The Wildcats defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 34-20 on Saturday to improve their record to 5-3 on the season and 4-1 in conference play. The win comes after falling to Northern Alabama last week 47-34.

After a slow start in the first quarter when neither team scored, ACU got on the board in the first five seconds on an eight-yard rushing touchdown from Sam Hicks, redshirt senior running back from Fort Worth.

Hicks finished the game with 146 rushing yards on 24 attempts and one touchdown.

On the Colonels’ first drive of the second quarter, they were in the red zone looking to score when Izaiah Kelly, senior linebacker from Lubbock, intercepted a pass in the endzone after it was tipped in the air by Tyson Williams, sophomore cornerback from Bixby, Oklahoma.

ACU had three interceptions, a season-high. Head Coach Keith Patterson said that winning the takeaway battle was one of the team’s keys to victory during the week.

With possession back, the Wildcats marched down the field 80 yards to score a touchdown on an 18-yard reception by Jed Castles, redshirt junior tight end from Wichita Falls.

Eastern Kentucky was able to score before the end of the half to make the score 14-7 at halftime.

The Wildcats were able to play a very disciplined first half and did not have any penalties called on them. They finished the game with only two penalties for 25 yards, which is a season-low.

“We take great pride in trying to be a disciplined program, doing things as I like to say, ‘do things right 100% of the time the first time you’re asked to do them.’ And it just needs to become a part of who you are.” Patterson said.

To start the second half ACU was able to score a touchdown in four plays, the scoring play was a 45-yard reception by Blayne Taylor, redshirt senior wide receiver from Saginaw. Taylor had a career game finishing with 10 receptions, 154 yards and two touchdowns.

“The thing that pleased me more than anything is those catches that he made that were contested, he went up, he was strong with his hands and he really made some great plays and just really proud of him.” Patterson said.

On Eastern Kentucky’s next drive, they scored in one play on a 75-yard touchdown reception to bring them within one score of ACU 21-14.

Three plays into ACU’s next drive the Wildcats fumbled the football and the Colonels recovered it.

Eastern Kentucky marched down the field and scored a touchdown, but the extra point attempt was blocked by ACU to keep the Wildcats ahead 21-20.

On ACU’s next drive, Maverick McIvor, graduate quarterback from San Angelo, was able to find Taylor in the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.

The momentum for ACU continued to grow as Will Shaffer, redshirt senior linebacker from Tempe, Ariz., intercepted Eastern Kentucky to give ACU the ball back at the Colonels’ 20-yard line.

The Wildcats were unable to score a touchdown with the field position but were able to score a field goal to make the score 31-20.

During the Colonels’ next drive, they had momentum and looked like they were going to score a touchdown from the ACU four-yard line. After a stop on third down Eastern Kentucky decided to go for it on fourth down and one.

Eastern Kentucky called a passing play, Chris Wright, redshirt junior linebacker from Aledo, pressured the quarterback. The pressure forced a hurried throw to a receiver in the endzone and Tyson Williams broke up the pass attempt forcing a turnover on downs.

“I was just trying to get back to the quarterback as fast as I could and be aggressive as I can so I can help make that play,” Wright said.

With the ball back ACU was able to run six minutes off the clock and made the score 34-20 with a field goal.

The field goal made ACU five for five in the redzone for the game. An impressive defensive stand only allowed Eastern Kentucky to go two for four in the redzone.

“Every Wednesday at practice we spot the ball on the 20-yard line, and we compete a very high level, it’s good on good,” Patterson said.

On the third play of Eastern Kentucky’s final drive, the quarterback threw an interception to Izaiah Kelley, his second interception of the game.

ACU ran the clock out to finish the game and get its fifth win of the year.

Next week will be a bye week for the Wildcats, but they will return to action on Nov. 2 against Southern Utah in Abilene.