By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
After back-to-back wins at home, every game left on the Wildcat football team’s schedule can affect its playoff chances.
ACU is ranked No. 8 in the NCAA D-II Southwest Regional Poll, a poll that determines if ACU is awarded a NCAA Division II playoff spot, and every Saturday can drop the Wildcats out of the postseason contention.
ACU’s first step toward a possible LSC South championship and an automatic playoff spot will be on the road against Angelo State on Saturday.
“Angelo is a good team; you just can’t underestimate them,” said sophomore safety Tony Harp. “We’ve got to prepare and go out there like we’re playing the Dallas Cowboys.”
No. 14 ACU will play the unranked Rams in Angelo’s Homecoming game, and if ACU beats the Rams, the Wildcats will be 2-0 in the LSC South.
A win in Angelo would mean ACU’s Homecoming matchup against modern rival West Texas A&M could be the game to decide the LSC South champion. West Texas, Midwestern State and Tarleton State are all ranked higher than ACU in the Southwest Region Poll, which puts ACU in a must-win situation practically every week.
Despite the future implications of a win in San Angelo, head coach Chris Thomsen said Angelo State is a team that the Wildcats prepare for just like any other.
“It’s been this way for the last five games. I don’t feel like we can prepare any differently,” Thomsen said.
Angelo is on a three-game winning streak after dropping its first two games of the season, and the main reason for that is Rams’ running back Daniel Thomas.
The LSC South Division Offensive Player of the Week is coming off a 149-yard, threetouchdown performance in last week’s win over Eastern New Mexico. Thomas averages 142.2 yards per game on nearly 30 carries a game, and only seven players in
NCAA D-II have more carries than Thomas.
“They’ve got a really tough running back, his numbers are up there,” Thomsen said.
Meanwhile, ACU’s defense is one of the most balanced and efficient in the LSC. The Wildcats lead the conference in turnover margin and are No. 8 in NCAA D-II, thanks to a league-leading 11 interceptions. ACU recorded a leaguehigh 17 turnovers through six games. Harp said one of the main reasons ACU’s defense is prepared each week is because they practice every day against one of the best offenses in the country.
Led by junior quarterback Billy Malone, ACU is ninth in NCAA D-II in both scoring offense and total offense. ACU averages a boastful 42.7 points and 483.5 yards a game, and has already scored 50 points two times this season.
Malone leads the conference in passing efficiency and is ranked No. 4 in the nation in the same category. Malone has already thrown for 18 touchdowns, averages 268.2 yards a game and has only thrown two interceptions halfway through the season.
Although he recorded his only under-100 yard game of the season against Northeastern State, junior running back Bernard Scott is the main reason ACU averages 206 rushing yards a game.
“It’s good going against Billy, Bernard [Scott] and Jerale [Badon] because it prepares us for the best,” Harp said.
ACU and Angelo State will play Saturday at 6 p.m. in San Angelo.
