The ACU Wildcats moved to a perfect 8-0 on the season with a 53-14 victory over the Eastern New Mexico University Greyhounds.

Wide receiver Edmund Gates had a record-setting day for the Wildcats before coming out in the third quarter, with seven receptions for 124 yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns marks the first time Gates has had at least three receiving scores in a game, and the 124 yards through the air mark the fourth straight game with 100-plus yards for the senior. The seven catches for Gates put him past  Johnny Perkins for fourth all-time in career receptions.

Quarterback Mitchell Gale, once again, guided the offense to a big day, completing 23 of 41 passes for 362 yards and five touchdowns for the second straight game.

“I think the play of Gale was the difference,” said ACU head coach Chris Thomsen.

The Wildcats battled the wind all day long in the blowout.

“I have never been in a wind like this, it was amazing,” Thomsen said.

The Wildcats defense held the high-octane run-and-gun offense of the Greyhounds to just one offensive touchdown in the game.

The Wildcats were without kicker Morgan Lineberry, but replacement Ryan Owens buried a 53-yard field goal to put ACU on the board at 3-0.

It didn’t take long for the Wildcats to get going again on their next drive. ACU featured Emery Dudensing who touched the ball a number of times on the drive and capped it with a 2-yard score to put ACU up 10-0.

Gates had the first of his three scores on the day on the next drive when  Gale found him on the wide receiver screen pass and Gates did the rest. He took it 50-yards to the house blowing by everyone in a Greyhound uniform to put the Wildcats in control 17-0.

With just 13-seconds left in the first quarter the Wildcats struck again. Mitchell Gale found Kendrick Johnson in the flats and Johnson made everybody miss on his way to the end zone for a 45-yard score. Wildcats up at the end of one quarter 27-0.

“The field position early in the game was really to our advantage.” Thomsen said.

That is how it would stay until late in the second quarter. Mitchell Gale led the Wildcats down the field against the Greyhounds and finished the drive with a 26-yard strike to Edmund Gates, his second on the day and the Wildcats were up big 33-0.

ACU would score 20 more points in the game and finish with a final of 53-14.

The Wildcats will be back in action next weekend at home against Angelo State.