GET HYPED!
THE DETAILS
Abilene Christian (2-3, 1-2 Southland) at Lamar (2-3, 0-2 Southland)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 5
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
TV:
ESPN3
Radio:
98.1 FM - The Ticket (
Grant Boone and Jim Reese)
Real-Time Stats (Sidearm Stats)
ABILENE – For the second time in as many weeks it's the Wildcats on the road against another Southland Conference playoff team nicknamed the Cardinals.
Last week Abilene Christian football ventured to San Antonio to battle Incarnate Word, and this time they trek to the southeastern corner of the Lone Star State for a 6 p.m. game at Lamar, which will be streamed on ESPN3.
The Wildcats will break up their Friday trip several times, first with a late morning walk-thru followed by lunch at Fuego Tortilla Grill, and then a 30-minute pit stop at the indispensable Buc-ee's.
Saturday's game marks the first time an
Adam Dorrel-led team has faced Lamar. The Wildcats went 0-3 vs. the Cardinals between 2014 and 2016, but Lamar was off ACU's schedule in 2017 and 2018. Overall, the Cardinals are 12-7 vs. the Wildcats in their all-time series with ACU's last victory taking place on Oct. 17, 1970 in Beaumont.
Working off a relatively blank slate, the Wildcats have been tracking the Cardinals online and via film sessions since last Saturday's bus trip back to Abilene.
And what have the ACU coaches and players so far concluded about the Cardinals?
Be ready for anything.
"They're running an offensive system no one else in the Southland is running," said head coach
Adam Dorrel during Wednesday's TV taping. "It's option football and play-action passes, which has really sparked its entire program.
"When defending the option we have to be fundamentally sound, have good eye discipline and tackle your guy because it's such a divergent style."
Lamar quarterback Jordan Hoy is particularly dangerous as he's rushed for six touchdowns, which rank him 12th in the FCS, and last Saturday in the Cardinals' 24-17 loss to Stephen F. Austin he helped his offense finish with 358 total yards (236 in the second half).
"Within the Southland Conference every team presents its own challenge," said junior linebacker
Jack Gibbens, who had an interception and sack last Saturday at UIW. "It's going to be a grind, but with Lamar it's about how mobile their quarterback is, how many different things they do with him, with different motions and option plays. It's going to be about us executing our assignments, playing fast and physical, and running to the football. We're bound to make some mistakes, but if we run to the football and tackle well, then we should be alright."
Lamar qualified for postseason play in 2018 thanks to a six-game winning streak that concluded the regular season following an 0-3 start vs. the Southland. The Cardinals were picked to finish fifth in this year's preseason poll, and are winless through the first two conference games which includes a 45-34 loss at nationally ranked Southeastern Louisiana. Then the loss vs. SFA on Homecoming snapped a five-game home winning streak.
Lamar started its year with a rousing 65-16 victory over Bethel and then had to go to overtime to defeat Mississippi Valley State, 23-20. The Cardinals' September slate also included a lopsided 65-3 loss at Texas A&M.
For the Wildcats, this week's focal points are about having fun and finishing with a positive turnover margin since three interceptions and a fumble recovery (-2 margin) led to 10 points for UIW.
"We had a good process but came up short (at UIW), said junior defensive lineman
Kameron Hill, who ranks near the top of the FCS sack leaders with 7.0. "That has to do with guys playing tight. We have to be loose and have fun. We have fun Tuesday through Thursday, and now we have to do the same on Saturday during the actual game."
"I was disappointed for our players because I felt like they played really tight Saturday," said Dorrel. "I told them I didn't see many of them smiling and having fun, which we've done a good job of (in previous weeks).
"I'm trying to get back to that and put the onus on having good preparation, which again for the most part we've had really good preparation throughout the week. We need to be consistent in that and doing our jobs, having fun, and treating college football Saturdays like we should. It should be a happy and fun time. Everybody wants to win but we've got to keep the focus on what we can control and having fun throughout that process."
