‘Cats head to Utah looking for win in WAC opener

ABILENE, Texas – The ACU football team is set to open Western Athletic Conference play on Saturday, when the Purple and White make the trip to Utah to take on Utah Tech. The Wildcats will look for their first road win of the season against a Trailblazer team that is unbeaten at their home stadium so far this fall. 
 
The Game
Kickoff: 8 p.m. CT
Watch: ESPN+ 
Listen: ACU Sports Network (Zach Carlyle, Jim Reese)
Tickets
Live Stats
 
The Wildcats (3-1, 0-0 WAC)

• Abilene Christian improved to 3-0 at home on Saturday after defeating Western New Mexico 34-7 after a strong performance on the ground and a nice game from transfer quarterback Ethan Long. 
• Running back Rovaughn Banks Jr. exploded for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while backfield mate Jermiah Dobbins went for 105 yards of his own. 
• Long completed 22 of his 34 pass attempts against the Mustangs, connecting on touchdown throws to receiver Kobe Clark and tight end Rece Stafford. 
• The Wildcat defense picked up nine TFLs for the second consecutive week, while linebacker Darius Moore highlighted the defensive effort with a five tackle night. 

 
The Trailblazers

• Newly-branded Utah Tech renewed a rivalry with Southern Utah on Saturday night, but the Thunderbirds came away with the 34-17 victory to open WAC play. 
• Utah Tech running back Quali Conley went for 112 yards on 14 attempts in the loss, and he has now cleared the century mark twice in his last three games.
• Joey Hobert caught six passes for 105 yards and a score, while Rickie Johnson added a touchdown grab of his own to go with 59 yards. Eight total Trailblazers recorded a reception on Saturday, doing so for the third time this season. 
• The Blazers have won their lone contest at Greater Zion Stadium this fall, defeating Chadron State 56-10 behind 561 yards of total offense. 

 
First Time For Everything 

• Long recorded his first collegiate completion and his first career touchdown pass on Saturday night. 
• Banks turned in the first 100-yard game of his career, as well as his first career multi-score performance. 
• With a late interception from the safety position, Peyton Mansell became the first player in Wildcat history to rush for a touchdown, throw a touchdown and record an interception during his ACU career.
• This Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between Utah Tech and Abilene Christian since both teams made the jump to the NCAA Division I ranks. The lone previous meeting between the two schools came back in 1933, when the Blazers (then Dixie College) defeated the Wildcats (then Abilene Christian College) by a score of 6-0.  

 
What To Watch For 

• The ACU running back duo of Banks and Dobbins ranks second and third on the league leaderboard in rushing yards respectively, behind only Utah Tech's Quali Conley. 
• Now in sole possession of second place on ACU's career receptions list, Clark sits just a dozen catches short of all-time leader and current ACU assistant coach Jerale Badon. 
• ACU team captain Blair Zepeda has posted 198 career points in his career, and he is on the verge of becoming just the fifth Wildcat kicker ever to record 200.  

 
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