ACU Faces Tarleton with UAC Title, FCS Playoffs Up for Grabs

#15/14 ACU (7-3, 6-1) at #12/13 Tarleton State (8-2, 5-1)
Stephenville, TX | Memorial Stadium
Saturday, Nov. 16 at 6:00 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. 14 Abilene Christian football team plays one of its biggest games of the Division I era when they take on No. 12 Tarleton State on Saturday night.

With a victory over the Texans, the Wildcats will become the United Athletic Conference champions and guarantee themselves a spot in the FCS Playoffs. A loss would not entirely knock ACU out of the race for the UAC title thanks to a tiebreaker scenario, but other results of other conference games would have to fall the Wildcats' way.

ACU rallied from a 13-point halftime hole to defeat Austin Peay on the road last Saturday, 35-34. It was the largest halftime deficit the Wildcats have overcome since the victory over FBS member Troy in the 2014 season.

Quarterback Maverick McIvor remains the FCS' leading passer with 3,213 yards this season. He has also thrown 25 touchdowns to just five interceptions.

Tarleton State is led by running back Kayvon Britten who is second in the FCS in rushing yards, behind Southern Utah's Targhee Lambson and just ahead of Central Arkansas' ShunDerrick Powell.

Saturday's game will be the 40th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Texans. ACU leads the series 22-13-4 with a 13-7-3 record all-time in Stephenville.

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 a comeback victory at Austin Peay, 35-34 last Saturday.
• The Wildcats did not lead until late in the 3rd quarter when a Sam Hicks rushing TD made it 28-27 ACU. The Governors responded quickly, and ACU went back up with just over 3:00 left.
• QB Maverick McIvor threw for 355 yards -- his 5th 300-yard game this season and the 8th of his career.
• J.J. Henry set career-highs with 125 receiving yards and 2 TD. Fellow WR Blayne Taylor also went over 100 yards making the pair the first to go over 100+ receiving yards in the same game since 2022.

RECORD WATCHING

• Several players are nearing the top 10 of an ACU season or career record. WR Blayne Taylor & Nehemiah Martinez, and RB Sam Hicks and Isaiah Johnson could each etch their name in a list for some of the best numbers in school history.
• Johnson is one rushing TD from tying for 9th most in a single-season.
• K Ritse Vaes is already top 10 in PAT and kicking points.

ONE WIN AWAY

• ACU is one win from tying the mark for most wins in a single-season as Division I program. The Wildcats have won 6 games four times since the transition to D-1.
• ACU went 7-4 in 2022 - which was Keith Patterson's first year as head coach.

SPREADING IT AROUND

• In ACU's 10 games, five different players have been the team's leader in offensive yards (rushing + receiving) - Blayne Taylor, Nehemiah Martinez, Sam Hicks, Javon Gipson and J.J. Henry.
• Hicks has led the way in five games while Taylor and Martinez have each led twice.

AN ACU WIN WOULD...

• Make the Wildcats the UAC champions and earn the automatic bid into the FCS Playoffs for the first time. ACU last won a conference title and made a postseason in 2010 (Div. II). The Wildcats have won 12 conference titles all-time.
• Be ACU's fifth win in 2024 over a team that is ranked or receiving votes in a national poll.
• Push ACU's win streak to 4 games for the first time since 2018.
• Improve ACU's road record to 4-2 this season.
• Make Keith Patterson 19-9 vs. FCS teams and 13-5 vs. conference opponents in his 3 seasons as ACU's head coach.