The ACU Wildcats fought back from 14 points down in the third quarter to overtake conference rival West Texas A&M and clinch at least a share of the Lone Star Conference Championship.

“I’m just so proud of our guys, they fought like crazy,” ACU head coach Chris Thomsen said. “That’s the way it should be for the championship, just a knock-down, drag-out fight.”

James Williams stepped up for the Wildcats, intercepting three of Taylor Harris’ passes on the night.

“It feels great to be a champion. I have never won a ring before,” Williams said. “I was just glad I was able to make some impact plays to help my team win.”

Mitchell Gale had another solid night, completing 22 of 36 passes for 296 yards and one touchdown. Gale also ran one in himself early in the second half.

The Wildcats managed just six points in the first half, despite having the ball inside the Buffaloes 20-yard line four times.

Taylor Harris had four touchdowns along with the three interceptions and one fumble, as the turnover-riddled Buffs couldn’t hold off an ACU comeback.

“It means everything to see them to continue to fight back and show their heart and soul,” Thomsen said.

After trading scores early in the third, the Wildcats were looking to even the score, but Caleb Randolph intercepted Gale and returned it 76 yards for a West Texas touchdown, putting the home team up by 14.

With 2:34 left in the third quarter Aston Whiteside got to Taylor Harris and forced the WT quarterback to fumble the ball inside his own five-yard line.

Daryl Richardson capitalized for ACU a few plays later. Richardson finished the game with 98 yards rushing and three scores, two of those coming in the fourth quarter.

“It feels good, I have been struggling in the season, I really needed this big game,” Richardson said.

Daryl Richardson came up huge again on a drive for the Wildcats that began with just under four minutes left in the game. ACU drove it 36 yards, taking almost three minutes off the clock before Richardson bounced outside on a cutback play and scampered 23 yards into the end zone to put the Wildcats up for the first time in the game 41-34.

Richardson’s  success showed everyone something that had been lacking in many of the Wildcats games this season, a running game. Coach Collums did a great job of staying committed to the running game throughout the course of the game.

For his efforts, Richardson was named the LSC South Offensive Player of the Week for the first time this season.

ACU will need the entire backfield healthy and performing at their peak to make a deep run in the playoffs against more physical teams.

James Williams was pivotal in both the game, and as a statement to the rest of the country.

If there has been one knock on ACU this season it has been the passing yards allowed. With just one returning starter coming into the season, the Wildcats were working in a new group of defensive backs.

But Saturday night, the Wildcats managed to hold West Texas to 446 yards on 60 attempts, just 7.4 yards per attempt, nearly a half-yard below the Buffs season average.

The secondary has proven that they can hang with the best passing offenses in the country, and just in time for the NCAA playoffs.