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Game1Preview

Football

ACU Football Preview: Game 1 at SMU

ABILENE – The 2021 ACU football season is set to get underway on Saturday, when the Wildcats visit Gerald R. Ford Stadium in Dallas to take on SMU at 6 p.m. For the fourth straight season, Abilene Christian will open the year on the road in the Lone Star State. 

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ACU

  • Head coach Adam Dorrel opened his weekly press conference on Wednesday by announcing that Stone Earle will be the starting quarterback this weekend.
  • The Wildcats will again run a balanced offense that will feature depth at the running back position, led by Jermiah Dobbins, who rushed for team-highs in yards and touchdowns a season ago.
  • The offensive line will be a key factor for the Purple and White throughout the 2021 season, and after a busy offseason that focused on adding depth, a bevy of new faces highlight that group.
  • ACU named 10 players as team captains last week, including five from both sides of the football.
Captains

SMU

  • The Mustangs are 4-1 in season openers dating back to 2016. Saturday will make the first time SMU has opened the season at home since 2017, when they defeated SFA 58-14.
  • SMU is receiving votes in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll to open the season. Dating back to week four of the 2019 season, the Mustangs have been ranked or receiving votes every week in at least one poll. 
  • SMU reached as high as 16th in both the AP and Coaches Poll last season. 
  • Quarterback Shane Buechele was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs in May, and OU transfer Tanner Mordecai will be the starter for Saturday’s game.

The Series

  • Saturday will be just the second all-time meeting between SMU and ACU and the first in 95 years. The Mustangs won the previous matchup in 1925 by a final of 52-7. 

#GoWildcats