Wildcats return home for Family Weekend clash with Western New Mexico

ABILENE, Texas – The Abilene Christian football team welcomes WNMU to Wildcat Stadium this Saturday, and the Purple and White will have a chance to move to 3-0 at home for the first time since 2019. The game comes as the centerpiece of ACU's Family Weekend, with tickets to the rest of the weekend's events available until Wednesday through the ACU Alumni Association. 
 
The Game
Parking Lots: 3:00 p.m.
Wildcat Walk: 4:40 p.m.
Tailgate: 5:00 p.m.
Gates: 5:00 p.m.
Concessions/Club Level: 6:00 p.m.
Kickoff: 7:02 p.m. CT
Watch: ESPN+ (Zach Carlyle, Kauy Ostlien, Paige Taylor) 
Listen: ACU Sports Network (Andy Penney, Jim Reese)
Ticketing Info
Fan Guide
Parking Map
 
The Wildcats (2-1, 0-0 WAC)

• ACU is coming off a 34-17 loss to SEC opponent Missouri, marking the first loss of the Keith Patterson era. The Wildcat defense came away with nine tackles for a loss on Saturday in Columbia, with nine different players getting in on the action. 
• David Oke's TFL came as a sack in the endzone that forced a fumble, and teammate Alexander Duke pounced on the ball to give the Purple and White their first defensive score of the season. 
• Sophomore Jermiah Dobbins was ACU's third starting running back in as many games, and he responded by racking up 93 yards on the ground and another 25 yards in the passing game. 
• Special teams continue to be a huge part of the game for ACU, as kicker Blair Zepeda didn't allow a return on any of his four kickoffs on Saturday. Additionally, punter Logan Burke was called on nine times in the loss to Mizzou, and he booted more than three and half football fields for the afternoon. 
• Wide receiver Kobe Clark recorded three catches on the day, enough to move him into sole possession of second place on the Wildcats' career list. He slides ahead of former NFL standout Taylor Gabriel and is 19 catches away from tying current running backs coach Jerale Badon. 

 
The Mustangs (2-1, 1-1 LSC)

• Western New Mexico pulled out a 35-30 victory over Western Oregon in Lone Star Conference action on Saturday night, with quarterback Devin Larsen turning in a huge game to lead the way. The Mustangs have started 2-1 for the first time since the 2105 campaign. 
• WNMU has not won a game in the state of Texas since November 11, 2017, when they defeated West Texas A&M 21-17 in Canyon. Prior to this season, the Mustangs had won just two of their last 33 games.  
• Larsen, a sophomore transfer from Iowa State, completed 37 passes to nine different targets last week, finishing his night with 369 yards and four scores. David Telles tallied a game-high nine receptions, while Jamon Chambers, Allen Ortiz and Charles Byers picked up seven apiece. 
• The Mustang defense was impressive in Week 3, forcing a pair of fumbles, recording four sacks and picking off Western Oregon twice. The biggest play of the night came in the first quarter, when Jordan Davis took intercepted a pass and took it 96 yards to the house to tie the game at 14 to avoid seeing WOU take a two-score lead. 

 
What to Watch For 

• The Purple and White have not allowed a second half point at home so far this fall and are outscoring all opponents 28-3 in the final quarter. 
• The ACU offense has been balanced by design, with 104 of the 205 offensive plays coming through the air. 

 
The Series

• ACU and Western New Mexico have met three times previously, with the Wildcats winning all three meetings. Two have come at home, while one was played a neutral site. The two teams have not met since ACU moved up to the Division I level. 
  • 9/17/77 | ACU 46, WNMU 13 (Abilene)
  • 9/8/79 | ACU 45, WNMU 6 (Abilene)
  • 9/4/93 | ACU 24, WNMU 10 (Odessa)

 
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