End of Q1: ACU 10, West Alabama 0

ACU opened the game with a 33-yard pass from quarterback Mitchell Gale, playing in the final home game of his career, to wide receiver Taylor Gabriel. The Wildcats successfully gambled on a fourth-down-and-1 from the West Alabama 22 yard line. Three plays later, Ryan Owens kicked a 34-yard field goal to put his team on top, 3-0 with 9:58 left in the first quarter.

West Alabama's first drive was stopped by the Wildcat defense, and Darrell Cantu-Harkless returned the Tiger punt 71 yards to the UWA 9-yard line. Three plays later, Charcandrick West barreled up the middle for a 1-yard TD. Owens’ successful PAT gave ACU a 10-0 lead with 5:50 remaining.

The quarter ended with ACU beginning its third drive of the game.

Final: MSU 35, ACU 31

Tight end Jamie Walker caught a 5-yard pass from Mitchell Gale with 5:43 left in the game. Ryan Owens’ successful PAT put ACU back on top, 31-28.

But the Mustangs answered right back on their next drive, with Brandon Kelsey wrapping up a 12-play, 75-yard drive by rushing for his fourth TD of the game, an 11-yarder with 1:27 remaining that put MSU back in the lead, 35-31.

A last-gasp drive by ACU started at the Wildcat 35-yard-line but ended six plays later when a pass from Gale, intended for Darian Hogg, landed out of bounds with 49 seconds on the clock.

MSU ran out the clock and the Wildcat upset bid ended.

FINAL STATISTICS

First downs: MSU 30, ACU 25

Rushing: MSU 53 for 389 yards, ACU 32 for 92 yards

Passing: ACU 26 of 38 for 335 yards and 3 TDs, MSU 12 of 16 for 121 yards and 1 INT

Total yards: MSU 510, ACU 427

Penalties: MSU 8 for 90 yards, ACU 5 for 43 yards

Time of possession: ACU 30:26, MSU 29:34

Third-down conversions: ACU 5 of 12, MSU 4 of 6

ACU passing: Mitchell Gale, ACU 26 of 38 for 335 yards and 3 TD

ACU rushing: Charcandrick West, 18 for 63 yards; Darrell Cantu-Harkless, 7 of 12; Marcel Threat, 2 for 9 yards; and Mitchell Gale, 5 for 8 yards

ACU receiving: Taylor Gabriel, 9 for 116 yards and 2 TDs; Darrell Cantu-Harless, 7 for 94 yards; Darian Hogg, 4 for 66 yards; Demarcus Thompson, 3 for 33 yards; Charcandrick West, 1 for 16 yards; Elton Crochran, 1 for 5 yards; Jamie Walker, 1 for 5 yards

ACU tackles: L.B. Suggs, 13; Angel Lopez, 12; Steven Ford, 10 and 1 INT, Justin Stephens, 9; and Mike Wallace, 8; 

End of Q3: MSU 28, ACU 24

MSU went back on top, 21-17, when Kelsey ran for his third TD of the game at the 9:23 mark, a 6-yard rush up the middle.

ACU responded with an 8-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Mitchell Gale's 20-yard TD pass to Taylor Gabriel with 5:24 left, putting the Wildcats back on top, 24-21.

MSU kept the ball on the ground for its next drive, moving 82 yards in eight plays. Lone Star Conference rushing leader Keidrick Jackson ran the final 8 yards for a TD to put his team back in the lead, 28-24, with 1:48 left.

End of Q2: ACU 17, Midwestern 14

Morgan Lineberry missed a 49-yard field goal at the 12:23 mark.

MSU looked to be driving for another score when Keivan Swanson fumbled the ball following a catch, and ACU linebacker Mike Wallace recovered at the Wildcat 19-yard line with 10:59 left.

ACU's Ryan Owens kicked a 32-yard field goal with 4:04 left.

On MSU's next drive, defensive back Steven Ford intercepted Brandon Kelsey's pass on the Wildcat 45-yard line with 2:40 left.

ACU's drive stalled and Owens' 49-yard field goal attempt was blocked with 53 seconds left.

FIRST-HALF STATISTICS
First downs: ACU 16, MSU 13

Rushing: MSU 16 for 145 yards, ACU 25 for 80 yards

Passing: ACU 13 of 17 for 187 yards and 1 TD, MSU 8 of 10 for 81 yards and 1 INT

Total yards: ACU 267, MSU 226

Penalties: MSU 4 for 50 yards, ACU 3 for 27 yards

Time of possession: MSU 09:55, ACU 20:05

Third-down conversions: ACU 3 of 7, MSU 1 of 1

ACU passing: Mitchell Gale, ACU 13 of 17 for 187 yards and 1 TD

ACU rushing: Charcandrick West, 18 for 63 yards; Marcel Threat, 2 for 9 yards; and Mitchell Gale, 5 for 8 yards

ACU receiving: Taylor Gabriel, 5 for 75 yards and 1 TD; Darrell Cantu-Harless, 4 for 46 yards; Darian Hogg, 2 for 45 yards; Charcandrick West, 1 for 16 yards; and Elton Crochran, 1 for 5 yards

ACU tackles: L.B. Suggs, 7; Angel Lopez, 5; Mike Wallace, 5; Jesse Harper, 6; and Steven Ford, 2 and 1 INT

End of Q1: ACU 14, Midwestern 14

ACU kept the ball on the ground for much of its opening drive, and opened the scoring when Mitchell Gale hit Taylor Gabriel with a 10-yard TD pass at the 10:08 mark. Morgan Linebery's successful PAT put ACU on top, 7-0.

Midwestern answered with a touchdown on its first drive. Quarterback Brandon Kelsey kept the ball and ran 2 yards for the score, pulling the Mustangs even at 7-7 with 6:10 left.

A third-down, 46-yard pass from Gale to Gabriel keyed the Wildcats' second drive. Charcandrick West ran 3 yards for a TD on the next play, and Lineberry's PAT made the new score 14-7 with 2:49 remaining.

It only took the Mustangs five plays to move 75 yards, with Kelsey knotting the score at 14-14 when he scampered 30 yards for a TD with 33 seconds left in the quarter.