Wildcats Train to Take Next Step of Deeper Playoff Run
7/31/2026 7:00:00 AM | Football
The past two seasons of Abilene Christian football have been memorable and historic: winning back-to-back conference championships for the first time since the 1950s and earning consecutive first-round victories in the FCS playoffs. But that's not enough.
This summer the Wildcats ran more during morning workouts so they can be better conditioned – all with the goal of making a deeper run and rising to the elite level of FCS programs.
"For us to be able to advance and move this program, we've got to get to the third round and beyond," fifth-year head coach Keith Patterson said. "We've already won the conference championship. We've played for it three times in four years. If we want to achieve something different then we've got to do something different. It was raising the bar, raising the standard. We put a lot of yardage in this summer."
The Wildcats played second round playoff games on the first Saturday in December in 2024 and 2025. Advancing past that would mean a quarterfinal game in mid-December, a semifinal game right before Christmas and this year's FCS National Championship on Jan. 11 in Nashville, Tenn.
"That's the mentality, thinking we're going to play a 16-week season," senior defensive tackle Kortlin Rausaw said. "We ran a lot more long distances this summer to prepare us for that, to go the distance."
SIGN UP: Official ACU tailgate before Texas Tech game on Sept. 5
In 2024, making its FCS postseason debut, ACU shut out Northern Arizona in the first round before losing to eventual national champion North Dakota State in round two. In 2025, the Wildcats once again secured an opening-round win – this time over in-state foe Lamar – and then lost a one-possession game to Stephen F. Austin.
What were once lofty goals – winning playoff games and conference titles – have become the expectations for this team.
"It was a lot more conditioning and team building," said senior receiver Dallas Dudley. "We've had a lot of newcomers come in, so we're trying to build the core and get the team chemistry right."
This summer the Wildcats ran more during morning workouts so they can be better conditioned – all with the goal of making a deeper run and rising to the elite level of FCS programs.
"For us to be able to advance and move this program, we've got to get to the third round and beyond," fifth-year head coach Keith Patterson said. "We've already won the conference championship. We've played for it three times in four years. If we want to achieve something different then we've got to do something different. It was raising the bar, raising the standard. We put a lot of yardage in this summer."
The Wildcats played second round playoff games on the first Saturday in December in 2024 and 2025. Advancing past that would mean a quarterfinal game in mid-December, a semifinal game right before Christmas and this year's FCS National Championship on Jan. 11 in Nashville, Tenn.
"That's the mentality, thinking we're going to play a 16-week season," senior defensive tackle Kortlin Rausaw said. "We ran a lot more long distances this summer to prepare us for that, to go the distance."
SIGN UP: Official ACU tailgate before Texas Tech game on Sept. 5
In 2024, making its FCS postseason debut, ACU shut out Northern Arizona in the first round before losing to eventual national champion North Dakota State in round two. In 2025, the Wildcats once again secured an opening-round win – this time over in-state foe Lamar – and then lost a one-possession game to Stephen F. Austin.
What were once lofty goals – winning playoff games and conference titles – have become the expectations for this team.
"It was a lot more conditioning and team building," said senior receiver Dallas Dudley. "We've had a lot of newcomers come in, so we're trying to build the core and get the team chemistry right."
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