led ACU in rushing with 56 yards and Sealey scrambled for 46. HBU managed just seven first downs against the inspired Wildcat defense.
Linebacker Garrett Dolan had 16 tackles for HBU and safety Nicholas Smith added 12 and one interception. Bailey Zappe and Jack Swenson teamed to complete just 11 passes for 60 yards. Terrace Peters led all rushers with 68 yards.
The Wildcats continue Southland Conference play next Saturday when it hosts a 6 p.m. game with Stephen F. Austin on ACU's Family Weekend. HBU will play McNeese at 6 p.m. in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
PLAYS THAT MATTERED
• 1Q – ACU safety
Brandon Richmond's interception of Bailey Zappe at the Huskies' 46-yard line ended HBU's first offensive series with only 51 seconds elapsed in the game.
• 1Q –
Simon Laryea's first punt of the game flipped the field for the Wildcats when the junior launched a 70-yarder that moved the line of scrimmage from the ACU 19 to the HBU 11.
• 1Q – Sealey's long pass near the goal line was intercepted by the Huskies' safety Nicholas Smith at the HBU 4-yard line at the 4:48 mark.
• 1Q – Nic Grau's attempted 52-yard field goal was blocked by HBU's linebacker Garrett Dolan.
• 2Q –
De'Andre Brown appeared trapped by three would-be tacklers on the west sideline but escaped them and two others to scamper for a 5-yard touchdown with 9:53 left, the historic first points scored at the stadium.
• 2Q –
Brandon Richmond forced David Racine to fumble after a pass reception, and the ball was recovered by ACU's
Adonis Davis at the HBU 44-yard line.
• 2Q –
Dallas Sealey tossed a 33-yard TD pass to wide receiver
Carl Whitley with 1:59 left in the first half, giving the Wildcats a 14-3 lead.
• 3Q – ACU wide receiver
Josh Fink provided the only offensive highlight of the third quarter, a 37-yard catch-and-run following a
Dallas Sealey pass.
• 4Q – Eighteen seconds into the fourth quarter,
Nik Grau's 23-yard field goal extended ACU's lead to 17-3.
• 4Q – Redshirt freshman quarterback
Luke Anthony tossed a 17-yard field goal to
Josh Fink to wrap up ACU's scoring. His parents, April and Mark, are namesakes of Anthony Field and were lead donors for the new stadium.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
• ACU held Houston Baptist to 18 passing yards and 76 yards overall in the first half, and just 129 overall for the game.
• Wildcat punter
Simon Laryea averaged 49.5 yards on four kicks, including a 70-yarder in the first quarter.
• Luke Anthony threw a TD pass for the second straight game while playing in relief of starter
Dallas Sealey.
STAT CORNER
• ACU held Houston Baptist to 18 passing yards and 76 total yards of offense in the first half. The Wildcat dominance continued into the third quarter, when HBU could muster only another 8 yards.
QUOTABLE
ACU head coach Adam Dorrel
… on the slow start to the game
"Our emotions were running a little high to start the game, and we didn't want that to happen. But we've got to learn from that because next week will be emotional, too. We've got to be able to come out and start faster."
… on the crowd and atmosphere at Wildcat Stadium
"That's what it's supposed to be like. The student crowd was terrific, and the turnout from the community was awesome. It was an electric atmosphere down on the field, and I think it played a part in our slow start."
ACU running back De'Andre Brown
… on getting the win in the first day at Wildcat Stadium
"The win capped off an amazing day. There was a great gameday feeling on the campus from this morning all the way through the end of the game. Honestly, we didn't know we had that many people that cared about us and loved us and wanted to come out and watch us play. It was terrific."
… on scoring the first touchdown at Wildcat Stadium
"That's been a goal of mine since there was just a pile of dirt out here where the stadium is now. I've been thinking about that for two years. That's been one of my goals, and I'm glad I was able to accomplish it."
NOTABLE
• Before Saturday night, the last game played on campus was Thanksgiving Day in 1958, when ACU beat Howard Payne 49-30. The game took place on the same footprint as at old Elmer Gray Stadium, which was razed so Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium could be constructed. ACU's last venue for multiple years was A.B. Morris Stadium, located where the Mabee Business Building is today.
• Large murals outside the stadium recognize 20 of the top players in ACU history, most of them members of the All-Century Team chosen in 2005, plus others who have excelled over their careers since then:
- RB Wilbert Montgomery (Offensive MVP of All-Century Team)
- LB Chip Bennett (Defensive MVP of All-Century Team)
- QB Jim Lindsey
- QB Clint Longley
- QB Billy Malone
- QB Mitchell Gale
- RB V.T. Smith Jr.
- RB Bernard Scott
- WR Johnny Perkins
- WR Cle Montgomery
- WR Johnny Knox
- TE Robert McLeod
- WR Jerale Badon
- OL Wally Bullington
- WR Taylor Gabriel
- DT Bill Clayton
- DE Aston Whiteside
- LB Bernard Erickson
- LB Ray Nunez
- DB Danieal Manning
NEXT GAME
The Wildcats continue Southland Conference play next Saturday when it hosts a 6 p.m. game with Stephen F. Austin on ACU's Family Weekend. HBU will play McNeese at 6 p.m. in Lake Charles, La.
