#17 Wildcats Square Off with Southern Utah on Senior Day

#18/17 ACU (5-3, 4-1) vs. (RV) Southern Utah (4-4, 3-1)
Abilene, TX | Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium
Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3:00 p.m.

GAME LINKS

• Watch on ESPN+ | Listen on 106.3 The Raider | Live Stats | Keith Patterson Press Conference | ACU Game Notes (PDF)

ABILENE - The no. 17 ACU Wildcats will play to send their seniors out on a positive note when they face Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Stadium.

Prior to the final home game of the regular season, the team will recognize 21 senior players for their hard work and contributions to the program. ACU does have a possibility of hosting an FCS playoff game if the Wildcats close out the final four games strong.

ACU enjoyed its bye week last week and last defeated Eastern Kentucky on Homecoming, 34-20. That win improved the Wildcats' record to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the United Athletic Conference. ACU enters Saturday's game in second place in the league behind Tarleton State, which is 4-0 in the UAC. The Wildcats and Texans meet on Nov. 16 in Stephenville.

Receiver Blayne Taylor and defensive back Izaiah Kelley were both named UAC Player of the Week for their respective side of the ball. Taylor set a new career-high with 154 receiving yards on 10 catches and two touchdowns against EKU. Kelley made his return to the starting line-up and snagged two interceptions to go along with nine tackles. Will Shaffer also picked off a Colonels pass giving ACU's defense its first game with three interceptions since Oct. 31, 2015.

Southern Utah is tied for third place in the UAC with a 3-1 mark. The Thunderbirds are led by Targhee Lambson, who is second in the FCS in rushing yards with 1,233. After running the ball sparingly in the season opener at Utah, Lambson has become a commanding presence.

Lambson averaged 32 carries and 171 yards In SUU's four conference games.

ACU has used a widespread attack. In the Wildcats' eight games so far, four different players have been the team's leading in offensive yards (rushing + receiving yards) -- Blayne Taylor, Nehemiah Martinez, Sam Hicks and Javon Gipson.

Senior Day festivities are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Fans can watch Saturday's game on the ESPN+ streaming platform (requires paid subscription), and listen to the radio call on 106.3 The Raider.







LAST TIME OUT

• ACU earned its sixth straight Homecoming game victory with a 34-20 win vs. Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 19.
• The Wildcats led from start-to-finish, pushing their record to 3-0 this season when scoring first.
• QB Maverick McIvor threw for 340 yards - the 3rd highest single-game total of his career. It was his 6th career 300-yard game.
• The offense has gained 500+ yards in 3 of the last 4 games.
• The defense had 3 INT in a game for the first time since 2015. It was ACU's first game of the season with 3 takeaways.

LUCKY SEVEN

• ACU appeared in both the FCS Coaches Poll  (#18) and the Stats Perform Top 25 (#17) for the seventh straight week.
• Earlier this season the Wildcats cracked the FCS rankings for the first time since the transition to Division I in 2013.
• Last week, ACU was ranked #19 by the coaches and #17 by the media.
• Before this season, ACU had not been nationally ranked since the 2012 season -- which was the Wildcats' last in Division II.

TERRIFIC TRIO

• ACU's offensive line is anchored by center Tay Yanta and guards Alan Hatten and Jacob Thielen.
• Yanta and Hatten are 3-year starters while Thielen is a 4-year starter.  The three have a combined 100 career starts.
• Thielen is expected to make the 40th start of his career on Saturday.

HOME, SWEET HOME

• This season ACU has played in front of the third and eighth largest crowds in Wildcat Stadium history. This year, and the first year of the stadium (2017) are the only seasons to have multiple games in the top 10 of attendance.
• ACU's average attendance of 9,269 is ranked 33rd in the FCS, and is the 2nd highest ranking private university.
• ACU is 22-15 all-time at Wildcat Stadium. HC Keith Patterson is 10-4.

AN ACU WIN WOULD...

• Be ACU's third win in 2024 over a team that is ranked or receiving votes in a national poll.
• Push ACU to a 5-1 conference record, which would keep pace with 1st place Tarleton State. TSU enters Saturday undefeated in the UAC. The Wildcats and Texans play in Stephenville on November 16 at 6 p.m.
• Improve ACU's home record to 4-1 this season which would tie for the best single-season record at Wildcat Stadium (ACU went 4-1 in 2022). 
• Make Keith Patterson 11-4 at home, and 7-2 in home conference games, as ACU's head coach.
• Be ACU's first win on Senior Day since 2016 (W 25-22 vs. Northwestern State).