Owen: The Wildcats will have their hands full in a historic fall season. Following the departure of former starting quarterback Luke Anthony, questions arise on offense. However, head coach Adam Dorrel has praised the new freshman class as one of the best he’s ever coached. With a tough schedule ahead and a dismal finish to last season, ACU will have its hands full in 2020. My biggest concern entering the season is what the secondary will look like after losing pieces to an already challenged defense from last year. A strength for ACU will likely be its running game. A relatively senior squad on the line and depth at the running back position will fuel success on the ground. Following a 5-7 record from last season, a non-conference schedule likely benefits ACU competitively and helps gain national recognition. Few teams have scheduled as many games as the Wildcats have this season, let alone playing. It’s a great opportunity to bring in future recruits with more of a spotlight on the team. Wildcats struggle early but finish the season strong.
2020 record: 5-3
Carrie: After 10 months of waiting, Wildcat football is back, despite theCOVID-19 pandemic still being prominent in the United States. The Wildcats hope to improve on their 5-7 season. This one-of-a-kind season will be filled with many tests and challenges, including some top contenders from the FBS last season. Facing opponents like Army and the University of Virginia, both AP Top 25 teams in 2019, will serve as valuable teaching opportunities for the Wildcats and give them much needed experience in playing games against top football programs in the country. ACU will finally have a chance to display its new offensive leadership after the departure of Luke Anthony, the arrival of Peyton Mansell and the return of Sema’j Davis. The Wildcats also look to fill some critical roles on the defensive side, following the departure of senior linebacker Jeremiah Chambers along with many others. A slow start should be expected, but as the season progresses, expect a gradual, continuous improval on both sides of the football for the remainder of the season.
2020 record: 4-4
Tavian: As we go into the weirdest college football season set to date, the Wildcats are looking to turn some heads across the country and make a stand this season. The Wildcats lose quarterback Luke Anthony to the transfer portal, but Sema’J Davis returns and the incoming transfer from Iowa, Peyton Mansel, looks to ignite this offense. This is one of ACU’s toughest schedules to date, but with the way this year has panned out, anything can happen. The Wildcats are set on offense as nearly all starters return, and they look to build on their chemistry throughout the season. The defense looks to fill in some key roles. There are many returners on the defense, but not many starters are returning. The depth that they have at defensive line and linebacker should help a lot, but the secondary will need some work. The offensive line looks stacked and so should the running game this year. The passing game may look rough to start out, but expect for it to turn the heat up later on in the season. Last year they finished below .500 at 5-7, and this year they’ll finish above that mark. This will be a great opportunity for the players to compete as many teams are not competing in the fall. ACU looks to take advantage of a historic college football season.
2020 record: 5-3
Jalen: With the season around the corner, the Wildcats are entering into a season like no other. I am excited to see how ACU’s offense will produce this season after being one of the top offensive teams in the Southland conference last season. It will be compelling to see the competition between junior quarterback Sema’J Davis and Peyton Mansell for the starting position. One of the biggest concerns I have would be the secondary defense. Last season, ACU allowed 250+ passing yards in seven games. The Virginia and Army games will prove to be great experiences for ACU and gain some notoriety as a program. The most exciting matchup for ACU will be against Stephen F. Austin, one of ACU’s deepest rivals. Overall, the Wildcats will struggle the first few games but finish the season strong.
2020 record: 5-3
Madi: The ACU football team is about to enter one of the most unprecedented seasons in history. I am very excited to see them kickoff, because it feels like they will be a whole new team. With the starting quarterback transferring out, the starting position is up for grabs and depending on who secures that spot will depend on what the offense looks like this year. One thing I am especially excited for is the return of senior running back Billy McCrary. He had a season-ending injury last year, but I am looking forward to seeing what he brings to the offense after his absence last season. This is one of the toughest schedules the program has ever had but in these times nothing would surprise me. With how highly coach Dorrel has talked about the team so far, I think they may take some time to get offense and defense clicking. However, they seem like a persistent group, so I am optimistic for a winning season.
2020 record: 5-3
