Volume 112 Issue 3
ACUOPTIMIST.COM | Monday, November 25, 2024 | 1
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
PHOTO BY ZION WEBB | SPORTS REPORTER Blayne Taylor, graduate wide receiver from Saginaw, Kaghen Roach, redshirt senior defensive lineman from Celina, and Head Coach Keith Patterson hold trophy and celebrate with the team.
A CHAMPIONSHIP YEAR Key victories propel Wildcats to top of UAC BY HAYDEN DELAND SPORTS REPORTER
The Wildcats made history Saturday night in Stephenville, where No. 14 ACU defeated the No. 13 Tarleton State Texans 35-31 in the I-20 rivalry game. The eighth win of the season secured a spot in the NCAA FCS playoffs, ACU’s first conference championship and the most wins in a season since moving to the Div. I level in 2013. ACU was not
expected to win the conference, finishing sixth in the preseason United Athletic Conference coach’s poll. This team will go down in ACU history along with the 1973 and 1977 teams which each won NAIA championships. “They literally just set themselves apart,” Head Coach Keith Patterson said. With 1:48 left in the game, the Wildcats took the field down 3128, looking to score a
touchdown and make history. All 58 minutes played before this drive didn’t matter anymore, all that mattered was scoring on this drive. Maverick McIvor, graduate quarterback from San Angelo, was poised in the pocket as he completed his passes, slowly driving his offense down the field. “Hats off to Maverick, that was a tough, hard-fought win,” Patterson said. “There’s not
many kids that can execute with that poise. No timeouts and just never panicked.” McIvor led ACU to the Tarleton 25-yard line where he spiked the ball to stop the clock with less than a minute left. The next play he found JJ Henry, redshirt junior wide receiver from McKinney, across the middle to set up first and goal at the Texans’ one-yard line. “Every Thursday we have a two-minute drill
in practice and it’s just kind of relying on what we know how to do and what we’re good at,” McIvor said. With less than 30 seconds left, McIvor completed a pass to Hicks who fell into the endzone for a touchdown, giving ACU the lead 35-31. Tarleton started its final drive with 0:19 left. The Texans got the ball to the ACU 39-yard line to set up the final play of the game. After
the Texans’ quarterback Victor Gabalis launched the ball to the endzone, it was bobbled until it finally hit the ground. The clock struck zero, fans ran onto the field to join the players in celebrating their historic accomplishment of winning the UAC. ACU is scheduled to play Stephen F. Austin State University on Saturday. The playoff matchup is scheduled to be announced Sunday night.
Hardin-Simmons, McMurry join ACU in winning conference titles BY ZION WEBB SPORTS REPORTER
This past weekend is one to be remembered, as the Big Country and its football legacy book got some big news. All three universities in McMurry, Hardin-Simmons, and Abilene Christian University emerged as conference champions in their respective conferences. McMurry: The Warhawks ended their season 7-3 overall and 7-1 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, sharing the title with Texas Lutheran who also finished 7-1 in conference play. McMurry’s success is held within its embodied perseverance and commitment. Head Coach Jordan Neal said this past week the theme for the team quoted the bible verse 2 Timothy 4:7. “I have fought the good fight. I’ve kept the faith. I’ve finished the race,” Neal said. “They had faith, and they finished.” This season marked the first conference championship since 1983 and its best record since 2012. McMurry fell just short, however, of post-season play as their co-conference champions head to face Linfield University. Hardin-Simmons: Meanwhile, the other Div. III program in town, Hardin-Simmons set the bar for which post-season play is judged. HSU earned
PHOTO COURTESY OF HARDIN-SIMMONS ATHLETICS Head Coach Jesse Burleson raises the conference trophy and celebrates with the team.
PHOTO BY ZION WEBB | SPORTS REPORTER Jed Castles, redshirt junior tight end from Wichita Falls, jumps in the air after the Wildcats score.
a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed nationally and finished their season with a perfect, 10-0 overall and 6-0 in American Southwest Conference play. This marks their seventh season in the postseason, and their third consecutively under Head Coach Jesse Burleson. However, the team is not letting all the accolades get to them. “None of us are satisfied and we gotta build on this,” said Burleson. “We are climbing that mountain and it is pretty treacherous, so if you don’t continue to climb it, you’re going to slip back and we definitely don’t want to do that. So we got to continue keeping our
foot on the gas and keeping the main thing the main thing.” Nonetheless, their season being such a huge success he admitted, “The future is bright,” Burleson said. “Whatever they throw at us, this team will be ready.” The Cowboys postseason begins in the second round on Nov. 30 as they await the announcement of their opponent this Sunday. Abilene Christian University: For Abilene Christian, this marks their first conference championship in their Div. I era, when they beat their rival in Tarleton State this past weekend. They finished the season
7-1 in the United Athletic Conference. They were also named Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week, after a stellar drive to win the game with less than two minutes on the clock and no timeouts. Head Coach Keith Patterson has preached it is the team’s time to leave a legacy on the program. “Leave it better than you found it,” said Patterson. “Not only leave the jersey better than you found it, leave the man inside the jersey better. We’re still writing our story.” Despite the ACU community holding steadfast to the conference win, Patter-
son emphasized the job is still not finished. “We didn’t hold up the championship trophy today,” he said. “We’ll celebrate that after the season’s over.” It is possible the Wildcats will host their playoff game to start the postseason, they will discover their position in the FCS playoff bracket this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Some key players to watch this postseason: HSU - S Harrison Foster A team reliant on their defensive presence, giving up 17.5 PPG, Foster poses a lethal threat to any opponent, registering three interceptions and 80 total tackles this season. ACU - QB Maverick McIvor McIvor has been playing lights out for the Wildcats,
leading all of NCAA Div I. football in total passing yards with 3,604 yards and is third in the nation in total passing touchdowns with 28. The Texas Tech transfer is a big proponent to seeing where ACU lands this year. A United Big Country The success of these three programs speaks volumes about the talent and commitment to winning in Abilene as it grows collegiately in athletics. “This is exciting for the city of Abilene, for all three universities, and for this region of football,” Patterson said. Abilene is waiting to perhaps host two playoff games in a couple of weeks- displaying an appreciation for a great football season in the Big Country.