Wildcats Welcome West Georgia for Home Opener Saturday
9/5/2024 3:18:00 PM | Football
It's the first conference game of the season for both teams
ACU (0-1, 0-0) vs. West Georgia (1-0, 0-0)
Abilene, TX | Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium
Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7:00 p.m.
GAME LINKS
ABILENE - The ACU football team plays its first home game of the season when the West Georgia Wolves come to town for a Saturday night tilt.
Excitement is high following the Wildcats' impressive performance at Texas Tech in the season opener. ACU tied the game in the final seconds to force overtime where the Red Raiders ultimately won, 52-51.
The ACU-West Georgia game was originally scheduled as a non-conference match-up. It was scheduled before the Wolves joined the ASUN and United Athletic Conference. However, with Stephen F. Austin abruptly leaving the WAC over the summer, the UUAC football schedule was changed to a round-robin format. It made for plenty of sudden changes and shuffling of games, but this contest between the Wildcats and Wolves was able to be easily converted to a conference contest.
Kick-off between ACU and West Georgia is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium. Fans can watch the game on the ESPN+ streaming platform (requires paid subscription), and also listen to the radio call on 106.3 The Raider.
SERIES HISTORY
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
MARVELOUS MAVERICK
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
SALUTE TO SERVICE
UP NEXT
Abilene, TX | Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium
Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7:00 p.m.
GAME LINKS
- Watch on ESPN+ | Listen on 106.3 The Raider | Live Stats | Weekly Football Press Conference | ACU Game Notes (PDF)
ABILENE - The ACU football team plays its first home game of the season when the West Georgia Wolves come to town for a Saturday night tilt.
Excitement is high following the Wildcats' impressive performance at Texas Tech in the season opener. ACU tied the game in the final seconds to force overtime where the Red Raiders ultimately won, 52-51.
The ACU-West Georgia game was originally scheduled as a non-conference match-up. It was scheduled before the Wolves joined the ASUN and United Athletic Conference. However, with Stephen F. Austin abruptly leaving the WAC over the summer, the UUAC football schedule was changed to a round-robin format. It made for plenty of sudden changes and shuffling of games, but this contest between the Wildcats and Wolves was able to be easily converted to a conference contest.
Kick-off between ACU and West Georgia is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium. Fans can watch the game on the ESPN+ streaming platform (requires paid subscription), and also listen to the radio call on 106.3 The Raider.
SERIES HISTORY
- ACU and West Georgia have never played.
- This will only be the Wildcats' third game against a team from the Peach State, and the first home game against a squad from Georgia.
- ACU played road games against Georgia State (2014) and Mercer (2020).
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
- After taking Big 12 member Texas Tech to overtime, ACU began receiving votes in this week's FCS Coaches Poll and Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll.
- The Wildcats were last receiving votes in the 2023 preseason coaches poll.
- ACU is 6-3 in conference openers since joining the FCS, including wins in WAC lid-lifters in 2021 and 2022. ACU lost to Central Arkansas in the first UAC game of the 2023 season.
- QB Maverick McIvor earned three awards this week for his play against Texas Tech. He was named the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week, the United Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, and the Non-FBS Player of the Week by Dave Campbell's Texas Football.
MARVELOUS MAVERICK
- McIvor threw for a career-high 506 yards in the season opener. His previous highmark was 385 during a game in the 2022 season.
- After a 3-and-out and a fumble on the first two drives at Texas Tech, McIvor led ACU on scoring drives for 8 of the team's last 11 drives (from 80, 75, 75, 96, 62, 75 and 71 yards away).
- His 506 yards tied him for the second highest single-game total in ACU history with Mitchell Gale. Jim Reese's 546 yards in a 1976 game against Angelo State still stands as the all-time leader.
- McIvor is the first QB in UAC history to pass for at least 500 yards.
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
- ACU did not allow a sack at Texas Tech.
- The offensive line is anchored by multiple-year starters -- guards Alan Hatten and Jacob Thielen, and center Tay Yanta.
- ACU also rotated in 4 tackles against the Red Raiders.
- The Wildcats gave up zero sacks in three games in 2023.
SALUTE TO SERVICE
- Saturday is ACU's 'Salute to Service' game. The Wildcats are honoring first responders with free tickets.
- The Abilene Christian University Police Department will be honored with an on-field recognition for their bravery and heroic actions after last Saturday's accident involving an ACU football team bus.
- Lt. Bucky Wright and Officer Josh Davis were in their patrol car ahead of the buses, escorting the team out of AT&T Jones Stadium in Lubbock when a pick-up crashed into the lead bus.
- Lt. Wright and Off. Davis jumped into action, ripping the door off the bus and began tending to injured people, making sure each one received immediate medical care.
- Two coaches, one player and the bus driver were taken to the hospital, but all were released by the following Monday.
UP NEXT
- ACU makes a trip to face Northern Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Greeley, CO.
- Kick-off is at 3 p.m. CDT.
- The game will finish a home-and-home series. The Bears visited Abilene for the 2023 season opener where ACU won, 31-11.
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ACU Softball: Jo Koons Press Conference | May 4, 2026
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