19th Ranked Wildcats Host Big Country Day on Saturday

#19 ACU (2-3, 1-0) vs. North Alabamad (1-3, 0-0)
Abilene, TX | Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium
Saturday, Oct. 4 at 2:00 p.m.

GAME LINKS

• Buy Tickets | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
• Weekly Press Conference | ACU Game Notes (PDF) | North Alabama Game Notes (PDF)

ABILENE -  The No. 19 ACU football team resumes United Athletic Conference action with the North Alabama Lions coming to Wildcat Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

ACU is playing for a 2-0 conference start for the second straight season, and to stay undefeated at home in 2025 (2-0 entering Saturday's game).

The Wildcats are coming off a 38-7 loss at then-No. 24 UIW in their final nonconference game on Sept. 27. For the first time this season, ACU scored on its opening drive of the game with a 3-play, 88-yard possession which was jumpstarted by Rovaughn Banks, Jr.'s, 66-yard run on the first offensive snap. That rush is the team's longest play so far in 2025. Banks recorded his third career 100-yard game, and his second in the last three weeks.

Dallas Dudley caught the touchdown pass from Stone Earle making it back-to-back weeks the former teammates at North Texas have connected for scores. Earle has thrown touchdowns to five different Wildcats this season.

On Saturday, ACU defensive standouts Kahgen Roach, Chris Wright, Will Shaffer and Tyson Williams are all expected to make their 20th starts in a Wildcat uniform. Those four have started every game since the 2024 season opener.

North Alabama is 1-3 this season, but has played tight with two strong FCS teams. The Lions lost 30-21 at Southeast Missouri, and then took No. 4 Illinois State to double-overtime on Sept. 20. UNA kicked off its season with a 55-6 loss at FBS member Western Kentucky, which is led by former ACU quarterback Maverick McIvor. The Lions are coming off a bye week and will play eight straight conference matchups beginning Saturday.

ACU will celebrate our local heritage as part of its Big Country Day promotion. More than 1,000 tickets have been distributed to Abilene ISD students and staff.







LAST TIME OUT

• ACU used a quick strike to go up 7-0 at #24 UIW, but then could not muster enough firepower to stay in it and the defense could not get off the field in a 38-7 loss last Saturday in San Antonio.
• Rovaughn Banks, Jr., had a 66-yard run on the Wildcats' first offensive snap, and two plays later Stone Earle connected with Dallas Dudley for a 21-yard TD.
• The drive marked the first time in 2025 that ACU has scored on its first drive of the game. It was also the Wildcats' second longest drive by yards (88), second shortest scoring drive by plays (3), and fourth shortest scoring drive by time (1:09).
• But, the quick drive put ACU's defense back on the field and began the game's trend: UIW's ability to extend drives and keep ACU's offense on the sideline.
• UIW did not have a 3-and-out all game, and had six drives of at least 9 plays with five of those ending in 4 touchdowns and 1 field goal.
• UIW held the football for 40:16 compared to ACU's 19:44 (difference of 20:32). It's the largest time of possession discrepancy for the Wildcats since the 2017 season finale when Central Arkansas held the ball for 40:51 compared to ACU's 19:09 (difference of 21:42) in the Bears' 34-0 victory over the Wildcats.
• ACU entered the game with the 6th best offense in the FCS in converting on 3rd down at 52%. However, the Cardinals held ACU to just 2-of-10 (20%) with no conversions in the first half.
• LB Rashon Myles, Jr., and CB Jordan Mukes both set new career-highs for tackles in a single game. Myles had 15 tackles at UIW, including a stop on 4th down and 1. Mukes had 11 tackles.
• WR Raydrian Baltrip had a 100-yard kickoff return TD called back for holding in the first half. ACU's last KOR for a TD was Oct. 12, 2019, when Gage Graham returned an onside kick for a TD vs. Stephen F. Austin.

EARLE-DUDLEY CONNECTION

• Stone Earle has thrown a touchdown pass to Dallas Dudley in back-to-back games.
• The two were teammates at North Texas in 2023. Earle says Dudley was always a guy who would volunteer for extra practice with him.
• Earle: "I always thought he was a great player. [Spring 2024] he was one of the main targets. When I heard he was coming here I was like, 'Let's go. He can be a dangerous threat for us.'"

SERIES vs. NORTH ALABAMA

• The Lions lead the all-time series, 2-1. The first meeting was in 2011 when both teams were members of Division II.
• Saturday will be the second meeting in Abilene.
• In 2024, North Alabama defeated ACU 47-34 behind 21 unanswered points to end the game.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 78% - Keith Patterson's winning percentage at home in his 4 seasons at ACU (14-4 record).
• 66 - Yard rush by Rovaughn Banks, Jr., on ACU's first offensive snap last week at UIW. The run is the Wildcats' longest play of hte season so far -- and their fourth explosive run.
• 2-0 - ACU's record when having a better offensive 3rd down conversion rate than their opponent in 2025.

AN ACU WIN WOULD...

• Give the Wildcats a 2-0 start to conference for the second straight season and the fourth time as a Division I program (since 2013).
• Keep ACU's first team goal alive of going undefeated at home (has not been done since 2013).
• Improve HC Keith Patterson's home record to 15-4, and home record vs. conference opponents to 9-2.
• Be the Wildcats' 60th win as an FCS program.