10/29/2026 1:00:00 PM | Football
Abilene Christian has added a home-and-home series with the South Dakota Coyotes for the 2028 and 2029 football seasons, as announced by vice president for athletics Zack Lassiter.
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The Wildcats will visit Vermillion, S.D., on Sept. 2, 2028, for the first meeting between the two programs. ACU is scheduled to host South Dakota on Sept. 1, 2029.
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"This series with South Dakota is proof of our continued commitment to raising the standard of Abilene Christian football," said Lassiter. "We believe one of the ways to elevate ACU to the premier level of the Football Championship Subdivision is to play the best teams in the country. These kinds of games bring excitement to our program and fanbase, and give our student-athletes the opportunity to measure themselves against a top-level opponent."
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ACU is 2-2 all-time against teams who are currently in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, which is consistently ranked as the best FCS league, with games against North Dakota (2022), Illinois State (2013) and Youngstown State (1954, 1955). The Wildcats also faced North Dakota State, a former MVFC powerhouse now playing in the FBS, in the second round of the 2024 FCS Playoffs.
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Since 2024, ACU has played 16 Top 25 opponents with six coming in nonconference regular season games. South Dakota is ranked No. 6 in the most recent national polls.
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The 2028 matchup against the Coyotes will be the program's first game in the state of South Dakota.
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ACU now has two nonconference games scheduled for 2028 with a previously announced matchup against Texas A&M in College Station.
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Future ACU Football Schedules
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2027
August 28Â | vs. Lamar
September 4 | at UTSA
September 18 | at Stephen F. Austin
2028
September 2 | at South Dakota
Date TBA | at Texas A&M
2029
September 1 | vs. South Dakota
2030
September 7 | at Lamar
2031
September 6 | vs. Lamar
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The Wildcats will visit Vermillion, S.D., on Sept. 2, 2028, for the first meeting between the two programs. ACU is scheduled to host South Dakota on Sept. 1, 2029.
Â
"This series with South Dakota is proof of our continued commitment to raising the standard of Abilene Christian football," said Lassiter. "We believe one of the ways to elevate ACU to the premier level of the Football Championship Subdivision is to play the best teams in the country. These kinds of games bring excitement to our program and fanbase, and give our student-athletes the opportunity to measure themselves against a top-level opponent."
Â
ACU is 2-2 all-time against teams who are currently in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, which is consistently ranked as the best FCS league, with games against North Dakota (2022), Illinois State (2013) and Youngstown State (1954, 1955). The Wildcats also faced North Dakota State, a former MVFC powerhouse now playing in the FBS, in the second round of the 2024 FCS Playoffs.
Â
Since 2024, ACU has played 16 Top 25 opponents with six coming in nonconference regular season games. South Dakota is ranked No. 6 in the most recent national polls.
Â
The 2028 matchup against the Coyotes will be the program's first game in the state of South Dakota.
Â
ACU now has two nonconference games scheduled for 2028 with a previously announced matchup against Texas A&M in College Station.
Â
Future ACU Football Schedules
Â
2027
August 28Â | vs. Lamar
September 4 | at UTSA
September 18 | at Stephen F. Austin
2028
September 2 | at South Dakota
Date TBA | at Texas A&M
2029
September 1 | vs. South Dakota
2030
September 7 | at Lamar
2031
September 6 | vs. Lamar
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Monday, October 26
Monday, October 26
Monday, October 26
Monday, October 26
