Wildcats to Renew SFA Rivalry on Saturday

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ABILENE – Abilene Christian travels to Nacogdoches on Saturday to play rival Stephen F. Austin in a United Athletic Conference contest at 4 p.m. It is SFA's Homecoming Game.
 
ACU comes into the game at 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the UAC after a 30-13 win over North Alabama while Jacks come in with a 3-4 record overall and an 0-2 conference mark.
 
The teams met twice last year with SFA taking the rivalry lead with two wins, including a game to keep ACU from taking the conference crown in the last game of the 2022 season.
 
ACU Storylines
 
DUDE'S PERFECT: Defending UAC Specialist of the Week Kyle Ramsey converted three more field goals and three more extra points in Saturday's 30-13 win against North Alabama. Ramsey leads the nation in field goal accuracy and extra point accuracy at 100 percent. He's 9-9 on field goal attempts and 21-21 on extra points. He became the school record holder last week with his fourth field goal of more than 50 yards in a single season. He has kicks of 55, 51 and a pair of 54-yarders this season.
 
TAKE YOUR PICKS: ACU snagged four interceptions Saturday against North Alabama, marking the first such game since 2014 for the Wildcats. Cirby Coheley had his first two interceptions of the season, Patrick Jolly added one for his third this year and true freshman Jameer Dudley got his first career pick.
 
PASSING GAINS: ACU quarterback Maverick McIvor averages 14.77 yards per completion this season, a mark that leads the WAC and ranks sixth in the FCS. He is 86 for 156 passing for 1,270 yards. He has 11 touchdown passes against two interceptions this season. He is second in the league and 24th nationally with 8.14 yards per attempt.
 
BLAYNE GAME: Blayne Taylor averages 20.76 yards per reception for the Wildcats. He is ninth in the FCS and second in the Western Athletic Conference with that average. He leads the Cats with 17 receptions, 353 yards and four touchdown receptions.
 
SECURITY: The Wildcats are 14th in the nation and first in the conference in ball security. ACU has lost five turnovers through six games. ACU is 10th nationally in fumbles lost with two all season.
 
GRANTED: Grant Nickel leads the UAC and is fourth nationally in punting, averaging 45.55 yards. He has at least one punt of more than 50 yards in every game, including a 59-yarder at Prairie View. He has 11 punts of 50 yards or more. Eleven of his 23 punts have been inside the 20 and only two have been touchbacks.
 
BRINGING IT BACK: Marcayll Jones is 15th in the FCS and leads the Western Athletic Conference in kickoff return average, getting 26.4 yards per return. He has 211 yards on eight returns, including a long of 54.
 

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History with SFA
 
SFA leads 12-11
Date............... Site.......... ACU W/L... Score
Oct. 6, 1973    Abilene    W    57-50
Oct. 12, 1974 Nacogdoches       L 14-10
Oct. 11, 1975 Abilene W 24-3
Oct. 9, 1976 Nacogdoches         W 51-14
Oct. 30, 1977 Abilene W 35-21
Oct. 28, 1978 Nacogdoches       L 28-21
Oct. 27, 1979 Abilene L 27-21
Nov. 1, 1980 Nacogdoches        L 24-23
Oct. 31, 1981 Abilene W 31-0
Oct. 30, 1982 Nacogdoches       W 24-17
Oct. 29, 1983 Abilene W 24-10
Sept. 29, 1984 Abilene              L 37-21
Oct. 5, 1985 Nacogdoches         W 22-21
Sept. 4, 1999 Nacogdoches       L 51-34
Nov. 15, 2014 Nacogdoches      W 37-35
Sept. 26, 2015 Abilene              W 35-32
Sept. 24, 2016 Nacogdoches     L 41-30
Sept. 23, 2017 Abilene              L 20-10
Sept. 22, 2018 Nacogdoche       L 24-21
Oct. 19, 2019 Abilen  W 31-24
Oct. 24, 2020 Arlington              L 35-32 (OT)
Oct. 30, 2021 Nacogdoches       L 41-27
Oct. 8, 2022 Nacogdoches         L 41-38
Oct. 19, 2022 Nacogdoches       L 24-21
Home: 7-4 Away: 4-7 Neutral: 0-1
 
Scouting the Lumberjacks

• Despite losing three games against UAC members, the Lumberjacks Two-time UAC Freshman of the Week Aaron Sears has been added to the Jerry Rice Award watch list. The cornerback from Tyler had 44 tackles this season.
• Jerrell Wimbley and Anthony Williams have spearheaded a solid running game for the Jacks. Wimbley has 421 yards on 85 carries for a 5.0 average. Williams has rushed 79 times for 379 yards for a 4.8 average. Both have four touchdowns this season.
• Brian Maurer has 1,442 yards passing this season with 12 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He is 134 of 236.
• Kylon Harris leads SFA with 39 receptions, 466 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
• Linebacker Jermaine Brown leads the Lumberjacks with 50 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.