Saturday, September 5
Lubbock, TX
6 p.m.
Abilene Christian
at
Texas Tech
No. 20 Wildcats Face Texas Tech on National TV Saturday Night
9/3/2026 11:48:00 PM | Football
FCS #20 ACU (0-1) at FBS #12 Texas Tech (0-0)
Lubbock, TX | Galaxy Stadium
Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. CT
GAME LINKS
LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 20 Abilene Christian football team makes the short drive to face Texas Tech, the defending Big 12 champions, for the second time in three seasons on Saturday evening at Galaxy Stadium.
After not squaring off for 75 years, the Wildcats and Red Raiders provided a heart-pounding 2024 matchup with ACU rallying from an 18-point deficit to force overtime before losing in overtime 52-51. Quarterback Maverick McIvor threw for 506 yards, which tied for second most in ACU history, Isaiah Johnson scored three rushing touchdowns and Red Raiders-turned-Wildcats Nehemiah Martinez I and Jed Castles both caught passes for scores.
Only eight current Wildcats played in that 2024 game, including Rovaughn Banks Jr. who had 65 offensive yards and a rushing TD.
Two years later, ACU has six former Tech players on its roster to go along with seven members of the coaching staff who either played or coached on the South Plains.
The Wildcats kicked off the 2026 campaign with a 21-14 loss at Lamar, which was ranked 20th at the time. ACU's offense was sluggish at times but jump-started when John David Black entered the game at quarterback in the second quarter. Black completed his first 11 passes and led the Cats on their two scoring drives which both ended in touchdown throws. Black took ACU down the field in the final minutes but a scramble on fourth down inside Lamar's 10 yard line was stopped a yard short. Alex Broome ran for 75 yards and true freshman Romelo Boykin tied for a team-high five catches for 54 yards. Texas Tech, like much of the FBS, opens its season this week.
Saturday will be ACU's first of three games this season against a fellow 2025 conference champion. The Wildcats earned their second straight United Athletic Conference title, while Tech won the Big 12 for the first time. Stephen F. Austin, which ACU hosts on Sept. 12, won the Southland Conference last season, and Mercer, who comes to Abilene on Sept. 26, went undefeated in the SoCon.
Playing Texas Tech also affords ACU the opportunity to play on Fox Sports 1 for the program's first nationally televised game since the 2014 opener on ESPNU against Georgia State. Fans can also listen to Saturday's game on ACUSports.com with Andy Penney and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Reese beginning at 5:30 p.m.
SERIES MATCHUP
LAST TIME OUT
D-FENCE, D-FENCE!
NO SACKS ALLOWED
HE'S A FRESHMAN
LBs MAKE RETURN
TEXAS TECH TIES
ACU vs. FBS OPPONENTS
Lubbock, TX | Galaxy Stadium
Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. CT
GAME LINKS
- Watch on Fox Sports 1 | Listen on the ACU Sports Network | Live Stats
- Weekly Press Conference (Patterson) | Weekly Press Conference (Harrell)
- ACU Game Notes (PDF)
LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 20 Abilene Christian football team makes the short drive to face Texas Tech, the defending Big 12 champions, for the second time in three seasons on Saturday evening at Galaxy Stadium.
After not squaring off for 75 years, the Wildcats and Red Raiders provided a heart-pounding 2024 matchup with ACU rallying from an 18-point deficit to force overtime before losing in overtime 52-51. Quarterback Maverick McIvor threw for 506 yards, which tied for second most in ACU history, Isaiah Johnson scored three rushing touchdowns and Red Raiders-turned-Wildcats Nehemiah Martinez I and Jed Castles both caught passes for scores.
Only eight current Wildcats played in that 2024 game, including Rovaughn Banks Jr. who had 65 offensive yards and a rushing TD.
Two years later, ACU has six former Tech players on its roster to go along with seven members of the coaching staff who either played or coached on the South Plains.
The Wildcats kicked off the 2026 campaign with a 21-14 loss at Lamar, which was ranked 20th at the time. ACU's offense was sluggish at times but jump-started when John David Black entered the game at quarterback in the second quarter. Black completed his first 11 passes and led the Cats on their two scoring drives which both ended in touchdown throws. Black took ACU down the field in the final minutes but a scramble on fourth down inside Lamar's 10 yard line was stopped a yard short. Alex Broome ran for 75 yards and true freshman Romelo Boykin tied for a team-high five catches for 54 yards. Texas Tech, like much of the FBS, opens its season this week.
Saturday will be ACU's first of three games this season against a fellow 2025 conference champion. The Wildcats earned their second straight United Athletic Conference title, while Tech won the Big 12 for the first time. Stephen F. Austin, which ACU hosts on Sept. 12, won the Southland Conference last season, and Mercer, who comes to Abilene on Sept. 26, went undefeated in the SoCon.
Playing Texas Tech also affords ACU the opportunity to play on Fox Sports 1 for the program's first nationally televised game since the 2014 opener on ESPNU against Georgia State. Fans can also listen to Saturday's game on ACUSports.com with Andy Penney and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Reese beginning at 5:30 p.m.
SERIES MATCHUP
- Texas Tech leads series 7-3, including 5 straight victories
- Series dates back to 1925 with ACU winning 3 in a row from 1927-29
LAST TIME OUT
- ACU lost at Lamar 21-14 in a rematch of the 1st round of the 2025 playoffs.
- A 4th quarter rally was stopped at the Lamar 6 in the final minute.
- ACU outgained Lamar by 80 yards (358-278), including a 5.2 yards per rush average.
- But 12 penalties for 106 yards and finishing -2 in the turnover margin hurt their chances.
D-FENCE, D-FENCE!
- The defense forced 6 punts, a turnover on downs and a missed FG against Lamar.
- In 2025, ACU was 8-0 when allowing fewer than 30 points. The last time the Cats lost when giving up fewer than 30 points was Sept. 21, 2024 vs. #4 Idaho (L, 27-24).
NO SACKS ALLOWED
- ACU's offensive line did not allow a sack against Lamar, which they had not done in the previous 15 games.
- The last time ACU didn't allow a sack was Nov. 30, 2024 in a win vs. Northern Arizona in round 1 of the FCS Playoffs.
HE'S A FRESHMAN
- ACU played 8 true freshmen at Lamar, highlighted by WR Romelo Boykin who had 5 catches (tied for team-high), 54 yards and 1 TD.
- DE Julius Laine and Hudson Page played snaps on defense.
- HC Keith Patterson has called this freshmen class he's the most talented in his time at ACU.
LBs MAKE RETURN
- Both of ACU's starting LBs -- Darius Moore and Gabe Brown -- made their return from major injuries in the opener at Lamar.
- Moore was ACU's leading tackler in 2023, missed all of 2024 and played in only 4 games in 2025 before having another surgery to clear out damage from a torn ACL.
- Brown transferred in 2025 from Oklahoma State, but missed the entire season to have surgery on a lingering injury from high school.
TEXAS TECH TIES
- ACU has 13 total team members who have spent time at Texas Tech.
- Six players, including 4 starters: TE Jayden York, DB Jocelyn Malaska, DB Javeon Wilcox and LG Kaden Carr.
- Backups DB Deante Lindsey and DE Tanner Allen also transferred.
- Seven coaches who coached or played at Tech (position & years at Tech):
- HC Keith Patterson (DC, 2019-21)
- Co-OC/QB Graham Harrell (player, 2004-08)
- Co-OC/WR Joel Filani (player, 2002-06)
- DL Nick Holt (analyst, 2021)
- TE Stanton Keane (player, 2014-15; student coach 2016-17, grad assistant, 2018)
- LB Conor Dubin (quality control assistant, 2019-21)
- Defensive Asst. Joseph Plunk (player, 2020-24)
ACU vs. FBS OPPONENTS
- The Wildcats are 1-19 vs. FBS teams since joining the FCS in 2013.
- ACU's lone win was a 38-35 triumph over Troy on Sept. 13, 2014.
- Four times ACU has lost by just one possession: 34-29 at New Mexico State in 2013; 38-37 at Georgia State in 2014; 17-13 at UTEP in 2020; and 52-51 in overtime at Texas Tech in 2024.
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