The fate of the Wildcats’ season comes down to one final game in Wichita Falls on Saturday. The Wildcats will take on the Midwestern State Mustangs, and they need a win to lock up a playoff spot.
ACU moved up to fourth in the region after a big win against Texas A&M-Kingsville last week, 47-35. The Mustangs dropped three spots in the regional polls to seventh this week, despite blowing out Eastern New Mexico 50-17. The top six teams in the polls earn a place in the playoffs, which makes the game a must-win situation for both teams.
The Wildcats are looking to replicate what they did on offense last week, scoring 47 points against a good Kingsville team. The offensive line didn’t give up a single sack the whole game, which allowed Mitchell Gale to get settled and run the offense effectively. Gale completed 24 of 34 pass attempts for 289 yards. Gales’ outstanding performance earned him South Division Offensive Player of the Week in the Lone Star Conference.
The defense, led by linebacker Fred Thompson, continued to shine. Thompson was honored this week as the LSC South Division Defensive Player of the Week. This is the second time he has received the award this year. He had nine tackles and 1.5 sacks, one of which resulted in a safety for the defense. He also forced two fumbles as the Wildcats dominated the Javelinas.
The Mustangs are led by a solid offense that is averaging 38.3 points per game. Quarterback Zach Eskridge has averaged more than 277 yards per game passing and thrown for 27 touchdowns this season. Their defense is allowing only 12.6 points per game and should pose a tough test for the Wildcats.
The game will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday in Wichita Falls.