Wildcats Prep for First Road Trip

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ABILENE – Abilene Christian takes to the road for the first time this season at Prairie View A&M on Saturday at 6 p.m.
 
Both teams started the season with wins. The Cats knocked off Northern Colorado 31-11 and Prairie View scored a 37-34 overtime victory at Texas Southern.
 
The teams met last season and the Wildcats pulled out a 21-13 win at home.
 
ACU Storylines
 
FROSH: ACU running back Xavier Wishert was selected as the United Athletic Conference's first-ever Freshman of the Week after his performance in Thursday's win over Northern Colorado. He rushed 10 times for 58 yards and scored two touchdowns. Wishert is second in the UAC in scoring with 12 points per game.
 
2-0 STANDARD: The Wildcats are going for their second 2-0 start in as many seasons under Head Coach Keith Patterson. The Cats took down Lamar and Prairie View last season.
 
MOVING UP: ACU has 32 points in this week's Stat Perform Top 25. The team is up to 33^rd on the list from 39^th in the preseason.
 
BULLDOZING: The ACU offensive line successfully protected quarterback Maverick McIvor all night and helped spring the running game for 6.5 yards per carry for the game. ACU returns five starters on the O-line from last season.
 
CARRY ON: Four ACU running backs carried the ball for 255 yards in the season opener on Thursday. Jermiah Dobbins led the crew with 83 yards on 10 carries, followed by Jay'Veon Sunday at 79 yards on 14 carries, Xavier Wishert with 58 yards on 10 carries and Rovaughn Banks Jr. with 25 yards on three totes. Wishert scored two touchdowns and Sunday added one. Dobbins ranks third and Sunday fifth in the United Athletic Conference in rushing yards per game.
 
SPREADING IN ON DEEP: Nine receivers caught passes on Thursday. Blayne Taylor and Rovaughn Banks Jr. had four receptions each. Taylor led the group with 75 yards and Banks had the lone touchdown.
 
MAVERICK ON TARGET: Maverick McIvor was 16 of 25 for 219 yards passing with one touchdown and no interceptions in his season debut on Thursday. His long pass play of the night was 38 yards. His 219 yards passing ranks third in the UAC in yards per game.
 
IF YOU GOTTA PUNT…: Grant Nickel punted twice in the season opener and his 48 yards per punt has him atop the United Athletic Conference in that category.
 
KICKING IT: Kyle Ramsey is fourth in the United Athletic Conference with his one field goal and it was a dandy – a 40-yarder.
 
BEHIND THE STICKS: Dorian Plumley ranks fifth in the United Athletic Conference in tackles for loss with 1.5 per game.
 
HATS TO THE BALL: While individuals are posting big tackle numbers in other programs, the Wildcats have prided themselves in a swarming defense. Cirby Coheley, Darius Moore and Dorian Plumley had seven tackles each in the season opener.
 
TURNOVER FREE: The Wildcats opened the season with good hands and on-target passing resulting in no turnovers in the season opener. On the flip side, the Cats didn't get any takeaways either.  
History with Prairie View
ACU Leads Series 4-0
 
1995     Abilene         W       35-0
1996     Prairie View  W       30-14
2013    Prairie View  W       65-45
2022    Abilene         W       21-13
Home: 2-0     Away: 2-0
 
Scouting the Panthers
 

• Prairie View opened the season with a 37-34 overtime win at Texas Southern. It was the fifth consecutive season-opening win over TSU for the Panthers.
• PVAM rushed for 180 yards, averaging 3.4 yards per carry against TSU on Saturday. Ahmad Antoine had 89 yards on 18 carries for 4.9 yards per rush.
• Trazon Connley passed for 275 yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-33 passing with one interception. He was sacked three times. He got the ball to Jahquan Bloomfield twice for a pair of 38-yard gains. Khristopher Simmons had five catches for 34 yards.
• The Panther defense had three interceptions and the leading tackler was Keyshawn Johnson with 14 takedowns.