The ACU Wildcat football team will get another chance to play under the bright lights of Cowboys Stadium.
LSC commissioner Stan Wagnon and the conference have decided to build on last year and extend an invitation to all nine LSC teams for 2012’s Football Festival – held at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
“Last year’s festival proved to be a shining moment for the Lone Star Conference, and we’re confident this year’s version will be even better with all nine teams involved,” Wagnon said in a press release. “Our vision for this event remains to showcase LSC football programs while providing the LSC member schools with an opportunity to reconnect with alumni throughout North Texas. There’s no better place to do that than Cowboys Stadium.”
The Football Festival will feature two triple-headers, one Sept. 14 and the other Sept. 15. The three games will be played at 12, 4 and 8 p.m. each day.
“I’m obviously really excited to do it again,” ACU director of athletics Jared Mosley said. “All nine LSC teams playing in it is an added benefit.”
ACU will play in the 4 p.m. game on Sept. 15 against conference rival Tarleton State.
“I think the Saturday afternoon game is the ideal time to play,” Mosley said. “We have a lot of alumni in the DFW area and that will give them the best chance to come and see us play.”
It is a big stage, but the players aren’t putting much stock into the setting.
“It doesn’t really mean any more than any other game on our schedule,” quarterback Mitchell Gale said. “Sure, it will be a fun experience and something we’ll be able to talk about for a long time, but it’s another game on our schedule.”
The other five contests will feature Incarnate Word vs. Eastern New Mexico in the noon slot on Friday followed by Texas A&M Commerce vs. Midwestern State at 4 p.m. The late game on Friday will be a high school game that will be determined at a later date.
Saturday’s noon game will be the only non-conference game of the Festival as Valdosta State of the Gulf South Conference will take on Angelo St. The Festival will wrap up with Texas A&M-Kingsville against West Texas A&M.
Last year the ‘Cats, as well as four other Lone Star Conference teams, got the opportunity to play in the first annual Lone Star Football Festival.
Although the game was a loss for ACU, the event was a success as many fans, not only representing ACU, but all of the LSC schools flocked to see their team play in an NFL arena.
