Wildcats Pick Off Utah Tech 4 Times in Senior Day Win

ABILENE - The No. 18 ACU football team intercepted Utah Tech four times, and returned two for touchdowns, in a 31-10 victory Saturday afternoon on Senior Day, presented by Hendrick Health.

Three different Wildcats picked off Trailblazer quarterback Bronson Barben with Zion Fonua and Dorian Plumley taking the first two back for scores in the second quarter. Plumley added another interception in the third, and Will Shaffer leaped high to snatch the final pick in the fourth.

The victory completes an undefeated run at Wildcat Stadium in 2025, which was head coach Keith Patterson's top goal. In Patterson's four seasons, ACU is 17-4 at home. 

ACU improves to 6-4 overall, and most importantly 5-1 in the United Athletic Conference. The Wildcats are now in first place, and hold the tiebreaker over Tarleton State with two league games remaining in the season.

After a scoreless first quarter, Fonua, the transfer from Eastern Michigan, tipped a Utah Tech throw to himself and scampered 16 yards to the endzone for his first career interception and touchdown.

The Trailblazers responded with a 75-yard TD drive, and ACU's offense ran out of gas just outside of field goal range. Punter Hugo Nash pined Utah Tech at its own four yardline, and on the ensuing play Plumley read the quarterback's eyes, stepped in the passing lane and sprinted 15 yards to the house to put ACU ahead 14-7. It was a lead the Wildcats would not surrender.

Fresh off his first career 100-yard rushing game, E.J. Wilson, Jr., nearly added another. His 96 yards on the ground included a 36-yard TD in the third quarter. Two drives later, Plumley added his second pick which led to a 31-yard field goal by Brandon Perez.

Midway through the fourth quarter backup quarterback Quayde Hawkins came in for his first game action since 2023. Hawkins' first play was an 18-yard pass to Itty Henry, and he capped the drive with a lofting throw to Raydrian Baltrip in the endzone for a 16-yard TD. 

Two plays later, Barben was picked off for the fourth time when Shaffer snagged a ball which got held up in the northerly wind.

ACU has now won nine straight home games dating back to the midpoint of the 2024 season. The Wildcats have had a nine-game home winning streak four times before: 1939-41 (W9); 1962-64 (10W); 1973-74 (11W); and 1977-79 (11W).


The First Time Since...

A game with 4 interceptions - Nov. 1, 2014, in a 52-35 win over Central Arkansas at Plano's Clark Stadium. Jonathan Epps had two of the Wildcats' four picks. ACU recorded seven takeaways during the game (4 INT, 3 fumbles recovered).

A game with 2 defensive TD - Sept. 25, 2021, in a 56-0 win at Lamar. ACU had a pick six and a scoop-and-score.

Last game with 2 INT returned for TD -- Oct. 6, 2012, in a 59-17 win vs. Eastern New Mexico. Mike Wallace and Melvin Shead each had pick sixes.

Undefeated home regular season - 2013, which was ACU's first season in its transition to FCS. The Wildcats went 4-0 at Shotwell Stadium.

5-0 home regular season - 2010, when ACU went 6-0 at home in the regular season and then lost a home second round Division II playoff game.




Up Next

ACU hits the road for the final two UAC games of the season. First, the Wildcats visit Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 15. Kickoff from Richmond, Ky., is set for 2 p.m. CT. The Colonels were tied 17-all at halftime with Southern Utah, but ended up losing 27-17 on Saturday.