Final: ACU 34, Tarleton State 31

Morgan Lineberry kicked a 30-yard field goal with 12 minutes left, adding to ACU's lead, 27-20.

TSU answered with another Blake Barnes field goal, this one a 25-yarder at the 9:35 mark, cutting the Wildcat lead to 27-23.

Taylor Gabriel caught a pass from Gale and juked his way 16 yards to the end zone, diving in for his second TD of the game with 3:12 left. Lineberry's kick put ACU up 34-23.

Tarleton bounced back with a 1-yard run by Aaron Doyle with 1:02 remaining, and the two-point conversion (a pass from Doyle to Will McLane) pulled TSU to within three, 34-31.

ACU recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock for the win.

FINAL STATISTICS

First downs: Tarleton 30, ACU 21

Rushing: Tarleton 30 for 179 yards, ACU 28 for 55 yards

Passing: Tarleton 39 of 52 for 377 yards, 1 INT and 2 TDs, ACU 27 of 42 for 279 yards and 2 TDs

Total yards: Tarleton 556, ACU 334

Penalties: Tarleton 11 for 110 yards, ACU 7 for 50 yards

Time of possession: Tarleton 28:09, ACU 31:51

Third-down conversions: Tarleton 9 of 16, ACU 7 of 15

ACU passing: Mitchell Gale, 27 of 42 for 279 yards and 2 TDs

ACU rushing: Mitchell Gale, 11 for 18 yards; Charcandrick West 3 for 10 yards; Travis Tarver, 6 for 29 yards, Marcel Threat, 2 for 6 yards

ACU receiving: Darian Hogg, 8 for 67 yards; Taylor Gabriel, 5 or 50 yards; Demarcus Thompson, 4 for 57 yards; Travis Tarver, 4 for 56; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 3 for 21 yards; Elton Crochran, 2 for 21 yards; and Marcel Threat, 1 for 7 yards

ACU tackles: L.B. Suggs, 11; Angel Lopez 10; Thor Woerner, 10 and 1 INT; Justin Stephens, 10; and Caleb Withrow, 8