ACU Football
0
0
ABILENE, Texas — ACU came out firing in its home opener Saturday night, but No. 9 Stephen F. Austin answered with a dominant second quarter and never looked back.
The Lumberjacks defeated the No. 23/25 Wildcats 26-7 at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, handing ACU its third consecutive loss to open the 2026 season.
For the Wildcats, the night began with plenty of promise. ACU marched 91 yards on its opening possession, putting together a 10-play, 5:49 drive that ended with John David Black connecting with Izaiah Henry for a six-yard touchdown. The early score gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead with just 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
But once the second quarter began, SFA’s offense found another gear.
Lumberjacks Take Control
The Lumberjacks responded immediately.
Gavin Rutherford connected with Bugs Mortimer for a 69-yard touchdown just 41 seconds into the second quarter, tying the game at 7-7. Less than three minutes later, Rutherford found Gerard Edimo for a 13-yard touchdown, giving SFA its first lead of the night.
From there, the Lumberjacks’ defense and special teams helped maintain control.
Carlos Alvarado added field goals from 26 and 51 yards later in the quarter, allowing SFA to take a 20-7 advantage into halftime.
After scoring on its opening possession, ACU struggled to generate consistent offensive production for the remainder of the game.
The Wildcats entered the matchup averaging just 12 points per game through their first two contests, while SFA entered averaging 41 points per game. The difference in offensive consistency ultimately proved decisive.
ACU Defense Keeps Fighting
Despite the offensive struggles, the Wildcat defense prevented the Lumberjacks from completely running away with the game.
SFA was held scoreless throughout the third quarter, keeping ACU within striking distance heading into the final period.
The Wildcats, however, couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities they created.
SFA finally put the game away early in the fourth quarter when Rutherford broke loose for a 26-yard rushing touchdown, extending the Lumberjacks’ advantage to 26-7 with 13:37 remaining.
The Lumberjacks would hold ACU scoreless the rest of the way.
A Familiar Rivalry
Saturday’s matchup marked the third meeting between the programs in just over a year and the fourth consecutive matchup in which both teams entered the game nationally ranked.
The rivalry has become increasingly competitive in recent seasons.
ACU defeated SFA 28-20 during the 2025 regular season before the Lumberjacks returned the favor in the FCS playoffs, defeating the Wildcats 41-34 in December to advance to the quarterfinals.
Saturday’s meeting was another opportunity for ACU to defend its home turf. The Wildcats entered the game having won 10 consecutive games at home, one of the longest active home winning streaks in the country.
That streak came to an end against a Lumberjacks team that entered the night 2-0 and ranked No. 9 in the FCS.
Wildcats Still Searching for First Win
The loss drops ACU to 0-3 on the season.
The Wildcats opened the year with a 21-14 loss at Lamar before falling 33-10 to Texas Tech in Lubbock. Saturday’s matchup marked ACU’s first home game of the season.
While the start is not what head coach Keith Patterson and the Wildcats envisioned, ACU has faced an extremely difficult opening stretch.
The Wildcats have already played two ranked opponents, including an FBS opponent, and now have another challenging test ahead.
ACU will hit the road next Saturday for a matchup with Idaho in Moscow.
The Vandals will provide another significant FCS test as the Wildcats look to finally break through and put their first win of the season on the board.
For now, ACU will have to regroup after watching a promising start against SFA turn into another frustrating result.
Stephen F. Austin 26, Abilene Christian 7.
About the Author
