Eastern New Mexico

BLACKWATER DRAW, N.M. –  Sophomore quarterback Mitchell Gale kept No. 4-ranked Abilene Christian University on a roll, scoring on its first five drives and creating a 33-0 halftime lead on its way to a 53-14 rout of Eastern New Mexico University.

Player of the game: Edmund Gates

Incarnate Word

SAN ANTONIO – No. 5-ranked Abilene Christian University scored early and often to hammer University of Incarnate Word, 54-17, Saturday night at Benson Stadium, improving its record to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the Lone Star Conference South Division.
Player of the game: ACU Offense

Midwestern State

ABILENE – Like two heavyweight boxers, Abilene Christian University and Midwestern State University traded blows once more in a game pitting two of the nation’s top-ranked teams. Sophomore ACU quarterback Mitchell Gale and senior MSU quarterback Zack Eskridge finished with exactly the same passing yardage, but it was Gale’s team that prevailed in a wild 31-28 win before a happy Wildcat Homecoming crowd of 13,486 in Shotwell Stadium.

Gale threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 5 ACU over No. 8 MSU, the third time the two teams have played in each others’ last seven games. The Wildcats lost to the Mustangs in the 2009 regular season finale but beat MSU in the first round of the national playoffs.

The win Saturday pushed the Wildcats to 6-0 and 5-0 in the Lone Star Conference, and dropped the Mustangs to 5-1 and 4-1 in the LSC. ACU is 3-0 in the LSC South, and MSU is 1-1.  ACU returns to action next Saturday when it travels to San Antonio to take on Incarnate Word in a game at 7 p.m. in UIW’s Benson Stadium.
Player of the game: ACU Defense

Texas A&M Kingsville

KINGSVILLE – In a game that more than lived up to its billing Saturday night, the No. 5 ACU Wildcats rolled out of Javelina Stadium with a 31-24 Lone Star Conference South Division win over No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville.

The win pushes the Wildcats to 5-0 overall, 4-0 in the LSC and 2-0 in the LSC South Division.  The Javelinas, meanwhile, fall to 4-1, 3-1 and 1-1.  ACU will return to Shotwell Stadium in Abilene next Saturday when it hosts Midwestern State at 2 p.m. in the Wildcats' annual Homecoming contest.

Player of the game: Edmund Gates

Tarleton

ABILENE – ACU head coach Chris Thomsen said all week his team would receive its first serious challenge of the season Saturday night from Tarleton State.

He'll have to use the same speech next week as the Wildcats prepare to face No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville after the Wildcats delivered a beatdown of the Texans at Shotwell Stadium.

Sophomore quarterback Mitchell Gale threw for a career-high 344 yards and two scores Saturday night to lead the No. 5 Wildcats to a 65-3 blowout win over Tarleton State in the Lone Star Conference South Division opener for both teams.

The win pushes the Wildcats to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the LSC South, while the Texans fall to 0-4 and 0-1.  ACU will be back in action next Saturday at 7 p.m. when they take on No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 p.m. in Kingsville.

Player of the game: Mitchell Gale

East Central

ABILENE – Abilene Christian quarterback Mitchell Gale threw a career-best five touchdown passes Saturday night as the fifth-ranked Wildcats whipped East Central (Okla.), 47-7, in a Lone Star Conference game at Shotwell Stadium.

The win pushes the Wildcats to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the LSC, while the Tigers  are now 0-3 and 0-2 as they lost for the 16th straight time.  ACU will be back in action next Saturday when it hosts Tarleton State in the LSC South Division opener for both teams at 6 p.m.

Player of the game: Mitchell Gale

Northeastern State

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Abilene Christian University blocked three punts, scoring on two of them, and returned another punt for a touchdown Saturday night as the No. 5 Wildcats posted their second straight victory with a 43-13 Lone Star Conference win over Northeastern State at Doc Wadley Stadium.

The win pushes the Wildcats to 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in the LSC, while the RiverHawks fall to 1-1 and 1-1.  ACU will play its first home game of the season next Saturday at 6 p.m. when it hosts East Central in another LSC contest at Shotwell Stadium.

Player of the game: Cantu-Harkless