Nike Commercial with former ACU WR Johnny Knox

Commercial that Nike has shot with current NFL players and here is one featuring former ACU receiver and current Bears wide-out Johnny Knox. Watch and enjoy!

Final: Central Missouri 55, ACU 41

UCM scored its first TD of the second half when Czerniewski threw a 61-yard TD pass to Jamorris Warren. ACU blocked the PAT kick, however, making the new score 41-34 with 13:59 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Mules scored again when Czerniewski threw his sixth TD pass of the game, a 5-yarder to Morris with 4:53 left, growing UCM's lead to 48-34.

ACU answered back when Gale hit WR Edmund Gates with a 32-yard TD pass with 2:23 left. Lineberry's PAT made it 48-41.

UCM recovered the ensuing onside kick, and two plays later, Stewart bolted off right tackle for 42 yards and a Mules TD. The PAT gave his team the lead, 55-41, with 2:10 left.

That was the final score, ending the Wildcats' most successful season in 33 years at 11-1. UCM (11-2) advanced to play rival Northwest Missouri State, which rallied to beat LSC runner-up Texas A&M-Kingsville, 35-31.

End of Q3: Central Missouri 35, ACU 34

ACU's Mitchell Gale marched his team down the field on a nine-play drive that consumed nearly 10 minutes of time and opened the third quarter, capped by a 17-yard TD pass (his fourth of the game to Ben Gibbs (his second) at 9:51. Morgan Lineberry's PAT cut UCM's led to 35-28.

The Wildcats scored their 25th straight point when Lineberry kicked a 38-yard field goal to reduce UCM's margin to 35-31 at 7:27 of the third quarter, and their 28th straight when Lineberry booted another field goal of 17 yards with 26 seconds left, making it 35-34.

End of Q2: Central Missouri 35, ACU 21

ACU got back in the game by outscoring UCM, 21-14, in a wild quarter of action.

QB Mitchell Gale got ACU on the board with a 3-yard TD pass to tight end Ben Gibbs at the 10:27 mark.

UCM answered with two touchdown passes from Eric Czerniewski, the first to WR Jamorris Warren for 15 yards at 7:32 and the second for 20 yards to TE David Cannon.

Cannon's was the first of three TDs for the two teams in the final 95 seconds of the quarter.

Both of ACU's scores came on one-play drives. On the ensuing play from scrimmage following Cannon's TD, Gale completed a pass in the left flat to WR Kendrick Johnson, who spun out of a tackle and ran 58 yards for a score.

ACU's defense stopped UCM on its next possession, and an 8-yard punt under heavy pressure gave the Wildcats the ball back at the Mules' 20-yard line. Gale completed a 20-yard TD pass to wide-open WR Raymond Radway on the next play, then ran in the two-point conversion himself to bring ACU to within 14 at 35-21 with 10 seconds left.

At the half, UCM led in total yards (303 to 200), passing yards (286 to 158) and first downs (13 to 11). ACU had the edge in rushing yards (42 to 17).

Gale completed 15 of 23 yards for 158 yards, one interception and three TDs. Daryl Richardson and Darrell Cantu-Harkless shared the ACU rushing lead with 19 yards each. Kendrick Johnson was the Wildcats' leading receiver with four catches or 88 yards and a TD.

Czerniewski – who with ACU's Gale is one of nine finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy recognizing the top player in NCAA Divsion II – completed 20 of 27 passes for 286 yards and four TDs.

End of Q1: Central Missouri 21, ACU 0

A good crowd was in Shotwell Stadium today, considering that ACU students were off on their Thanksgiving holiday, and thousands of fans of Abilene High School and Abilene Cooper High School were on a caravan to Arlington, Texas, where both schools were playing (in separate afternoon games) in the UIL playoffs at Cowboys Stadium.

Central Missouri struck first when UCM running back Anthony Stewart ran untouched around left end for 9 yards and a TD at 8:22 of the first quarter. Aaron Jamieson's PAT made the score 7-0.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, ACU quarterback Mitchell Gale threw only his third interception of the season. Mules' cornerback Marion Douglas snagged the pass, and UCM scored on the next play when QB Eric Czerniewski tossed a 9-yard TD pass to TE DeMarco Cosby. Jamieson's PAT padded the Mules' lead to 14-0, just 18 seconds after their first TD.

Czerniewski connected with Stewart on pass in the right flat, and the senior ran untouched for 24 yards and another UCM TD with 2:16 left. Jamieson's PAT made the score 21-0.

After one quarter of play, UCM led in first downs (5 to 2), total yards (156 to 39), rushing yards (17 to 3) and passing yards (139 to 36).

UCM started its first-round game win last week in a similar way, building a 28-0 lead against West Texas A&M on its way to a 55-35 win.

ACU falls to Washburn, 3-1 in NCAA Tournament

Wildcats fall in tough match to Washburn, 3-1. More to come on acusports.com shortly.

ACU 1, Washburn 2

Wildcats come out swinging in set three winning 25-20. ACU put together a 5-0 run and finished the set on a 3-1 run to take the set. A couple long rallies including a great hustle play by Kelsie Edwards to set up a kill for the Wildcats making the score 22-17.

ACU has first serve in set four with the cross country team in town and in attendance cheering on the girls in Warrensburg.

ACU 0, Washburn 2

Wildcats fall in set two looking out of sync again as Washburn rebounded committing only two errors in the second set. ACU tried to mount a comeback but the Lady Blues finished an 11-2 to holding the Wildcats at bay winning 25-15.

ACU 0, Washburn 1

Both teams struggling to get moving in the opening set as ACU and Washburn take 5-0 runs in set one. The Lady Blues took set one 25-20 as the Wildcats tied the match at 15 but a 6-1 run gave Washburn a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Shawna Hines and Jennie Hutt both had 3 kills to lead ACU, but 8 errors by both teams and a sub .100 hitting percentage allowed Washburn to take an ugly set one.

A few points into set two Lady Blues take 2-1 early lead.

NCAA Second Round ACU vs. Washburn

Second Round NCAA action is 40 minutes away as the Wildcats and Washburn Lady Blues finish warm-ups. ACU advanced to today with a 3-2 win over Truman yesterday as they looked unstoppable in the first two sets. An ankle injury to IJ Moronu halted the Wildcat express and Truman took the momentum winning sets 3 and 4 before Moronu returned in the fourth as ACU won the fifth set and match.

Washburn comes into tonight’s match after picking up a win over Northwest Missouri State 3-1 last night. It will be the first meeting in three years between the teams as the Lady Blues took the match in 2008, 3-0.

All the girls look loose and relaxed after a good morning practice and a movie in the afternoon to get some R & R. We’ll keep you updated again tonight as the Wildcats look for their second trip ever to a regional final.

ACU 2, TSU 2

Wildcats feel out of sync in the fourth set. IJ is back on the court for the Wildcats and they are trying to push and get back in the match and close it out. A timeout down 16-10 has seemed unsuccessful, but as I’m typing from the table courtside the Wildcats have worked back down just 22-19 now.
An unsuccessful comeback by the Wildcats they fall 25-19. A Lady Bulldog falls off the net and finds an empty spot on the ACU side of the court. Tied 2-2 heading to a 5th and final set in an exciting First Round match.

Tough 4th Set

Wildcats falls in set three

Wildcats rolling through the third set before IJ rolls her ankle at the net. Good news for anyone watching Caley Johnson did a more than serviceable job setting for the Wildcats, but Moronu is back in after getting tapped up and walking it off. Falling 25-19 in set three the Wildcats will look to regain that intensity lost in the middle of the third set.

ACU trails 12-6, but now has the serve in fourth set.

ACU 2, TSU 0

Wildcats came back after an ace from Neely Borger tied the second set at 9. It was followed by a nice touch kill from IJ Moronu to the back from giving ACU their first lead of the second set 10-9. Borger has been solid for the Wildcats working both sidelines as a second kill cross court give the Wildcats a 15-10 lead.

TSU tried to battle back but a nice touch kill from Jennie Hutt extended the ACU lead back 19-15. However the Wildcats went on a 7-3 run closing out the set 25-17.

Good to see ACU go for the kill, no pun intended, keeping the Lady Bulldogs down as they tried to get back into the match. ACU leads 2-0 after taking set two.

Still very noticeable the intensity level on the court with both teams. It’s definitely playoff time!

ACU 1, TSU 0

On a mission. Wildcats get a sideout on the first serve and take the first four points looking solid in the opening match of the First Round today. ACU was focused as Jordan Schilling picked up five kills helping the Wildcats hit .355 and holding the Lady Bulldogs to a .030 hitting percentage. The intensity level is high this afternoon for a great start to the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA Volleyball Tournament First Round

ITS HERE!! Courtside at the NCAA Tournament South Central Region in Warrensburg, Missouri where ACU seniors have waited three years to make it back to the NCAA Tournament. It’s the first trip for everyone but Shawna Hines who was a redshirt freshman on the 2006 team, the last ACU team to make an NCAA run.

The Wildcats got a great early practice yesterday morning and are ready for today’s match with Truman. ACU and Truman met earlier in the season at the Washburn Lady Blues Fall Classic in Topeka the first weekend in October. The Lady Bulldogs took the meeting 3-2 in an intense five set match.

Both teams are finishing the last 30 minutes of warm-ups, captains are flipping for serve, and we’ll have more from the NCAA First Round match between the Wildcats and the Lady Bulldogs.

It's good to be 'back'

Please allow me a few inches in this space for some personal thoughts.

Just wanted to say a quick word of thanks to several of you who read this blog for your emails and phone calls over the last month or so checking on my absence and health since the first part of October.  Your thoughts and prayers were and are very much appreciated, and let me assure you that I felt them.

Let me just give you a quick background: for about a year I've been experiencing "sciatica" in my left leg, but it wasn't enough to slow me down.  On Oct. 7, I experienced what it was like to be slowed down by this pain.  On the Saturday of Homecoming (Oct. 9), I was lying in an MRI tube at Hendrick Medical Center being checked from head to toe to find out where my suddenly debilitating pain was originating from.

Turns out I had two bulging discs in my back (L4 and L5) that would require surgery.  For about a month I waited to get in to see a local neurosurgeon (more on him in a minute), but in the meantime I went through two injections into my back that allowed me to return to work a few days in October.  However, because of severe pain, my most comfortable position was lying on my stomach on the floor of our living room.

Fortunately, I was still able to do a lot of work, and my fantastic assistant, Phillip Dowden, carried our office the entire month of October and into November.  Phillip, can't thank you enough for everything.  You've done a great job, and you're going to make a wonderful head SID when your time comes.

I missed five of our last six football games of the regular season, almost every home soccer and volleyball match of the fall and several other events.  Missing each killed me; in my 13 years at ACU I had missed exactly one football game and not many more home events during the fall / winter.

Anyway, on Nov. 7, the pain became so severe that my wife took me to the hospital where I was admitted and given the "good stuff" to make me comfortable.  Still able to work from my hospital room, I was able to put together football game notes for the ACU-Southwestern Oklahoma State game as well as write a few other things.

Finally, on Nov. 10, Dr. Talmadge Trammell repaired the disc at L4, taking the pressure off my sciatic nerve and helping me to return to a pain-free existence.  Let me just make this quick aside:  if you EVER have any trouble with your back or spine, run -- don't walk -- to see Dr. Trammell.  He is a brilliant doctor and surgeon and the people in Abilene should be grateful that he chose to return to his hometown to open his practice.

Finally went back to work on Monday (Nov. 15) and am excited to be back amongst my friends and colleagues, as well as our teams and student-athletes.

Being down this long makes one appreciate a lot of things, but most importantly it makes me thankful to my Lord and Savior, who provided me with caring family and friends and with a team of doctors and nurses who were able to help me get back to good health (at least physically; never been too sure about the mental aspect).

It also makes one appreciate family that takes care of you and loves on you; friends who support and check in on you; co-workers who are understanding of a terrible situation; a church body that prays over you and makes sure you and your family are thought of each and every day; and a place to work that lifts you up in prayer more than it questions when you're going to return to work.

Can't say enough wonderful things about my beautiful wife, Jill, who took care of me, pushed and prodded doctors to get me earlier appointments and listened to me gripe ... because, shockingly, I'm not the greatest patient.  My kids, Rex and Ashley, who never let their disappointment show that their daddy couldn't do much for about five weeks, choosing instead to tell me each day that they loved me and hoped that I would "feel better soon."  My parents, who let me stay at their house during the days in the early days of this situation when I literally couldn't do anything for myself.

Thanks to my good friends the Boones and Bullingtons for constantly "talking me up" to Dr. Trammell on Sundays at Highland Church of Christ, and to another good friend, Dr. Shannon Cooke, for helping alleviate the pain and maybe doing me a favor and helping me get in to see Dr. Trammell almost a month before my scheduled appointment.

To my boss, Jared Mosley, associate AD Vince Jarrett, and most everyone on our coaching / administrative staff, thanks for your understanding, and I hope we don't go through this again.  And to Coach Wally Bullington: your thoughts and prayers and daily phone calls to check on me mean more than you'll ever know.  NOW I know why your former players are so loyal to you.  Thank you for showing us all what it means to be a Godly man.

To my great friend and ACU assistant vice president, Ron Hadfield.  We've worked together for 13 years and shared many laughs and good times, but he showed what it's like to be a true friend by doing what he didn't have to do over the last half of the football season when he took over a lot of the writing responsibilities for our football team.  Ron is a terrific writer -- one of the best you'll ever read, and I don't care who we're talking about in comparison -- and he wrote every football game story that appeared on our Web site from the Oct. 9 game through the end of the regular season.  He made trips to luxurious locales like Portales, N.M., and Canyon to cover games for me, and his willingness to pitch in and help out when he didn't have to shows the character of this great man.

I know I'm forgetting people, and I know this isn't something you usually read in this space, but I felt compelled tonight to let the readers know why Phillip has been carrying our office and to thank the people mentioned above, as well as my great friends Dr. Cheryl Bacon, Michael Bacon, Kate Bacon, Chris Thomsen, Kyle Robarts, Grant Boone, Garner Roberts, Dr. Charlie Marler, Grant Rampy, Lynne Bruton, Pat Agnew, Jimmy Pogue, Mike Miller, Allen Wilson, Danny Barefield, Jim Lowery, Todd and Rebekah Mullins, Jeremy Enlow, Willis Glassgow, Chris Woods, Kellen Mock, Hutton Jones, Britt Bonneau, Brandon Stover, Shawna Lavender, Jason Copeland, Amber Weems, Cory Driskill, Jack Kiser, Roosevelt Lofton, Casey Wilson, Bobby Reeves, Mike Campbell, Lisa Murphy, Karen Warner, Roberta Bender, as well as others I know I'm forgetting.

So, hopefully (knock on wood), I'm ready for the second season in football, basketball season and an exciting upcoming spring season.  As we head into a season of Thanksgiving, I know for sure I've got plenty for which to be thankful.

Wildcats Fall 3-4 in Shootout

AUSTIN – In one of the most exciting games in the history of the ACU soccer program the Wildcats fell to St. Edward’s in penalty kicks 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at the St. Edward’s Soccer Field. After playing to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation neither team scored in two overtime periods ending the Wildcats season.

Shootout

After 110 minutes of play netiher team could push past a 1-1 tie. Both teams take a short break and we will have a shootout. Both teams take penalty kicks with five players from either team taking one shot each as teams alternate kickers.

Overtime Rules

NCAA Rules: If neither team scores in the second OT period both teams move to a shootout.
In a shootout each team has five players to shoot as both teams alternate players. Team with highest total after all 10 players have shot wins.

OT #2

Where did all these shots come from? After nearly 30 minutes of action with neither team able to get a goal off both teams have had chances at a few goals although none have found the back of the net. ACU GK Elliott London has a couple saves while the Wildcats have missed high and wide on both chances. However neither team could get a goal in the first 10 min overtime. So we're headed to the second 10 minute overtime period.

From Missouri, Central Missouri has knocked off Truman, 3-0. A Wildcat win means they would travel to Warrensburg next weekend while a loss ends the Wildcats season.

OVERTIME

OVERTIME! At the end of regulation the Wildcats and Hilltoppers are tied 1-1. The Wildcats failed to notch a goal in the second period while the Hilltoppers only managed one. Overtime will be two 10 minute periods or a “golden goal” which the first team to score wins. Here we go!

Getting Physical

After a rough first half the Wildcats’ Ashley Holton has received a yellow card as St. Edward’s has controlled the ball more of the last few minutes of the half. 15 minutes left in the half ACU is trying to control the ball outside the box. Still 1-1 as a few 100 Wildcat fans have made the trip to Austin and made for a great atmosphere.
While we have a moment the Wildcats have received the No. 1 seed in the South Central Region in Football. Here are the rankings we’ll have more on those later:
1. ACU
2. Texas A&M-Kingsivlle
3. Northwest Missouri
4. Central Missouri
5. West Texas A&m
6. Missouri Western

ACU-St. Edward's

Still tied. Both teams scrambling as the sun has fadded behind the clouds and a light breeze has made the top of the hill on St. Edward's campus a litte chilly. With 24 minutes left in the second half both teams have had chances, but saves from both goalies have kept the game tied at 1-1.

ACU 1, St. Edward's 1 Half Stats

Shots: ACU 3, St. Ed's 9
Corner Kicks: ACU 1, St. Ed's 6
Saves: ACU 2, St. Ed's 1

Kelly Servage scores in 20th min her 12th goal of the season.
Andrea Carpetner scores 22nd goal of season in 39 min of match

Wildcats Tie Match

Andrea Carpenter does it again! Carpenter makes two moves to the left of the net to beat her defender for her 22nd goal of the season and tie the match 1-1 with 5 minutes left before the half.

ACU-St. Edward's

Kelly Servage gives the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute kicking a loose ball in the upper left corner of the net. Servage found the ball after a scrum in front of the net fell to her at the right of the net kicking it past London for the games’ first goal.

ACU-St. Edward's

The Hilltoppers have controlled the ball much of the first 10 minutes in the first half, but a great defensive effort has kept the match scoreless. A shot in the 32nd minute from Kelly Servage nearly went over goalkeeper Elliott London’s head, however London timed her jump perfectly for her first save. St. Edward’s holds a 6-0 shot advantage with five shots being blocked so far by the Wildcats and the one save from London.

ACU-St. Edward's

Under way! The Hilltoppers have the ball to open the game. ACU second ever playoff game today after a 5-0 win over Angelo State on Friday.
On the line: A bid to the NCAA third round and “Sweet 16”
Wildcats second ever NCAA playoff game

ACU-St. Edward's NCAA Second Round

Wildcats set for NCAA Second Round Tournament as player introductions are just beginning. A cool and slightly overcast afternoon in Austin as the sun is trying to sneak out behind the clouds on a cool afternoon. Keep watching the blog as the game gets under way in just over 5 minutes.

ACU-SW Oklahoma Highlights

Passing: Mitchell Gale, 9 of 15 for 128 yards and 1 TD; Clark Harrell, 7 of 10 for 56 yards; and Harold Jackson, 1 of 1 for 61 yards and 1 TD
Rushing: Charcandrick West, 11 for 113 yards and 2 TDs; Daryl Richardson, 9 for 65 yards and 2 TDs; Josh Morgan, 10 for 41 yards; Mitchell Gale, 2 for 18 yards; and Austin Kessler, 2 for 8 yards; Clark Harrell, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving: Raymond Radway, 1 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Kendrick Johnson, 3 for 59 yards; Edmund Gates, 2 for 34 yards; Harold Jackson, 3 for 26 yards; Brandon Bowles-Delk, 4 for 24 yards; Austin Kessler, 2 for 21 yards, Justin Andrews, 1 for 16 yards; and Daryl Richardson, 1 for 4 yards
Defense: Nate Bailey, 11 tackles; Eric Edwards, 7 tackles and 1 sack; L.B. Suggs, 7 tackles; Bryson Lewis, 6 tackles and 1 sack; Ryan Smith, 6 tackles; Fred Thompson, 5 tackles and 3 sacks; and Darien Williams, 5 tackles
Score: ACU 47, SW Oklahoma 17
First Downs: ACU 22, SW Oklahoma 17
Rushing: ACU 36 for 247 yards; SW Oklahoma 38 for 108 yards
Passing: ACU 17 of 26 for 245 yards, 0 INT, 1 TD; SW Oklahoma 14 of 27 for 176 yards, 0 INT, 2 TDs
Total Yards: ACU 492, SW Oklahoma 284
Third Down Conversions: ACU 6 of 12, SW Oklahoma 3 of 14

Time of Possession: SW Oklahoma 30:01, ACU 29:59
Attendance: 7,873 (Shotwell Stadium)
Notes: ACU leading tackler Kevin Washington, a senior linebacker, rested this game after surgery to repair a broken forearm suffered in last week's win over West Texas A&M. Through 11 games, Mitchell Gale’s passing totals include 3,237 yards, 1 TD and only 2 interceptions. ACU defenders tackled Bulldog ball carriers for losses on 14 plays, and sacked SWOSU quarterbacks 5 times. Mark Sprague's only punt was a 70-yarder. Wildcat running backs averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. SWOSU's backs averaged 2.8 per rush. ACU averaged 7.9 yards per offensive play. The win gives ACU a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II playoffs, which begin next Saturday. If they keep winning, the Wildcats are assured a shot at hosting games – starting Nov. 27 – through the national quarterfinals. The Bulldogs also were ACU's opponent when it won its last national championship (1977 NAIA Division I title game in the Apple Bowl in Seattle, Wash.)

Final: ACU 47, SW Oklahoma 17

Morgan Lineberry kicked a 22-yard field goal with 14:17 left in the game to pad ACU's lead to 41-10.

Charcandrick West shook two tackles and sprinted 66 yards for a Wildcat TD with 8:55 left. The PAT was no good, but ACU's new lead grew to 47-10.

The Bulldogs closed the game's scoring on a 42-yard pass from Mike Van Deripe to Ryan Corbin wth 38 seconds remaining. ACU's lead was cut to 47-17, which was the final score.

ACU won its second outright LSC South Division championship in three years, and finished 11-0 for the regular season - a Wildcat football first.

End of Q3: ACU 38, SW Oklahoma 10

Southwestern Oklahoma scored its first TD of the game when Dustin Stenta completed a 9-yard pass to Ryan Corbin with 11:11 left in the third quarter. Colton Rainey's PAT cut ACU's lead to 35-10.

Senior QB Clark Harrell took over for Mitchell Gale on ACU's first drive of the quarter, leading ACU to another score when Morgan Lineberry kicked a 31-yard field goal at 6:53, making the new score 38-10.

End of Q2: ACU 35, SW Oklahoma 3

The Bulldogs got the scoreboard at 11:07 when Colton Rainey kicked a 28-yard field goal.

ACU broke out the trick play book on the first play of its next drive when Mitchell Gale lateraled to senior WR Harold Jackson, who threw a pass to a wide-open Raymond Radway for a 61-yard TD. Lineberry's PAT made the new score 28-3 with 10:51 left.

ACU's next drive resulted in another TD when freshman RB Charcandick West ran untouched up the middle for a 11 yards. Lineberry's PAT increased the Wildcat lead to 35-3 with 6 minutes left in the first half.

At the half, ACU led in first downs (12 to 9), total yards (301 to 122), passing yards (189 to 73), rushing yards (12 to 49) and third-down conversions (5 of 6 to 1 of 8). Wildcat defenders tackled Bulldog runners for losses 12 times, and sacked SWO quarterback Dustin Stenta four times. LBs Nate Baggs and Eric Edwards led ACU in tackles with 7 each, and LB Fred Thompson had three of ACU's four sacks.

Gale completed 9 of 15 passes for 128 yards and 1 TD. RB Daryl Richardson rushed 9 times for 69 yards and 2 TDs. Kendrick Johnson has caught three passes for 59 yards. Raymond Radway caught 1 pass for 61 yards and a TD.

ACU Soccer at NCAA Regional

AUSTIN – Fans can watch the Wildcats’ second round match of the NCAA Soccer Tournament against St. Edward’s Sunday in Austin via Hilltopper webstream.

St. Edward’s broadcast team will stream the second round match against the Wildcats through their website here. The pay-per view event charge is $5 from Stretch Internet.

ACU moved into the second round with their first ever playoff victory a 5-0 shutout of Angelo State on Friday. Andrea Carpenter scored two goals and Ashley Holton added a goal and an assist Friday afternoon in the Wildcat win.

Fans can also follow the action on acusports.blogspot.com and on the ACUSports Facebook page.

End of Q1: ACU 21, SW Oklahoma 0

ACU's first drive – 14 plays covering 72 yards – was capped when senior RB Daryl Richardson ran 2 yards up the middle for a TD. Morgan Lineberry's PAT put the Wildcats in the early lead, 7-0, with 8:54 left in the first quarter.

The Wildcats stopped the Bulldogs' first drive on downs at the ACU 47-yard line. Two plays later, sophomore QB Mitchell Gale found Justin Andrews over the middle with a pass, and the junior fullback ran in for a 16-yard TD. Lineberry's PAT made the score 14-0 with 5:06 remaining. The first play of the drive was a 37-yard pass from Gale to senior WR Kendrick Johnson.

After the Bulldogs went four-and-out on their next drive, ACU took eight plays to move 43 yards, with Richardson scoring again on a 25-yard run. Lineberry's PAT made the new score 21-0 with 1:08 on the clock.

ACU rolled up 178 yards of offense in the quarter, and held SWO to 50. Gale was 7 of 10 for 90 yards, and Richardson rushed nine times for 65 yards and two TDs.

ACU-West Texas A&M Highlights

Passing: Mitchell Gale, 22 of 36 for 296 yards, 1 INT and 1 TD
Rushing: Daryl Richardson, 19 for 98 yards and 3 TDs; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 13 for 82 yards; Taylor Gabriel, 1 for 23 yards; Mitchell Gale, 10 for 18 yards; Kendrick Johnson, 1 for 6 yards; and Edmund Gates, 1 for 4 yards
Receiving: Edmund Gates, 4 for 96 yards and 1 TD; Emery Dudensing, 4 for 25 yards; Daryl Richardson, 3 for 41 yards; Tony Gabriel, 3 for 20 yards; Ben Gibbs, 2 for 34 yards; Justin Andrews, 2 for 28 yards; Kendrick Johnson, 2 for 27 yards; Raymond Radway, 1 for 14 yards; and Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 1 for 1 yards
Defense: Kevin Washington, 9 tackles; Fred Thompson, 7 tackles and 1 sack; Darien Williams, 7 tackles; James Williams, 6 tackles and 3 interceptions; Donald Moore, 4 tackles and 1 sack; and Aston Whiteside, 2 tackles and 1 sack
Score: ACU 41, West Texas A&M 34
First Downs: West Texas A&M 30, ACU 27
Rushing: ACU 45 for 231 yards; West Texas A&M 21 for 38 yards
Passing: ACU 22 of 36 for 296 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD; West Texas A&M 39 of 60 for 446 yards 3 INTs, 4 TDs
Total Yards: ACU 527, West Texas A&M 484
Total Plays: ACU 81, West Texas A&M 81
Touchbacks: ACU 6, West Texas A&M 1

Third Down Conversions: ACU 8 of 16, West Texas A&M 10 of 17
Fourth Down Conversions: ACU 1 of 2, West Texas A&M 3 of 3
Time of Possession: ACU 33:30, West Texas A&M 26:30
Notes: Through 10 games, Mitchell Gale’s passing totals include 3,109 yards, 32 TDs and only 2 interceptions.  Just 2 of Spencer Covey's 8 kickoffs were returned; he leads the nation in touchbacks. ACU defenders tackled WT ball carriers for losses on 7 plays, and sacked Taylor Harris three times. Attendance was 13,827 in Kimbrough Stadium. The No. 2-ranked Wildcats clinched at least a tie for their second LSC South title in the last three years. ACU scored 21 of its 41 points in the decisive fourth quarter. What home field advantage? … the visiting team has won the last eight games in this regular-season series. ACU benefited from 4 WT turnovers: a fumble and 3 interceptions (DB James Williams had all three interceptions). WT receivers Tyson Williams (13 catches for 171 yards and 2 TDs) and Brittan Golden (8 catches for 126 yards and 2 TDs) had big nights; teammate Jay Tillman added 8 catches or 79 yards. ACU had three players with big all-purpose yardage performances: Daryl Richardson (139), Darrell Cantu-Harkless (122), Edmund Gates (100) and Caleb Withrow (98). For all the passing yardage Taylor Harris accumulated (39 of 60 for 446 yards), ACU's nationally ranked run defense shut down the ground game of the Buffs (21 carries for 38 yards). The teams' two head coaches have a 4-4 record against each other. Among ACU's 10 wins this season are 4 over nationally-ranked opponents. The last Wildcat football team to go 11-0 was the 1950 squad coached by Garvin Beauchamp, although their final win was a victory over Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, Minn.) in the Refrigerator Bowl in Evansville, Ind.

Final: ACU 41, West Texas A&M 34

Mitchell Gale threw a short pass to WR Edmund Gates, and the speedy senior sprinted 51 yards for a touchdown with just 10 seconds elapsed in the fourth quarter. Morgan Lineberry's PAT tied the score at 27-27.

WT moved back in front when Taylor Harris threw his fourth scoring pass of the game, an 11 yarder to Tyson Williams with 9:05 left in the quarter. Sergio Castillo's PAT put WT back on top, 34-27.

ACU's Daryl Richardson ran 7 yards off right tackle for a TD with 4:51 remaining, capping a 10-play, 67-yard drive. Lineberry's PAT tied the score at 34-all.

After a 32-yard punt return by Kendrick Johnson set up ACU at the WT 36 yard line, Richardson ran off right tackle, broke free of a jam at the line and sprinted in for a 23-yard TD with 1:00 left.   

The Wildcat defense held off a furious WT rally, breaking up a pass in the end zone as time expired.

ACU won, 41-34, clinching at least a tie for the LSC South Division championship for the second time in three years.

End of Q3: West Texas A&M 27, ACU 20

ACU QB Mitchell Gale engineered an impressive 10-play, 80-yard drive to open the second half. He ran for 30 yards on two quarterback-keepers, hit big first-down-generating plays to WRs Edmund Gates (12 yards) and Taylor Gabriel (14 yards), and FB Emery Dudensing (11 yards), then ran in the TD himself from 2 yards out with 10:29 remaining. Morgan Lineberry's PAT closed the WT lead to 14-13. 

The Buffs bounced back with a 6-play, 78-yard drive, capped by a 20-yard pass from Taylor Harris to Brittan Golden. ACU DB Darien Williams blocked WT's PAT kick, making the new score 20-13 with 7:41 left.

Gale threw just his second interception of the season at the 4:37 mark, but it was returned 76 yards for a touchdown by WT CB Caleb Randolph. Castillo's PAT increased the Buffs' lead to 27-13.

WT QB Harris fumbled on his 3-yard line with 2:20 left, and NG Mike Jones recovered at the Buffs' 2-yard line.  ACU RB Daryl Richardson ran the ball into the end zone on the next play, and Lineberry's PAT pulled ACU to within one touchdown, 27-20.

James Williams intercepted his third pass of the game with 2:05 left, giving ACU possession at its 39-yard line.

End of Q2: West Texas A&M 14, ACU 6

ACU continued its drive to begin the second quarter, advancing to the WT 3-yard line before the Buff defense rose to the occasion again. PK Morgan Lineberry kicked his second field goal of the game at 10:59, a 21-yarder, cutting WT's lead to 7-6.

WT's Sergio Castillo attempted a 40-yard field goal with 7:19 left, but missed.

The Buffs' Tyson Williams caught a 24-yard TD pass from Taylor Harris to cap a 9-play, 90-yard drive. The PAT by Castillo made the new score 14-6 with 1:33 left.

Statistically, WT led ACU in total yards (262 to 212), first downs (18 to 11) and passing yards (238 to 146). ACU had the advantage in possession time (15:18 to 14:42) and rushing yards (66 to 24). 

Mitchell Gale completed 12 of 20 passes for 146 yards. Daryl Richardson led ACU in rushing (7 carries for 32 yards) and receiving (3 catches for 41 yards). LB Kevin Washington had six tackles, and DB Darien Williams had 5.

ACU drove inside the WT 10-yard line four times in the half, but had only 6 points to show for it (two field goals).

End of Q1: West Texas A&M 7, ACU 3

WT struck on the game's opening drive when QB Taylor Harris threw a 25-yard TD pass over the middle to WR Brittan Golden. Sergio Castillo's PAT made the score 7-0 with 9:56 to play in the first quarter.

ACU stormed right back when DB Caleb Withrow returned the ensuing kickoff 77 yards to the WT 10-yard line. However, WT's defense stiffened, and ACU's QB Morgan Lineberry booted a 28-yard field goal at the 8:20 mark, cutting WT's lead to 7-3.

ACU DB James Williams intercepted a tipped pass at the WT 49-yard line and returned it to the 22 with 7:38 left in the quarter. ACU advanced as close as the Buffs' 1-yard line, but the WT defense stopped ACU RB Daryl Richardson on three straight runs near the goal line, taking over on downs. 

Williams intercepted another WT pass at the :35 mark when he caught a deep ball thrown by Taylor Harris and stepped out of bounds at the ACU 7-yard line. 

After one quarter of play, WT leads in total yards, 133-24. Mitchell Gale has completed 2 of 5 passes for 18 yards, and is under heavy pressure by the Buffs' defense.

ACU-Angelo State Highlights

Passing: Mitchell Gale, 27 of 41 for 377 yards and 4 TDs
Rushing: Mitchell Gale, 8 for 31 yards; Daryl Richardson, 6 for 16 yards; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 8 for 12 yards; Emery Dudensing, 5 for 9 yards
Receiving: Edmund Gates, 6 for 124 yards and 1 TD; Raymond Radway, 6 for 82 yards and 1 TD; Taylor Gabriel, 3 for 30 yards; Daryl Richardson, 3 for 25 yards; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 3 for 12 yards; Kendrick Johnson, 2 for 48 yards; Emery Dudensing 2 for 11 yards and 2 TDs; Ben Gibbs, 1 for 26 yards; and Austin Kessler, 1 for 19 yards
Defense: Kevin Washington, 13 tackles; James Williams an dEric Edwards, 7 tackles each; , T. Battie, Fred Thompson, 5 tackles and 1 sack; Aston Whiteside, 4 tackles, 1 sack and 1 blocked PAT
Score: ACU 33, Angelo 20
First Downs: ACU 20; Angelo 19
Rushing: ACU 29 for 82 yards; Angelo 21 for -23 yards
Passing: ACU 27 of 41, 0 INT, 4 TDs, 377 yards; Angelo 33 of 49, 0 INT, 2 TDs, 327 yards
Total Yards: ACU 459, Angelo 304
Third Down Conversions: ACU 5 of 13; Angelo 5 of 16
Time of Possession: Angelo 31:22, ACU 28:38
Notes: Through nine games, Mitchell Gale’s passing totals include 2,813 yards, 31 TDs and only 1 interception. His 27 pass completions averaged 14 yards each. Angelo State's dangerous special teams were neutralized; none of Mark Sprague's five punts (45-yard average) were returned, and only 2 of Spencer Covey's 7 kickoffs were returned (3 touchbacks and 2 kicked out of bounds). Two different kickers had field goals for ACU: a 49-yarder to open the game's scoring for Morgan Lineberry and a 22-yarder to close the game's scoring by Ryan Owens. ACU defenders tackled Angelo State ball carriers for losses on 17 plays. All four of ACU's TDs came on quick-strike drives of 1:56, 1:36, 1:49 and 1:07. WR Edmund Gates had his fifth consecutive game with more than 100 receiving yards, and his second straight of exactly 124 yards. He moved past former NFL Giants' star Johnny Perkins and into second place for most receiving yards in an ACU career. Attendance was 6,342. The No. 3-ranked Wildcats may move higher in the American Football Coaches Association national rankings this week, as No. 1-ranked Grand Valley State lost 20-17 to Michigan Tech.

Final: ACU 33, Angelo State 20

Josh Neisander threw a 12-yard TD pass to WR CJ Akins to cut the ACU margin to 30-20 with 11:50 left.

Wildcat PK Ryan Owens booted a 22-yard field goal at the 6:12 mark to increase ACU's lead to 33-20.

End of Q3: ACU 30, Angelo State 13

Angelo State scored when QB Josh Neiswander found WR Dakarai Pecikones over the middle and the sophomore made his way into the end zone for a 26-yard TD with 9:26 left in the third quarter. The PAT was blocked by Wildcat DE Aston Whiteside, leaving ACU on top, 16-13.

ACU responded with its own scoring drive, capped by a 7-yard TD pass from Mitchell Gale to Emery Dudensing with 5:07 left. Morgan Lineberry's PAT made the new score 23-13. Gale's 44-yard pass to WR Raymond Radway on second down and 8 from the ACU 46 was the big play in the drive.

The ensuing Wildcat kickoff sailed out of bounds, giving the Rams the ball on the 40-yard line. ASU marched right back down the field, aided as well by a pass interference call in the end zone. ACU's defense stiffened and then DE Fred Thompson blocked an attempted 44-yard field goal by Angelo State's Jacob Decker with 3:12 remaining.

Five plays later, Gale hit Edmund Gates in the right flat, and the senior WR sprinted 55 yards for a TD. The PAT by Lineberry at 1:58 made the new score 30-13.

End of Q2: ACU 16, Angelo State 7

Thus far, the Big Country-Concho Valley Shootout is more of a standoff. Defenses rule the day.

ACU's two TDs in the game came on the opening and closing drives of this quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, ACU FB Emery Dudensing caught a 4-yard scoring pass from Mitchell Gale. The PAT by Morgan Lineberry was blocked, but the Wildcats had regained the lead, 9-7, with 14:55 left.

Gale threw a 9-yard TD pass to WR Raymond Radway with 59 seconds left, and Lineberry's PAT made the score 16-7.

At the half, ACU leads in score (16-7), first downs (12 to 7), total yards (259 to 112), passing yards (222 to 124), rushing yards (37 to -12) and tackles for loss (10 to 2).

Mitchell Gale has completed 18 of 28 passes for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns. His leading receiver is Edmund Gates (3 catches for 46 yards), Radway (4 catches for 30 yards and 1 TD) and Taylor Gabriel (3 catches for 30 yards). Gale also is the leading rusher for his team with 21 yards on 7 carries.

End of Q1: Angelo State 7, ACU 3

Morgan Lineberry got the Wildcats off to a 3-0 lead at 8:42 of the first quarter when he kicked a 49-yard field goal on ACU's first drive of the game.

Angelo State scored on a 11-yard run by RB Garrett Tidwell and the PAT put the Rams on top, 7-3 with 1:51 remaining. ASU QB Josh Neiswander became his team's career completions leader on the drive. 

ACU answered back quickly on its next possession, a drive that advanced to the Angelo State 4-yard line when the quarter ended.

ACU-ENMU Highlights

Passing: Mitchell Gale, 23 of 41 for 362 yards and 5 TDs; Clark Harrell, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing: Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 10 for 56 yards; Josh Morgan, 11 for 52 yards; Daryl Richardson, 10 for 50 yards; Charcandrick West, 6 for 34 yards; Mitchell Gale, 2 for 11 yards; Emery Dudensing, 3 for 10 yards and 1 TD; Austin Kessler, 2 for 7 yards; and Kendrick Johnson, 1 for 3 yards
Receiving: Edmund Gates, 7 for 124 yards and 3 TDs; Taylor Gabriel, 5 for 59 yards; Kendrick Johnson, 3 for 66 yards and 2 TDs; Daryl Richardson, 3 for 44 yards; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 2 for 32 yards; Ben Gibbs, 2 for 28 yards; Emery Dudensing 1 for 7 yards; and Justin Andrews, 1 for 2 yards
Defense: Marvin Jones and Kevin Washington, 6 tackles each; Fred Thompson, T. Battie, Darien Williams and L.B. Suggs, 4 tackles each; and Shane Baham, 1 tackle, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception
Score: ACU 53, ENMU 14
First Downs: ACU 29; ENMU 18
Rushing: ACU 47 for 213 yards; ENMU 37 for 141 yards
Passing: ACU 23 of 42, 0 INT, 5 TDs, 362 yards; ENMU 11 of 31, 0 INT, 1 TDs, 126 yards
Total Yards: ACU 575, ENMU 267
Third Down Conversions: ACU 8 of 17; ENMU 3 of 16
Time of Possession: ACU 38:46, ENMU 21:14
Notes: ACU gave up only two more yards of total offense this week (267) than it did in a domination of Incarnate Word (265) last week. ACU averaged 6.5 yards per play; ENMU averaged 3.9. The Wildcats held the ball for nearly all the third quarter (12:37 to ENMU's 2:23), scoring TDs on its two long drives. In the wins this week and last, Edmund Gates has 245 yards in receptions, and five TDs. Through eight games, Mitchell Gale’s passing totals include 2,436 yards, 27 TDs and only 1 interception. Freshman running back Darrel Cantu-Harkless is the Wildcats' leading rusher (417 yards), averaging 6.95 yards per attempt. ACU has outscored its opponents 115-16 in the first quarter, and 96-32 in the second. The Wildcats average scoring 44.75 points per game; its opponents, 16.5.

Final: ACU 53, ENMU 14

The only tally of the fourth quarter came when Shane Baham intercepted a Wood pass at the Greyhound 11 and returned it for an ACU score with 13:05 remaining, with Owens' PAT making the Wildcat lead to 53-14.

ACU's win moved the Wildcats to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the LSC South. ENMU dropped to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the LSC North.

End of Q3: ACU 46, ENMU 7

ACU's first drive of the third quarter – into the strong wind – was finished off 81 yards later when Gale found senior WR Kendrick Johnson on a 21-yard TD pass in the back of the end zone. The PAT failed but the Wildcat lead stretched to 39-0 with 10:07 remaining.

ENMU scored when QB Wesley Wood hit WR Carl Bouldin on a 33-yard scoring pass. A successful PAT by PK Taylor Cannon cut the ACU lead to 39-7 with 8:29 left.

Gale tossed his fifth TD of the game, finding Edmund Gates in the end zone with a 9-yard pass with 1:09 left. Owens' fourth PAT of the afternoon made the score 46-7.

ACU junior RB Josh Morgan fumbled on the Wildcat 15 with 14:51 left in the third quarter, and ENMU safety Curtis Jackson returned the miscue for a Greyhound TD. The PAT was good, and ACU's lead was cut to 46-14.

End of Q2: ACU 33, ENMU 0

ACU's scoring string ended on its first drive of the second quarter, directed into the 35-mph west breeze here in Greyhound Stadium. Maybe that wind thing is a factor.  :-)

Wildcat defensive back Brent Schroeder recovered a Greyhound fumble at the ACU 35 with 5:40 left.

How can the wind blow this hard and there not be a hurricane in the ZIP code?

Regardless, the Greyhounds had its advantage for the entire second quarter, and could not score on ACU, while the Wildcats figured out how to do that when Gale found Edmund Gates with a 26-yard TD pass with 35 seconds left. Owens' PAT failed, but ACU's lead had grown to 33-0.

At the half, ACU led in score (33-0), total offense (352 yards to 190), passing (291 yards to 87), first downs (16 to 11), third-down conversions (5 of 10 to 1 of 10) and time of possession (17:14 to 12:46).

Gale is 16 of 31 for 296 yards, 0 INTs and 3 TDs. Edmund Gates (89 yards and 2 TDs) and Taylor Gabriel (44 yards) have four catches each, while Daryl Richardson has 3 catches for 44 yards. Charcandrick West is ACU's leading rusher with 19 yards on 3 carries. The Wildcats have rushed the ball 17 times for 61 yards and 1 TD. DT Marvin Jones and LB Kevin Washington lead the defense with six tackles each. 

End of Q1: ACU 27, ENMU 0

With PK Morgan Lineberry back home in Abilene resting a back injury, Ryan Owens, a sophomore from Colleyville, booted a 52-yard field goal on ACU's first drive of the afternoon with 9:50 left in the first quarter. The Wildcats lead 3-0.

Freshman RB Daryl Cantu-Harkless bailed his team out of a 3rd-and-10 hole with a 34-yard catch and run on ACU's second drive. Six plays later, senior FB Emery Dudensing bulled in from 2 yards out for a TD with 5:14 left. Owens' PAT made the score 10-0.

ACU's third possession yielded another score: a pass from sophomore QB Mitchell Gale to senior WR Edmund Gates, who outraced the defense down the sideline for a 50-yard TD play at the 3:46 mark. Owens’ PAT made the score 17-0.

Owens put the Wildcats on the scoreboard again with 1:17 left when he kicked a 35-yard field goal, upping the lead to 20-0, and finishing off ACU's fourth drive of the day.

Drive No. 5 was quick (one play) and a beauty. Senior WR Kendrick Johnson caught a pass from Gale in the left flat and jitterbugged 45 yards for another TD with one second left in the quarter. Another Owens PAT upped the lead to 27-0.

ACU made good use of the opening quarter and the 25-40 mph wind at its back. We'll see how much of an advantage the Wild West wind in Blackwater Draw helps the Greyhounds for the next 15 minutes.

Gale was 11 of 19 for 207 yards and 2 TDs in the quarter.

Throughts From Regional Volleyball

Regional rankings for volleyball and soccer were released this week as ACU stands in great position in both.

For the volleyball team the regional rankings have been sort-of a sore subject after being left out of the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons despite having a worthy resume. Kellen Mock and her Wildcats finished last season 29-6 and with wins over teams like Pittsburg State and Dallas Baptist who got the automatic invite from the Heartland Conference knocking out ACU.

But so much for last season, this year the Wildcats are on a tear, currently in the midst of a seven game winning streak. They are closing in on their season long 12-game win streak from earlier in the season which included wins over Mesa State, Northwest Missouri State, Nebraska-Omaha, and then No. 11 Emporia State.

The wins over the three MIAA teams may prove big come the end of the season as they hold the strong region records. Currently the four teams ahead of ACU are all teams from the MIAA including top ranked Central Missouri, Truman, Emporia State, and Washburn.

About the regional rankings: The top eight teams earn a bid to the NCAAs which is generally hosted by the top seed. National power West Texas A&M has taken the lone bid from the Lone Star Conference the past two seasons.

The Lady Buffs, have been the Wildcats main antagonist, and sit tied with ACU at 16-8 and 8-0 in the LSC. However, WT has lost more than the normal matches including a sweep from junior college Arkansas-Fort Smith, but the Lady Buffs still hold a 74 consecutive match win streak over conference opponents.

With all that, it makes a Nov. 4 match up with the Wildcats and Lady Buffs just as important. A win would almost assuredly seal the LSC Championships in Abilene, a berth in the NCAA Tournament, and snap their 74-match win streak. However, a loss would send the LSC tournament to Canyon and could again put the Wildcats on the bubble.

Before all the excitement ACU still needs to take care of business which includes matches with East Central and Southeastern Oklahoma this weekend. The Wildcats will be on the road next week at Incarnate Word and Texas A&M Kingsville. Hopefully the Wildcats can recover in time for this weekend’s matches after a 3 hour “lay-over” from Odessa where the Wildcats encountered “bus trouble” for the second time on the road this season.

Out of My Head Over You

Words don’t do the sight and sound of it justice, but the turnover created Saturday night by ACU linebacker L.B. Suggs when he de-cleated and de-helmeted Incarnate Word tight end Andrew Mocio was memorable. Wildcat fans with a closeup view of the collision near the sideline had to catch their collective breath before cheering the TD it helped create.

With less than a minute left in the first quarter, Mocio caught a pass near the ACU sideline, turned to run and was rudely greeted by Suggs, a sophomore linebacker from Cedar Park, Texas. The impact caused Mocio’s helmet to fly several feet up in the air – farther than the ball, which was picked up by opportunistic linebacker Eric Edwards and returned 25 yards for an ACU touchdown.

This photo by J Michael Short shows Mocio on the ground, sans helmet, and Edwards about to pick up the loose ball and run with it.

“It dazed me a little bit, and then everything went bright,” Mocio told San Antonio Express News reporter Blake Hurtik in its Sunday edition.

Correction: everything went purple.

ACU led 24-0 after the turnover-induced TD, rolled to a 37-7 halftime lead, rested its starters in the third and fourth quarters, and eventually registered a 57-17 win to move to 7-0 on the season.

Mocio walked off the field without assistance, albeit a little dazed-looking after the dramatic hit.

ACU-Incarnate Word Highlights

Passing: Mitchell Gale, 17 of 26 for 379 yards and 5 TDs; Clark Harrell, 5 of 6 for 40 yards
Rushing: Josh Morgan, 6 for 28 yards; Daryl Richardson, 5 for 26 yards; Charcandrick West, 8 for 22 yards; Emery Dudensing, 2 for 20 yards; Taylor Gabriel, 1 for 13 yards; and Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 2 for 7 yards
Receiving: Raymond Radway, 5 for 85 yards and 2 TDs; Chris Fowler, 4 for 56 yards; Edmund Gates, 3 for 121 yards and 2 TDs; Charcandrick West, 3 for 82 yards and 1 TD; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 2 for 31 yards; Taylor Gabriel, 1 for 18 yards; Ben Gibbs, 1 for 9 yards; David Pillen, 1 for 9 yards; Daryl Richardson, 1 for 5 yards; and Kendrick Johnson, 1 for 3 yards
Defense: L.B. Suggs, 9 tackles and 1 forced fumble; Eric Edwards, 7 tackles and 1 fumble return for a TD; and Kevin Washington, 6 tackles
Score: ACU 57, UIW 17
First Downs: ACU 20; UIW 15
Rushing: ACU 28 for 107 yards; UIW 32 for 89 yards
Passing: ACU 22 of 32, 1 INT, 5 TDs, 419 yards; UIW 17 of 31, 0 INT, 2 TDs, 176 yards
Total Yards: ACU 526, UIW 265
Third Down Conversions: ACU 4 of 9; UIW 2 of 14
Time of Possession: ACU 27:43, UIW 32:17
Notes: Seven games into the season, Mitchell Gale was charged with his first interception, although the ball bounced off the hands of an intended receiver and into the hands of UIW player. UIW quarterbacks were only sacked once, but ACU defenders threw UIW ball-carriers for a loss on 11 plays, and broke up four passes. The quick-strike Wildcat offense overwhelmed the Cardinals: only three of ACU's nine scoring drives took more than five plays, and took little time off the clock. Other than Eric Edwards' fumble return for a TD and a 16-play drive, 9-minute march that led to the game's final field goal, ACU's scoring drives consumed, in order, 1:01, 00:42, 2:38, 00:46, 0:26, 1:09 and 2:21.

Final: ACU 54, Incarnate Word 17

The two teams traded field goals early in the fourth quarter: a 26-yarder for ACU's Morgan Lineberry and a 33-yarder by UIW's Thomas Rebold.

ACU, ranked No. 5 in the nation, moved to 7-0 overall with the 54-17 win, and 4-0 in the LSC. The Cardinals, who are competing in only their second season of intercollegiate football, fell to 2-5 and 0-3 in the LSC.

End of Q3: ACU 51, Incarnate Word 14

ACU WR Edmund Gates caught his second TD – the fourth scoring toss on the night from QB Mitchell Gale – on a 41-yard pass play with 11:58 left in the third quarter. Morgan Lineberry's PAT made it 44-7.

UIW scored its second TD of the night when Dominc Hamilton caught a 25-yard pass from UIW QB Thomas Specia with 8:30 left in the quarter.

Raymond Radway caught a pass in the right flat from Gale and showed the crowd his speed – he's a former NCAA Division II track and field sprint champion – by flashing 23 yards for another Wildcat TD with 6:09 left. Lineberry's PAT increased the ACU lead to 51-14.

End of Q2: ACU 37, Incarnate Word 7

Seven games into the 2010 season, ACU QB Mitchell Gale was tagged with his first interception when a pass intended for freshman WR Taylor Gabriel bounced off his hands and into the grasp of a Cardinal defender. UIW capitalized two plays later when Cardinal QB Eric Massoni hit Donald Gies for a 6-yard TD pass with 10:38 left in the second quarter. The PAT brought UIW to within 17, 24-7.

PK Morgan Lineberry missed a 21-yard field goal at the 7:56 mark of the quarter.

Gale redeemed himself with 4:38 left in the second quarter when he hit RB Charcandrick West on a screen pass, and the freshman from Austin sprinted downfield for a 67-yard TD. Lineberry's PAT made the scoreboard read 31-7.

ACU marched quickly down the field on its last drive of the quarter, scoring again when WR Raymond Radway caught a 9-yard pass from Gale, and Lineberry's PAT made the score 37-7.

Besides the score, ACU leads the Cardinals in first downs (8 to 6), passing (248 yards to 86) and total offense (297 yards to 128). UIW has outrushed the Wildcats, 42 yards (on 21 carries) to 13 yards (on 8 carries). Mitchell Gale has completed 13 of 21 passes for 284 yards and 3 TDs. Radway has 3 catches for 57 yards and a 1 TD, and two Wildcats have 80 yards of catches each (Edmund Gates and Charcandrick West on 2 catches each). RB Daryl Richardson has 18 yards on 3 carries. On defense, L.B. Suggs has 7 tackles and Eric Edwards has 6.

UIW has had the ball nearly twice as long as ACU (19:27 to 10:33), but the Wildcats' quick-scoring drives have the visitors dominating the scoreboard.

End of Q1: ACU 24, Incarnate Word 0

ACU started the scoring on its second possession of the game when RB Daryl Richardson ran in from a yard out for a TD, and PK Morgan Lineberry's PAT made the score 7-0 with 10:42 left in the first quarter. The three-play drive was made possible, in part, by a 46-yard pass play from QB Mitchell Gale to WR Edmund Gates that fell one yard short of the end zone.

Gates put ACU on the scoreboard again at 8:27 with a slashing run through the Incarnate Word secondary after catching a pass from Gale. The 33-yard TD pass and Lineberry PAT made the score 14-0. 

Morgan Lineberry kicked a 27-yard field goal with 2:45 left in the quarter when ACU's third drive stalled, building the Wildcat lead to 21-0.

L.B. Suggs de-cleated and de-helmeted a Cardinal player nearly two minutes later. The helmet traveled farther than the ball, but alert ACU LB Eric Edwards sorted out the two quickly, and returned the fumble 25 yards for another Wildcat TD. Lineberry's third PAT of the quarter made the score 24-0 with 00:48 left.  

ACU dominated the stat sheet in the first quarter, limiting UIW to 2 first downs and 9 yards of offense (-3 passing and 12 rushing). The Wildcats, meanwhile, picked up 5 first downs and 144 yards of offense in support of its three TDs and a field goal.

Remember the Tailgate! This Saturday!

This postcard is being emailed to ACU students, faculty and staff to encourage them to spend fall break in the Alamo City watching the still-undefeated Wildcats take on Incarnate Word this Saturday, Oct. 16.

If you're part of ACU Nation, you're invited, too! Kickoff is at 7 p.m., but get there early for a pregame tailgate party in the south parking lot at 5. A terrific team of alumni in San Antonio have put together an awesome weekend for ACU fans.

• The La Quinta Inn and Suites North Stone Oak (approx. 10 minutes from the stadium) has discounted rooms if you mention ACU. Call 210-497-0506.
• Ron Booker ('80) and his family are generously providing and preparing the tailgate food and fixin's free of charge!
• ACU is teaming up with Incarnate Word to help feed the hungry of San Antonio. Anyone - regardless of which team you're rooting for - bringing three canned goods to the game will receive one general admission game ticket! (Only one ticket will be given for every three canned goods. Families and other groups need to bring three canned goods for each individual entering the game.)

NOTE: While the tailgate party is free, we're asking everyone to RSVP so those preparing the food will know how many are coming. RSVP here to Tunisia Singleton, ACU's University Relations Manager for the Austin/San Antonio area. (Those who RSVP will be served first!)

Map of Incarnate Word campus*
Driving directions

Come on down and cheer on the Wildcats in San Antone!

*Parking space is extremely limited on the UIW campus. It is best to turn off of Hildebrand Ave. onto the Hwy. 281 northbound access road. From there, take an immediate right onto the UIW campus and proceed to the parking garage. There will be UIW personnel available to take you down the hill to the stadium and tailgate area.

ACU-Midwestern State Highlights

Passing: Mitchell Gale, 27 of 39 for 263 yards and 3 TDs

Rushing: Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 17 for 117 yards and 1 TD; Daryl Richardson, 13 for 74 yards; Kendrick Johnson, 2 for 11 yards

Receiving: Edmund Gates, 8 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Kendrick Johnson, 5 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Taylor Gabriel, 4 for 33 yards; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 3 for 47 yards; Daryl Richardson, 3 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Raymond Radway, 2 for 18 yards; Ben Gibbs, 1 for 5 yards; and Emery Dudensing, 1 for 3 yards

Defense: L.B. Suggs, 11 tackles; Kevin Washington, 9 tackles and 1 fumble return; Courtney Lane, 9 tackles; and Drew Cuffee, 8 tackles
Score: ACU 31, Midwestern State 28
First Downs: ACU 26, Midwestern State 24
Rushing: ACU 38 for 198 yards; Midwestern State 32 for 155 yards
Passing: ACU 27 of 39 for 263 yards, 0 INT and 3 TDs; Midwestern State 26 of 42 for 263 yards, 0 INT and 1 TD
Total Yards: ACU 461, Midwestern State 418
Third Down Conversions: ACU 7 of 15, Midwestern State 5 of 13
Time of Possession: ACU 35:27, Midwestern State 24:33

Penalties: ACU 11 for 70 yards, Midwestern State 8 for 50 yards

FInal: ACU 31, Midwestern State 28

ACU RB Darrell Cantu-Harkless set sail on a 69-yard TD run at 11:09 of the fourth quarter, and Morgan Lineberry's PAT put the Wildcats back on top at 24-21.

MSU answered when QB Zack Eskridge found WR David Little on a 35-yard scoring pass. Jose Martinez' PAT gave the Mustangs the lead again at 28-24 with 8:05 left.

ACU would not be denied, however. Gale found RB Daryl Richardson on a 10-yard scoring pass with 2:04 remaining, and another Lineberry PAT made the score 31-28.

The Wildcats endured two MSU offensive possessions in the final two minutes, but stood tall to move to 6-0 on the season, 4-0 in the LSC and 3-0 in the LSC South.

End of Q3: Midwestern State 21, ACU 17

MSU tied the game when RB Lester Bush ran for a 1-yard TD with 4:23 left in the third quarter, and QB Zack Eskridge found WR David Little with a pass on a two-point conversion.

ACU marched back down the field to the MSU 10, where the Mustangs' defense stiffened. PK Morgan Lineberry kicked a 27 -yard field goal to retake the lead at 17-14 with 5:52 remaining.

MSU answered right back with another scoring drive of its own, capped by Keidrick Jackson's 5-yard TD run and a PAT by Jose Martinez gave the Mustangs their first lead, 21-17, with 3:09 remaining in the quarter.

End of Q2: ACU 14, Midwestern State 6

WR Kendrick Johnson opened the scoring when he caught a 16-yard pass from QB Mitchell Gale at 12:22 of the second quarter. Morgan Lineberry's PAT gave ACU a 7-0 lead.

MSU got on the scoreboard with 10:16 remaining when PK Jose Martinez kicked a 41-yard field goal.

ACU increased its lead to 14-3 when Gale found a wide-open WR Edmund Gates in the end zone for an 11-yard TD pass with 1:49 left, and Lineberry kicked his second PAT of the game.

The Mustangs tacked on another score as time expired in the first half when Martinez kicked his second field goal, this time a 31-yarder to cut the ACU lead to 14-6.

After a half of play, ACU also maintained leads over MSU in first downs (162 to 121), total offense (234 to 192), passing (162 t0 121), rushing (72-71) and possession time (18:07 to 11:53). Gale completed 17 of 22 passes for 162 yards and two TDs. RB Daryl Richardson was the Wildcats' leading rusher with 41 yards on 7 carries, and Gates had six catches for 65 yards and a TD.

End of Q1: ACU 0, Midwestern State 0

The first quarter was a defensive affair between two teams that don't need nametags to recognize each other. Today's game is the third between the Wildcats and Mustangs in each team's previous seven games. ACU and Midwestern State played each other in the final regular season game in 2009, then again in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

ACU's first scoring opportunity was a 53-yard field goal attempt by PK Morgan Lineberry that was short and right. It followed a turnover by MSU with 5:01 left in the first quarter: a fumble caused by LB Eric Edwards that was returned 34 yards by DB Caleb Withrow.

ACU-Kingsville Highlights

Passing: Mitchell Gale, 34 of 51, 0 INT, 3 TDs, 417 yards

Rushing: Daryl Richardson, 10 for 23 yards; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 10 for 18 yards and 1 TD

Receiving: Edmund Gates, 11 for 135 yards and 1 TD; Kendrick Johnson, 7 for 134 yards; Ben Gibbs, 4 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Emery Dudensing, 4 for 20 yards; Justin Andrews, 2 for 39 yards; Raymond Radway, 2 for 28 yards; and Taylor Gabriel, 2 for 17 yards

Defense: Richard Havins, 9 tackles; Darien Williams, 6 tackles and 1 interception; Casey Carr, 6 tackles; Kevin Washington, 6 tackles; Courtney Lane, 5 tackles; Aston Whiteside, 4 tackles and 1 sack; and James Williams, 4 tackles
Score: ACU 31, A&M-Kingsville 24
First Downs: ACU 25; A&M-Kingsville 23
Rushing: ACU 26 for 23 yards; A&M-Kingsville 24 for 107 yards
Passing: ACU 34 of 51, 0 INT, 3 TDs, 417 yards; A&M-Kingsville 24 of 57, 1 INT, 2 TDs, 279 yards
Total Yards: ACU 440, A&M-Kingsville 386
Third Down Conversions: ACU 6 of 17; A&M-Kingsville 7 of 18
Time of Possession: ACU 32:20, A&M-Kingsville 27:40

Notes: WR Edmund Gates tied former NFL player Cleotha Montgomery for eighth place on the ACU career list for TD catches. A&M-Kingsville had not allowed more than 200 yard of total offense in any of its first four games; ACU totaled 440. QB Mitchell Gale set a career best in passing yards for the second consecutive game. Darien Williams’ game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter was his fourth pick of the season.

Final: ACU 31, A&M-Kingsville 24

ACU opened the fourth quarter with another scoring drive, this one 10 plays and covering 77 yards. It ended with Mitchell Gale’s third TD pass of the game, this one a 10-yarder to his roommate, TE Ben Gibbs. Morgan Lineberry’s PAT made the new score 31-10.

As it did in the third quarter, A&M-Kingsville answered right back with a five-play, 51-yard drive punctuated by QB Nate Poppell’s 11-yard TD pass to WR Delashaun Dean. A Christian Brom PAT made the new score 31-17.

The rugged Javelina defense forced ACU into a three-and-out on its subsequent possession, then blocked Mark Sprague’s punt and recovered the ball at the Wildcat 29. Two plays later, A&M-Kingsville was in the end zone again, thanks to Poppell’s 12-yard pass to WR Ryan Lincoln. The PAT cut ACU’s lead to 31-24 with 6:06 left in the game.

The Javelinas’ first turnover of the game was a huge one: ACU safety Darien Williams intercepted Poppell’s tipped pass at the Wildcat 25-yard line and returned it to midfield, his fourth INT of the season.

ACU couldn’t move the ball, and after a Wildcat punt, A&M-Kingsville was looking at 72 yards of field and only 30 seconds of time left to try to tie (or win) the game. However, ACU's defense stiffened and the Javelinas ran out of time, and this wild game ended.

End of Q3: ACU 24, A&M-Kingsville 10

Another half, another impressive opening drive for the Wildcats, who capped a 10-play, 92-yard drive when QB Mitchell Gale found FB Justin Andrews over the middle, and the sophomore ran untouched into the end zone for a TD. Morgan Lineberry's PAT opened the ACU lead to 21-0 with 8:52 left in the third quarter.

A&M-Kingsville wasted no time (just two plays, actually) getting on the scoreboard, with RB Connell Davis dashing 59 yards around right end for a TD, and with the PAT, cutting ACU's lead to 21-7 just 48 seconds after the Wildcat TD.

The Javelinas failed on a fourth-down fake punt, and the Wildcats took over on the A&M-Kingsville 35-yard line with 6:12 remaining. ACU made the Javs pay for it when Lineberry kicked a 21-yard field goal at the 3:03 mark to stretch its lead to 24-7.

ACU’s first turnover of the game came at 2:01 when Gale fumbled and the Javs recovered at the Wildcat 19. The defense held, however, and A&M-Kingsville had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Christian Brom with 35 seconds left.

That returned ACU’s lead to 14 points, right where it was at the start of the third quarter.

End of Q2: ACU 14, A&M-Kingsville 0

Two ACU drives early and late in the first half were things of beauty, each resulting in a TD.

What happened in between was not so pretty.

QB Mitchell Gale drove the Wildcats 81 yards late in the second quarter, with WR Edmund Gates catching a 26-yard TD pass and Morgan Lineberry's PAT making the ACU lead 14-0 with 1:44 left.

In between, the Javelinas and Wildcats played smash-mouth defense against each other when they weren't watching the officiating crew step off 15 penalties (and 130 yards) against the two teams.

Neither team could move the ball on the ground against each other's nationally ranked defense: ACU had 17 yards rushing and A&M-Kingsville managed 14. But the Wildcats did become the first team to surpass the 200-yard mark in total offense against the Javelinas this year. Mitchell Gale completed 18 of 26 passes for 226 yards and one TD. Two WRs had five catches apiece: Kendrick Johnson (96 yards) and Edmund Gates (70 yards and one score).

ACU RB Darrell Cantu-Harkless has 19 yards of rushing, and has scored the only rushing TD given up by A&M-Kingsville this season.

End of Q1: ACU 7, A&M-Kingsville 0

ACU wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, marching crisply down the field. Less than three minutes after taking the opening kickoff, freshman RB Darrell Cantu-Harkless ran untouched up the middle for a 6-yard TD. Morgan Lineberry's PAT made the score 7-0.

After one quarter, the Wildcats led in total yards, 116-54. ACU limited the Javelinas to 5 yards rushing and 49 yards passing. Wildcat QB Mitchell Gale completed 10 of 12 passes for 96 yards, three of them to WR Edmund Gates (for 31 yards).

That Playin’ You Feelin’ Again

They've tangled 45 times through the years, with the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville holding a 31-13-1 lead in their college football series with Abilene Christian University.

ACU has won the last six straight, a mere espresso break compared to the 21 consecutive victories by the Javs from 1984-2003.

But it's been 33 years since a game between these two teams on the first weekend of October in South Texas has meant as much as this one.

Fifth-ranked ACU and sixth-ranked A&M-Kingsville – both undefeated and tied for first place in the South Division of the born-again (as far as national football reputations go) Lone Star Conference – renew their hard-hitting rivalry tonight at 7 p.m. in Javelina Stadium.

It has the makings of another classic, if the legendary 25-25 tie the two teams played in 1977 has any bearing on the series. Reminisce or learn more about it here.

PICTURED ABOVE: Years before lineman Greg Feasel (70) and quarterback John Mayes (17) ended up in the ACU Sports Hall of Fame, Feasel provided protection for Mayes during the Wildcats' 1977 national championship season.

ACU-Tarleton State Highlights

   Passing: Mitchell Gale, 25 of 38 for 344 yards and 2 TDs; Clark Harrell, 2 of 3 for 13 yards

   Rushing: Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 8 for 66 yards and 2 TDs; Charcandrick West, 7 for 55 yards and 1 TD; Josh Morgan, 9 for 44 yards and 1 TD; and Kendrick Johnson, 1 for 5 yards

   Receiving: Kendrick Johnson, 6 for 80 yards; Edmund Gates, 5 for 91 yards; Raymond Radway, 4 for 63 yards;  Ben Gibbs, 3 for 43 yards and 2 TDs;Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 3 for 26 yards;  Taylor Gabriel, 2 for 33 yards; Emerery Dudensing, 2 for 8 yards; Darian Hogg, 1 for 7 yards; and Harold Jackson, 1 for 6 yards

    Defense: Kevin Washington, 12 tackles (5 for a loss) and 1 sack; Darien Williams, 6 tackles and 1 interception; Donald Moore, 2 sacks, Aston Whiteside, 3 tackles, 1 interception returned for a TD; L.B. Suggs, 5 tackles and 2 forced fumbles
    Score: ACU 65, Tarleton 3
    First Downs: ACU 27; Tarleton 15
    Rushing: ACU 27 for 169 yards; Tarleton 31 for 60 yards
    Passing: ACU 27 of 41, 0 INT, 2 TDs, 357 yards; Tarleton 14 of 29, 2 INT, 136 yards
    Total Yards: ACU 526, Tarleton 196
    Third Down Conversions: ACU 4 of 11; Tarleton 3 of 13
    Time of Possession: ACU 30:53, Tarleton 29:07

    Notes:  Placekicker Morgan Lineberry tied an ACU record (held by Matt Adams) with 17 kicking points in the game (three field goals and 8 PATs). ACU vaunted run defense was at it again: the Wildcats gave up 44 rushing yards in the first half and 16 in the second. QB Mitchell Gale has thrown 189 straight passes without an interception, including 125 to begin the 2010 season.

Final: ACU 65, Tarleton State 3

A methodical, clock-eating 53-yard drive by ACU, most of it on the ground, concluded with a 6-yard TD run by junior RB Josh Morgan, growing the Wildcat lead to 58-3 (with a Lineberry PAT) with 7:11 left in the game.

Speedy redshirt freshman WR Taylor Gabriel returned a TSU punt 80 yards for yet another TD, and the Lineberry PAT (his seventh of the game) made the lead 65-3 with 4:40 remaining.

End of Q3: ACU 51, Tarleton 3

Four plays into the third quarter, ACU RB Cantu-Harkless sprinted 42 yards up the middle for a TD, with another Lineberry PAT making the ACU lead 34-3, just 30 seconds after halftime.

Lineberry added his third field goal of the game – a 27-yarder – at 10:07 of the third quarter, upping ACU's lead to 37-3.

ACU QB Mitchell Gale found TE Ben Gibbs in the back of the north end zone with 2:55 left, and a Lineberry PAT made the score 44-3. It was the second time the two combined for a TD pass play on the evening.  

An interception by Wildcat safety Darien Williams stopped the Texans' next drive, and his 26-yard return gave ACU the ball on the TSU 14. Charcandrick West ran around left end for a TD on the ensuing play, and Lineberry's PAT gave the Wildcats a 51-3 lead with 1:49 left in the third quarter. The scoring play marked the first appearance in the game of ACU backup QB Clark Harrell.

End of Q2: ACU 27, Tarleton State 3

Freshman RB Darrell Cantu-Harkless, starting in place of Daryl Richardson( who is healing from an injury), scored on a 2-yard run at 7:27 of the second quarter. Morgan Lineberry’s PAT made the score 17-3.

With 2:21 left before the half, QB Mitchell Gale found TE Ben Gibbs over the middle, and the sophomore from Abilene rumbled 36 yards for a TD. Lineberry's PAT increased ACU's lead to 24-3.

A 31-yard field goal from Lineberry made the score 27-3 with 40 seconds left in the half.

Defensively, junior DT Donald Moore had two sacks, and senior LB Kevin Washington led the Wildcats with 10 tackles and one sack. Junior DB Darien Williams had six tackles. DE Aston Whiteside was making offensive life miserable for the Texans, and although he only had two tackles, his big interception return for a TD in the first quarter was a game-changer for ACU.

Gale was 13 of 23 for 212 yards in the half, and one TD. Senior WR Edmund Gates caught four passes for a team-leading 78 yards, 52 of them on a sterling play in the second quarter that helped set up ACU's second TD. Cantu-Harkless led ACU's rushers with six carries for 22 yards.

ACU led TSU in total yards, 239-148, but the Texans had the edge in first downs, 12-11. TSU allowed 27 yards on the ground to ACU (on seven rushing attempts), while ACU limited the Texans to 44. Time of possession went to TSU (20:10) over the Wildcats (9:50).

End of Q1: ACU 10, Tarleton State 3

Freshman LB Chris Jones recovered a fumble by Tarleton on the opening kickoff return, giving the Wildcats the ball on the Texan 18-yard line. Four plays later, sophomore PK Morgan Lineberry kicked a 38-yard field goal at 13:20 to give ACU the opening lead, 3-0.

On TSU's next possession, the Texans moved the ball down the field with uncharacteristic ease on the Wildcats, advancing as far as the ACU 2-yard line on a pass interference penalty, but the Wildcat defense held, forcing fourth down. Kevin Washington made two critical stops on the defensive stand, including a sack. Tarleton PK Jerry Owens kicked a 29-yard field goal to knot the score at 3-3 with 7:17 left.

ACU junior DE Aston Whiteside tipped a pass from TSU QB Nick Stephens in the Texan backfield, and returned the interception 58 yards for a TD. Lineberry's PAT made the score 10-3 with 1:52 left.

Bernard: 0 to 60 in 8 seconds

From www.bengals.com

Bernard Scott's 60-yard kickoff return in the 4th quarter Sunday against the Ravens that set up the Bengals' game-winning field goal. Watch here and enjoy.

Come Home, Play Golf

Here's the scoop on the ACU Homecoming Golf Classic:

• Friday, Oct. 8
• 9:30 a.m. shotgun start
• Diamondback Golf Club

ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert and some of the Wildcat coaches, including Chris Thomsen, will be there. As will a brand new Chevy truck (courtesy of Hanner Chevrolet), which we'll award to the first player to make a hole-in-one!
 
Click on the above postcard to see more details and register online. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Special thanks to corporate sponsor Domino's Pizza and Hanner Chevrolet!

Turn out the lights ...

... the party's over.  In the immortal words of former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Don Meredith, this one is probably over after a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jay Cutler to Matt Forte gave Chicago a 27-17 lead over the Cowboys with 5:16 left in the game.

The Cowboys had several chances in the second half to tie or take the lead, but couldn't get out of their own way on offense with penalties, turnovers and poor execution.  Defensively, they played a horrific game in the secondary.

Both ACU exes in the game for the Bears – Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox – had nice afternoons.  Before the Cowboys' drive that started with 5:15 left in the game, Manning had five tackles (four solo) and Knox had a team-high four catches for 86 yards.

Maybe I spoke too soon, however.  The Cowboys are marching inside the Chicago 40 with 4:40 to play.

At the half...

... the Bears lead 20-14.  A late first-half interception thrown by Tony Romo resulted in a 40-yard field goal by Robbie Gould and the Bears carry a 20-14 lead into halftime with Dallas set to receive the second-half kickoff.

A few observations:

* Danieal Manning is much more involved in what the Bears are trying to do in stopping the run, and so far his presence seems to have helped as the Bears limited the Cowboys to just 32 yards on the ground in the first half.

* If Mike Martz is trying to build the second coming of the "Greatest Show on Turf" in Chicago, he's got the weapons for the most part, including a pass-catching tight end in Greg Olsen that he didn't really have in St. Louis.  Johnny Knox seems to be filling the Isaac Bruce role because he runs a ton of deep routes, just like Bruce used to do in that offense.

* The best player on the field is DeMarcus Ware.  Unblockable most of the first half.

Knox finally involved

Johnny Knox finally made his first catch of the day, a 2-yard grab on a crossing pattern on 2-and-17, and then followed it with a huge gain of 59-yard on 3rd-and-15.  Knox beat Mike Jenkins on a post pattern and Cutler laid it in perfectly, hitting Knox in stride.  Ball at the Cowboys 20.

Manning active early

Danieal Manning has been active early in the game from his strong safety position with four tackles already in the game.

One of his stated desires to the Bears during his contract negotiations with the team last spring was to be more involved in the action instead of playing deep at free safety.  The Bears have moved him over to strong safety, and you can already tell he's more involved in what's going on near the line of scrimmage than he has been at almost any time during his pro career.

The Bears even have Manning lining up as a standup outside linebacker on some short-yardage plays.  On one of those plays just before the Cowboys scored, he dropped Marion Barber for a 1-yard gain as he slid down from that linebacker spot and made the tackle.  Then on first-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Manning met Marion Barber head on to keep him out of the end zone as Barber tried to go up and over the Chicago defense.

But Manning -- this time playing back deep at strong safety -- met him in mid-air and dropped him for no gain.

Bears score

Chicago offensive coordinator Mike Martz finally figured out that his offensive line can't hold off the Cowboys' rush on 5- and-7-step drops.  Bears just scored on a 58-yard drive with Jay Cutler using quick drops and short passes to move the Bears down the field.  The 39-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen was a short route that the Bears' tight end turned into a score.

Cowboys give Manning the ultimate compliment

With Danieal lined up deep to take the kickoff after Dez Bryant's 62-yard punt return for a TD, the Cowboys elected not to kick deep to Manning.  Instead, kicker David Buehler pooched it to the right where Tim Jennings fielded it at the 42-yard-line.

Cowboys' special teams coach Joe DeCamillis said that the Bears' return men could play a pivotal role today, and he just showed that he doesn't want to give them a chance be those kind of players today.

First big play by Bryant

Well, we were waiting for a big special teams play and we got one, but it wasn't from one of our ACU guys.  Instead, Cowboys' first-round draft pick made his first big play as a pro, taking a punt 62 yards to the house to give the Cowboys a 7-3 lead with 2:44 left in the first quarter.

Johnny Knox or Danieal Manning will likely be deep for the Bears on the ensuing kickoff.  By the way, I'm sitting next to a couple of guys from the Bears' front office, and they had a stunned expression on their faces, most likely from the fact that they're realizing that their offensive line is about the most inept unit the league will send on the field this season.  Quarterback Jay Cutler has absolutely no time to throw against the Cowboys' so-far relentless pass rush.

Cutler in for a long day

The Bears are out to a 3-0 lead, but it's clear that it's going to be a long day for Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler, who has been under constant harassment from the Dallas defense through two series.  The Chicago offensive line has been pretty poor through two series, and we've just learned that starting left tackle Chris Williams is out for the rest of the game with a hamstring injury.

That means backup Kevin Shaffer will have to block all-pro outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware.  Good luck, Kevin.

Several DII players on the field today

Today's game at Cowboys Stadium is a showcase for the kind of talent that is on display at the NCAA Division II level as no less than six players from universities at that level are on the field today.

Of course, ACU fans know about Chicago's Johnny Knox and Danieal Manning, but also on the field from the Lone Star Conference are Chicago starting center Robert Garza (10th year out of Texas A&M-Kingsville) and backup offensive tackle J'Marcus Webb (first year out of West Texas A&M).

For the Cowboys, reserve safety Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (first year out of Indiana, Pa.) and backup quarterback Jon Kitna (14th year out of Central Washington) are on the roster.  When Kitna was at UCW the Wildcats were in NCAA Division III, and in fact, were in Abilene his senior season and beat Hardin-Simmons in a playoff game at Shelton Stadium.

Knox returns the opening kickoff

Former Wildcat Johnny Knox returned the opening kickoff from about 5 yards deep out to the Bears' 37-yard line.  Nice return for Johnny ... already a bigger play than he made the entire game when we saw the Bears and Bengals last year in Cincinnati.

And we're off.  Can't blog about every play because it's against NFL rules, but I'll be back every so often with updates about how our guys are doing.

Here we go.

The Bears call tails and will receive.  We might get a quick look at Knox or Manning right off the bat.

Kickoff closing in

We're just a few minutes away from kickoff at Cowboys Stadium and an expected crowd of close to 100,00 is filling the stadium for the Cowboys' 2010 home opener.

The Bears' return trio of Johnny Knox, Danieal Manning and Devin Hester could play a pivotal role in today's game, and if you don't believe me when I say that, listen to the words of Cowboys' special teams coach Joe DeCamillis when talking about them.

"He's a violent, tough returner," DeCamillis told dallascowboys.com when talking about Manning.  "He's done a great job.  And then they've got a great guy in Knox who was in the Pro Bowl (last year).  It's going to be a heck of a challenge for us."

We'll see shortly; kickoff is coming up.

Wildcats crash the party at Jerry World

The view from my seat in the press box at Cowboys Stadium .

Well, the ACU contingent of director of athletics Jared Mosley, head football coach Chris Thomsen, alumni relations officer and radio play-by-play man Grant Boone and myself have made it to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington for today's game between the Cowboys and the Chicago Bears.

I'm in the press box for the game, Jared is in the stands with an ACU donor and Thomsen and Boone have made their way to a luxury suite – along with ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert and his wife, Jamie – to watch the game with another ACU donor.

If you haven't yet been to Cowboys Stadium, let me just say this ... WOW!  No matter what you think of Jerry Jones and his ownership of the Cowboys over the last 21 years, he has built an unbelievable stadium. It's part stadium, part spaceship and part circus attraction, but 100 percent impressive.

Unfortunately we won't have the same field access as we had last year in Cincinnati when the Bears took on the Bengals and Bernard Scott, but the Cowboys have been extremely accommodating to us, and for that we thank them.

On the way, I ran into Midwestern State graduate and former Wichita Falls Times Record-News writer Nick Eatman, who now writes for dallascowboys.com.  You might remember Nick from the work he does for the Lone Star Conference at the LSC Post-Season Basketball Tournament and the season previews he writes for each school for the league's Web site.

One thing I've heard from people who have been to games is they believe the Cowboys have lost touch with their past in the new stadium.  But I can tell you that I saw plenty of reminders of the franchise's past success, starting with a statue of former head coach Tom Landry near the main entrance.  Also spotted quite a few large photos of greats like Bob Lilly, Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson, Harvey Martin, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Randy White, Don Meredith, Don Perkins, Chuck Howley, Tony Hill, Tony Dorsett, Landry, and Tex Schramm lining the walls leading to the press box and luxury suites, as well as those of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, Charles Haley, Larry Allen, Darren Woodson, and many others.

Should be a fun one this afternoon, and despite the fact that I'm a Cowboys fan, today a large part of me is rooting for the Bears just so that we might see Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox have the chance to shine in their home state.

Back with more later.