Cats Fall in UAC Opener

Saturday, September 23

Conway, Ark.

6 p.m.

Abilene Christian

2-2 , 0-1

Central Arkansas

2-2 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Abilene Christian

Central Ark.

Photo by: Natalie Wright

9/23/2023 9:48:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Lance Fleming

CONWAY, Ark. – The ACU Wildcats had no answer for the Central Arkansas offense Saturday night as the Bears knocked off the Wildcats, 52-17, at Estes Stadium in the United Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

UCA transfer running back ShunDerrick Powell ran for 256 yards and one touchdown to lead the Bears to their seventh straight win over the Wildcats, who have never won in Conway (0-7-1). Powell – the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year at North Alabama last year and a finalist for the Walter Payton Award as the top player in FCS football – capped his night with 13 minutes left in the game when he scored on a 95-yard touchdown run, the longest run from scrimmage in UCA history.

The Bears – who entered the game averaging 246.7 rushing yards per game – ground down the ACU defense with 380 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 45 carries. ACU entered the game, allowing 176.3 yards per game on the ground, but the defense was worn down by a UCA offense that had the ball for 35:21 in the game compared to just 24:39 for the Wildcats.

UCA (2-2 overall and 1-0 in the UAC) scored on drives of 76 yards (11 plays), 53 yards (10 plays), 58 yards (nine plays), 83 yards (eight plays), 88 yards (eight plays), 96 yards (three plays), and 75 yards (seven plays). Those scoring drives covered 529 yards and took 56 plays, all of which took a heavy toll on the ACU defense, which was on the field for 76 plays and allowed 592 yards.

The game turned early in the second quarter with the Wildcats leading 10-7 but backed up deep in their end of the field. On second down, quarterback Maverick McIvor dropped back to pass, but he was hit and fumbled, and the ball was recovered in the end zone by Jake Golday for a UCA touchdown and a 14-10 lead with just 13 seconds elapsed in the second quarter.

After forcing an ACU punt, the Bears went back to work and put together a nine-play, 58-yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard scoring pass from Will McElvain to Jarrod Barnes to make it 21-10 with 9:28 left in the first half. UCA went to halftime with that lead and then outscored ACU 17-0 in the third quarter to stretch the lead to an insurmountable 38-10.

After opening the game with an impressive eight-play, 74-yard drive that culminated with an 8-yard scoring run by Jermian Dobbins, the Wildcats could muster just 10 more points, with the final points coming with 10:22 left in the game on a 25-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Quayde Hawkins to Noah Caldwell.

SCORING PLAYS
First Quarter
(ACU) 11:10 – Jermiah Dobbins 8 run (Kyle Ramsey PAT)
          Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:47 TOP
          ACU 7, Central Arkansas 0

(UCA) 6:21 – Myles Butler 10 pass from Will McElvain (Jake Gaster PAT)
          Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 4:41 TOP
          ACU 7, Central Arkansas 7

(ACU) 1:35 – Kyle Ramsey 44 field goal
          Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 4:38 TOP
          ACU 10, Central Arkansas 7

Second Quarter
(UCA) 14:47 – Jake Golday 0 fumble return (Gaster PAT)
          Central Arkansas 14, ACU 10

(UCA) 9:28 – Jarrod Barnes 2 pass from McElvain (Gaster PAT)
          Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 4:16 TOP
          Central Arkansas 21, ACU 10

(UCA) 9:2) – Gaster 44 FG
          Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 1:22 TOP
          Central Arkansas 24, ACU 10

Third Quarter
(UCA) 5:35 – Shunderrick Powell 14 pass from McElvain (Gaster PAT)
          Drive: 8 plays, 83 yards, 3:44 TOP
          Central Arkansas 31, ACU 10

(UCA) 0:00 – Kylin James 4 run (Gaster PAT)
          Drive: 8 plays, 88 yards, 3:19 TOP
          Central Arkansas 38, ACU 10

Fourth Quarter
(UCA) 13:00 – Powell 95 run (Gaster PAT)
          Drive: 3 plays, 96 yards, 1:06 TOP
          Central Arkansas 45, ACU 10

(ACU) 10:22 – Noah Caldwell 25 pass from Quayde Hawkins (Ramsey PAT)
          Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 2:38 TOP
          Central Arkansas 45, ACU 17

(UCA) 6:59 – Darius Hale 1 run (Ramsey PAT)
          Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:23 TOP
          Central Arkansas 52, ACU 17

UP NEXT
The Wildcats will be on the road again next Saturday when they take on North Texas at DATCU Stadium in Denton. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The Wildcats are 8-16-1 all-time against the Mean Green and have lost eight straight games: 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 2019. ACU's last win in the series was a 20-6 win in Denton on Nov. 2, 1963