The ACU football team travelled to Houston to take on the Houston Baptist Huskies and had an offensive explosion, winning the game 69-12.
Wide receiver stole the show Saturday, catching seven passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns in less than three quarters of play. Seventy-one of Gabriel’s 174 yards came on one play just before the half, when he received a quick pass from John David Baker and took it all the way to the end zone.
“We were running a double move with both of our inside guys and Taylor was kind of getting held up, but I knew he was about to be open,” Baker said. “I put it up a little bit over the linebacker and then the rest is just vintage TG. He made guys miss and Darian Hogg threw a huge block and Darrell took out a couple of guys too.”
Tight end Noah Cheshier also caught a touchdown pass in the game. Baker finished with 273 yards and four passing touchdowns to go along with 28 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
“I enjoy throwing them more than running them into the end zone because I get to see one of my guys make a play,” Baker said. “Whenever Taylor and Darian and Darrell and those guys get the ball in their hands they are exciting to watch, and I kind of get a front row seat to it.”
Wide receiver Cade Stone also lined up in the backfield as both a running back and a Wildcat quarterback for the first time this season and finished the game as ACU’s third leading rusher. Stone ran for 53 yards and a score.
Darrell Cantu-Harkless ran for a pair of touchdowns in the win, as did Adrian Duncan, who had 82 yards on the ground on 13 carries.
Defensively, the Wildcats dominated the Huskies the entire game and never allowed the team to get anything going.
Linebacker Thor Woerner led the team in tackles with 10, including a tackle for loss. Safety Angel Lopez and linebacker Jesse Harper had eight tackles each to finish second in tackles.
Safety Justin Stewart also made his first interception of the season, picking off an HBU pass and running it back 31 yards to flip the field and give the Wildcat offense a short field.
“It felt good to get the pick,” Stewart said. “The quarterback was rolling one way and tried to throw across his body. I saw him loft it up and I knew I was going to have a chance to make the play.”
HBU’s offense only managed 220 yards of total offense the entire game. ACU held the Huskies to a measly 97 yards through the air, despite holding a big lead most of the contest.
“I think we played really well,” Stewart said. “Coach Dulin has been telling us to run to the ball and take care of the little things like we know how to do. Finally, I feel like we played a complete game and the score showed it.”
Safety Lynn Grady, defensive end Nick Richardson and defensive end Kolby Rowe recorded sacks in the game.
The Wildcats will be back in action Saturday when they play their last home game of the year against Incarnate Word in their homecoming game. Kick off will be at 2 p.m. in Shotwell Stadium.
