ACU Walks Off North Alabama, Now 3-0 in Conference

Saturday, October 17

Florence, AL

6 p.m.

Abilene Christian

4-4 , 3-0

North Alabama

4-3 , 1-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Abilene Christian	7	3	10	11	31
North Alabama	14	0	7	7	28

ACU football players celebrate a last-second win over North Alabama on Oct. 17, 2026 (Wes Tucker, center; Brandon Perez, background)

Photo by: Kevan Albright

ACU Walks Off North Alabama, Now 3-0 in Conference

10/17/2026 11:35:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Evan Nemec

FLORENCE, Ala. – Winning on the final play is starting to become routine for Abilene Christian – but it sure is fun.

Brandon Perez drilled a 37-yard field goal as the Wildcats walked off North Alabama 31-28 to remain perfect in United Athletic Conference action on Saturday night at Bank Independent Stadium.

It's the third straight season ACU has kicked a winning field goal on the game's last snap: 2024 at Northern Colorado (Ritse Vaes, 54 yards); 2025 vs. #2 Tarleton State (Perez, 47 yards); 2026 at North Alabama (Perez, 37 yards).

ACU (4-4, 3-0 UAC) remains in first place in the league and is the only team with three conference wins.

After the Lions tied the game at 28 with 3:34 remaining, the Wildcats started at their own 26. On a 3rd and 1, Tucker Parks decided to keep the ball on a bootleg, sprinting to the sideline to move the chains. A defensive pass interference call extended the drive on another 3rd down, and then Rovaughn Banks Jr. ran 15 yards on back-to-back plays to set up Perez in the middle of the field for his third game-winner as a college kicker (two at ACU, and one at his previous school, NCAA Division II East Central).

Cristian Driver, playing in his first game since Sept. 12 against Stephen F. Austin, recorded a career-high with 133 receiving yards on six catches. He started the night with a 76-yard touchdown catch as the fifth-year senior went uncovered down the middle on the Wildcats' first offensive snap.

Parks also had a career night as he completed 21 of 25 throws for 268 yards and two touchdowns. He added 58 yards on the ground.

Trailing 14-10 at halftime, ACU received to start the 2nd half and promptly marched 75 yards on 7 plays for its first 3rd quarter touchdown of the season. The Wildcats did not score in the 3rd quarter all season until making a field goal in last week's win over Central Arkansas. Alex Broome, who also returned to the lineup, capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown scamper to the left pylon.

On North Alabama's ensuing possession, ACU's defense forced its second 3-and-out of the game. Carson Finney got three fingers on the punt, resulting in just a 24-yard kick to set up the Cats at the 50. Perez connected on a 45-yard attempt to put ACU in front 20-14.

However, the Lions responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive and the extra point pushed them ahead by one.

ACU started the 4th quarter by converting back-to-back 3rd downs: first with a gain of 5 on a swing pass to Larry Benton III on 3rd and 5, and next on a throw into the flats to Banks for 6 yards on a 3rd and 4. On the next play, Parks found Jayden York streaking down the seam and overpowered his defender at the goalline for the 32-yard catch. Leading 26-21, ACU went for two points. Receiver Romelo Boykin caught a pitch from Parks, ran right, wanted to throw, tucked to draw a North Alabama player towards him and then dumped the ball off with two hands to York in the endzone to jump ahead 28-21.

STAT PACK

Tucker Parks' 76-yard bomb to Cristian Driver was ACU's longest pass since Nov. 5, 2022 when Maverick McIvor hit Davion Johnson from 80 yards out. Coincidentally, the McIvor-Johnson touchdown also came on ACU's first offensive play of the game just like the Parks-Driver 76-yarder.
MJ Harrell led ACU with 11 tackles and had two pass breakups.
Kortlin Rausaw and Darius Moore each recorded a sack.
Brandon Perez is now 9/12 on field goals this season after his 3/3 performance on Saturday.
ACU is now 3-1 in one-score games this season, and head coach Keith Patterson is 10-4 in one-score conference contests in his tenure.
Rovaughn Banks, Jr. made his 10th career start, and his fifth in a row, as a Wildcat.
It was the third straight game Tucker Parks has thrown at least one touchdown pass and no interceptions.
ACU has pieced together 12 drives of at least 70 yards – with all 12 ending with a touchdown.
The Wildcats are 23-9 in the months of October and November under Patterson.

WITH THE WIN...

ACU is off to a 3-0 start in the UAC for the third straight season. The last time ACU had three consecutive seasons with a 3-0 start to conference was 2009-11 in the Lone Star Conference.
The Wildcats are now 17-2 in their last 19 UAC games.
Head coach Keith Patterson moved into sole possession of 5th place in ACU history for most coaching wins, surpassing Ted Sitton. Patterson is now 34-24 at ACU, with his record improving to 34-17 vs. non-FBS opponents. Garvin Beauchamp is in 4th place on ACU's leaderboard at 39 victories.

UP NEXT

The Wildcats have an open week before hosting West Georgia for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 31. Kickoff from Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium is at 3 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to not wait to get their tickets after the 2025 Homecoming game was sold out before the day of game.

Click here to buy tickets to ACU vs. West Georgia.

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