FLORENCE, Ala. – One week after taking a big step forward by recording the best home win of the program's NCAA Division I era, the 10th-ranked ACU Wildcats suffered one of their most disappointing losses.
The Wildcats had no answer for North Alabama quarterback J.T. Smith Saturday night as the senior transfer from Florida Atlantic University threw for 220 yards, ran for 94 yards, and accounted for a career-high six touchdowns as the Lions upset the Wildcats 47-34 in a United Athletic Conference game at Braly Stadium.
Last week at Wildcat Stadium, the Wildcats were aggressive from the start and never took their foot off the gas in a 41-34 win over fifth-ranked Central Arkansas. Saturday night, however, the Wildcats fell behind 13-0, thanks to a costly turnover on their first offensive play and a flurry of penalties. They came back to take the lead, gave it up, and then saw a touchdown that would have given them a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter wiped away by a questionable penalty call. Finally, their offense disappeared in the fourth quarter, and North Alabama's offense took over. The Lions pulled away in the final 15 minutes for their third straight victory.
With the loss, ACU is now 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the UAC, while the Lions improve to 3-5 and 3-1. The Wildcats still have a chance to win the conference title and earn a spot in the FCS playoffs, but the margin for error is now even more slim. With five games to play – four in the UAC – the Wildcats might need to win out and get help from another conference opponent to beat North Alabama to earn the outright league championship.
After an ignominious start that included a penalty on the first play, a fumble on the second play, a touchdown by North Alabama 45 seconds into the game, and another UNA score four minutes later, ACU seemed to settle in. The Wildcats outscored the Lions 27-7 over the final 25 minutes of the first half to carry a 27-20 lead into halftime.
The weird nature of the game reared its head in the first 2:37 of the second half as each team scored on quick touchdown drives, with ACU grabbing a 34-26 lead after a 1-yard touchdown run by
Isaiah Johnson with 12:23 left in the third quarter.
About 10 minutes later, the game turned for good in North Alabama's favor, although it didn't seem like it at the time.
Trailing 34-26 and looking for momentum, UNA tried a fake punt inside its 30-yard line, but ACU linebacker Rashon Myles Jr. sniffed it out and dropped the UNA ball carrier short of the first down, giving ACU the ball on the UNA 29. On the drive's third play, a 23-yard touchdown pass from
Maverick McIvor to
Bryan Henry was wiped away by a dubious illegal shift penalty on the Wildcats.
ACU eventually had to settle for a 45-yard field goal attempt by
Ritse Vaes. The kick, however, was wide right, turning the ball over to the Lions. Running out of the Wildcat formation on four straight plays, the Lions picked up gains of 15, 8, 9, and 3 yards to move to the ACU 37. On second down, Smith threw his third touchdown pass of the game, a 37-yarder to Kobe Warden to bring the Lions to within one point after the PAT.
UNA clinched the game on its final two drives as they put together touchdown drives of eight plays for 88 yards and nine for 94 yards that took 8 minutes and 20 seconds off the clock. The Lions only faced three third-down plays on those two drives and converted two into first downs, and the one they didn't was converted into a first down on fourth down.
The Lions had runs of 22, 18, 23, 24, 16, and 46 yards on the two drives and passes of 23 and 11 yards as they dominated the fourth quarter. Smith hooked up with Kobe Warden for touchdowns of 37 yards to put the Lions ahead 40-34 and eight yards to make it 47-34.
ACU had 32 yards of total offense and 27 points in the first half compared to 163 yards and 20 points for the Lions. However, the teams experienced a complete reversal of fortune in the second half as the Wildcats posted just 148 yards and seven points in the second half, while the Lions racked up 343 yards and 27 points in the final 30 minutes to secure the win.
The Wildcats were their worst enemy, with 12 penalties for 83 yards in losses, including the one that took a touchdown off the board. The Lions, meanwhile, were flagged just three times for 35 yards. It was the fourth quarter, though, where the Lions turned it on as they outgained the Wildcats 187-35, held the ball for 9:04, and outscored ACU 14-0.
ACU quarterback Mavericks McIvor completed 30 of 48 passes for 275 yards and one touchdown, while Nehemiah Martinez had 13 catches for 93 yards.
Sam Hicks carried the ball 13 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns, and
Isaiah Johnson carried the ball nine times for 91 yards and two scores.
GAME SUMMARY
How They Scored
1Q (14:15) – An ACU turnover on the game's first official play led to a quick North Alabama touchdown as the Lions took the lead 45 seconds into the game, allowing UNA to score on its opening possession for the sixth straight game. On the first play, the Wildcats were whistled for a false start before an early snap on the first official play hit ACU quarterback
Maverick McIvor in the facemask, and it bounced toward the line of scrimmage, where Jackson Bratton recovered it at the ACU 6-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback TJ Smith scored from 1 yard out for a 6-0 lead.
Scoring Play: TJ Smith 1 run (run failed)
Drive: 2 plays, 6 yards, 0:39
North Alabama 6, ACU 0
1Q (10:06) – After ACU was forced to punt on its second possession, North Alabama took over on the ACU 37-yard line after a 27-yard punt return by Kobe Warden. On the drive's third play, TJ Smith threw into the deep left corner and found Tanaka Scott alone for a 23-yard touchdown reception.
Scoring Play: Tanaka Scott 23 pass from TJ Smith (Scott Payne kick)
Drive: 3 plays, 37 yards, 1:21
North Alabama 13, ACU 0
1Q (8:52) – The Wildcats got on the scoreboard less than two minutes after UNA went ahead 13-0 on a 60-yard touchdown run by
Isaiah Johnson, the longest of his career. After two passes from
Maverick McIvor to
Javon Gipson (12 yards) and
Jed Castles (three yards) moved the ball to the 40-yard line, Johnson took the ball, went straight up the middle, and coasted untouched into the end zone.
Scoring Play: Isaiah Johnson 60 run (Ritse Vaes kick)
Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:14
North Alabama 13, ACU 7
1Q (4:22) – ACU's defense forced a three-and-out, and the offense took advantage of good field position, moving 52 yards on just seven plays to the go-ahead touchdown.
Maverick McIvor completed a 22-yard pass to
Blayne Taylor on third-and-7 from the UNA 49 for a key first down, and four plays later, that duo hooked up for a 16-yard touchdown pass.
Scoring Play: Blayne Taylor 16 pass from Maverick McIvor (Ritse Vaes kick)
Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 2:58
ACU 14, North Alabama 13
1Q (2:19) – ACU's lead was short-lived, as the Lions scored in just four plays. UNA fumbled on the drive's first play, but Tanaka Scott recovered for the Lions. Two plays later, TJ Smith hooked up with Scott for a 33-yard completion to the ACU 46. On the next play, TJ Smith scored his second touchdown on a run up the middle, going in from 46 yards away.
Scoring Play: TJ Smith 46 run (Scott Payne kick)
Drive: 4 plays, 85 yards, 1:58
North Alabama 20, ACU 14
2Q (7:21) – Nehemiah Martinez set up the ACU offense with a 32-yard punt return to the UNA 28–yard line. On third-and-10 from the 28,
Maverick McIvor and JJ Henry connected for a 15-yard gain and a first down. On second-and-7 from the 10, McIvor and Martinez hooked up for six yards to the four, and Hicks scored through a gaping hole on the next play.
Scoring Play: Sam Hicks 4 run (kick blocked)
Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 2:33
North Alabama 20, ACU 20
2Q (1:39) – After ACU tied the score, the Wildcat defense forced a punt after
Jerry Lawson sacked TJ Smith for a 10-yard loss on third-and-10 from the UNA 38-yard line. Adam Waterford's 57-yard punt pinned the Wildcats back to the 15-yard line, and a penalty before the first play knocked them back to the 10-yard line. The Wildcats converted two third-down plays, none bigger than a 12-yard run by
Sam Hicks on third-and-1 from the ACU 34. On the ensuing play,
Maverick McIvor hooked up with Nehemiah Martinez for 16 yards to the UNA 38-yard line. On the next play, Hicks took the handoff, got through the first wave, cut to the left sideline, and went the rest of the way for the go-ahead touchdown.
Scoring Play: Sam Hicks 38 run (Ritse Vaes kick)
Drive: 8 plays, 85 yards, 2:46
ACU 27, North Alabama 20
3Q (14:09) – UNA grabbed early second-half momentum with a three-play touchdown drive to start the third quarter. Jalen Fletcher ran for 10 yards, and Jayvian Allen followed with a 27-yard run that also included a 15-yard horse-collar penalty on ACU's
Tyson Williams to move the ball to the ACU 23-yard line. TJ Smith then hit Justin Luke with a 23-yard pass to draw the Lions to within 27-26.
Kaghen Roach blocked the PAT, and
Tyson Williams almost returned it for two points before he was tackled at the UNA 20-yard line.
Scoring Play: Justin Luke 23 pass from TJ Smith (kick blocked)
Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:51
ACU 27, North Alabama 26
3Q (12:23) –
Sam Hicks – who scored two first-half touchdowns – returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards, setting up the ACU offense at the UNA 42-yard line. On second-and-10, Nehemiah Martinez carried the ball for 13 yards before
Maverick McIvor hooked up with
Jed Castles for a 28-yard catch-and-run to the UNA 1-yard line.
Isaiah Johnson followed with a 1-yard run, his second touchdown.
Scoring Play: Isaiah Johnson 1 run (Ritse Vaes kick)
Drive: 4 plays, 42 yards, 1:46
ACU 34, North Alabama 26
3Q (2:07) – UNA tried a fake punt inside its 30-yard line, but Rashon Myles Jr. sniffed it out and dropped the UNA ball carrier short of the first down, giving ACU the ball on the UNA 29. On the drive's third play, a 23-yard touchdown pass from
Maverick McIvor to
Bryan Henry was wiped away by a dubious illegal shift penalty on the Wildcats. ACU eventually had to settle for a 45-yard field goal attempt by
Ritse Vaes. The kick, however, was wide right, turning the ball over to the Lions. Running out of the Wildcat formation on four straight plays, the Lions picked up gains of 15, 8, 9, and 3 yards to move to the ACU 37. On second down, quarterback JT Smith threw his third touchdown pass of the game, a 37-yarder to Kobe Warden to bring the Lions to within one point after the PAT.
Scoring Play: Kobe Warden 37 pass from JT Smith (Scott Payne kick)
Drive: 5 plays, 57 yards, 2:04
ACU 34, North Alabama 33
4Q (11:36) – The Lions took their first lead since the first quarter on a punishing eight-play, 88-yard drive that featured quarterback JT Smith and running back Jalen Fletcher. Smith completed passes for 6, 5, and 23 yards, and Fletcher had runs of 22 and 18 yards, helping the Lions move to the ACU 24-yard line. Fletcher finished the drive by taking the pitch from Smith on the speed option and scoring from 24 yards out.
Scoring Play: Kobe Warden 37 pass from JT Smith (Scott Payne kick)
Drive: 8 plays, 88 yards, 3:27
North Alabama 40, ACU 34
4Q (1:51) – Trailing by six points, ACU was forced to punt, but
Grant Nickel gave his team a chance with a punt that was fair caught at the UNA 6-yard line with 6:44 left in the game. Jayvian Allen picked up four yards on the first two plays before JT Smith kept for 46 yards straight up the middle. Six plays later, Smith threw to Kobe Warden for an 8-yard touchdown, clinching the game for the Lions.
Scoring Play: Kobe Warden 8 pass from JT Smith (Scott Payne kick)
Drive: 9 plays, 94 yards, 4:53
North Alabama 47, ACU 34
POST-GAME NOTES
• Senior quarterback
Maverick McIvor moved up on several ACU career charts and hit two career milestones. His first-half touchdown pass to
Blayne Taylor was the 50th of his career as he became just the fifth quarterback in ACU history to throw for 50 touchdowns, joining Billy Malone (114 from 2005-08), Mitchell Gale (97 from 2009-12), Rex Lamberti (84 from 1984-86, 1993), and Jim Lindsey (61 from 1967-70) on the list. His 7-yard completion to Nehemiah Martinz late in the first quarter was the 500th of his career, joining seven other quarterbacks in that category in ACU history: Gale with 931, Malone with 818, Luke Anthony (2017-19) with 659, Lindsey with 642, Lambert with 595, Loyal Proffitt (1981-84) with 550, and Dallas Sealey (2015-17) with 509.
• Early in the third quarter, McIvor hit
Jed Castles with a 28-yard pass to give him 6,329 career passing yards, passing Luke Anthony for 7th on ACU's career passing yardage list. Anthony threw for 6,320 yards from 2017-19. McIvor finished the night with 275 yards to give him 6,415 for his career. John Mayes is sixth on the career passing yards list with 7,810 from 1976-79.
• McIvor finished the game with 269 yards of total offense and is now seventh on ACU's career total offense list with 6,506 yards. He passed Clint Longley (6,419 total yards from 1971-73) during the game against UNA. McIvor could potentially move into the top four before his season ends.
• Nehemiah Martinez had 13 catches, tied for the third-most in a game in ACU history and the second-most in the NCAA Division I era behind the 15 catches posted by Taylor Gabriel against New Mexico State in 2013.
QUOTING ACU HEAD COACH KEITH PATTERSON
Regarding the team's lack of consistency, "We were never in sync. Every time there was a big play, there seemed to be a penalty or a touchdown that got called back. We could never establish enough on either side of the ball to get any momentum. It was very frustrating."
On the play of the defense: "I've been stressing consistency with our defense. We'd play well for four or five series. We've got to get it fixed. We still have a chance to have a great season."
UP NEXT
The Wildcats return to Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 19) to host Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m. in the annual Homecoming contest. ACU is 56-35-1 all-time on Homecoming and has won five straight dating back to 2018 (no game in 2020 because of COVID). The Wildcats are 8-2 in Homecoming games since moving to NCAA Division I in 2013.
