Wildcats Power Past West Georgia for Another Top 25 Win

CARROLLTON, Ga. – Standing in front of his team in the University Stadium visitors' locker room at halftime, head coach Keith Patterson gave his team a challenge.
 
"Championship football teams finish. We're going to find out if that's who we are."
 
Abilene Christian did not hoist a trophy on Saturday afternoon, but the No. 19 Wildcats took another big step in that direction with a 30-13 victory over No. 21 West Georgia.
 
The win gives ACU a 3-0 record in the United Athletic Conference for the second straight season, and makes the team 9-1 in its last 10 conference games. The Wildcats went 7-1 in the UAC in 2024 and won the league.
 
Quarterback Stone Earle broke his career-high in rushing yards with 78 and also threw three touchdowns to give him 28 across his three seasons in a Wildcat uniform.
 
ACU trailed 6-3 midway through the second quarter before scoring 21 unanswered points, capped by tight end Chidubem Lebechi's first career catch which saw him run six yards into the endzone.
 
West Georgia responded with its first TD of the afternoon on a 54-yard catch and run, and then had a chance to pull within one score following an E.J. Wilson fumble.
 
The Wolves immediately tried a trick play, but it not fool ACU. Junior cornerback Tyson Williams high-jumped the ball off a double pass for his second career interception to put his offense back on the field. Williams' first pick came against West Georgia last season in Abilene.
 
That play ended with 3:13 on the clock in the third, and ACU held the ball for the next 10:29 on a 19-play, 94-yard march that included five third-down conversions. Earle hit J.J. Henry in the back of the endzone for an 11-yard touchdown which helped cement the victory.
 
The ACU victory…

• Was Patterson's 25^th win at ACU
• Makes ACU 6-2 in the last eight games vs. Top 25 opponents
• Gives the Wildcats a winning streak for the first time since Oct.-Nov. of 2024 when ACU won four in a row

 
Rovaughn Banks, Jr., carried the ball 21 times for 79 yards, and Jordon Vaughn had a touchdown rush. West Georgia came into the game giving up just 94 yards on the ground, but the Wildcats rolled up 210 rushing yards on 46 attempts.
 
Javon Gipson had 5 catches for 76 yards, Itty Henry caught four passes for 50 yards and J.B. Mitchell III had four receptions totaling 34 yards.
 
UP NEXT
ACU goes from the UAC's farthest school in the east to the farthest school in the west with a road contest at Southern Utah. Kickoff is Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Thunderbirds enjoyed an open week, and are currently on a 5-game losing skid.