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Abilene Christian Wildcats football

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Abilene Christian Wildcats football
2024 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team
First season1919; 105 years ago
Athletic directorZack Lassiter
Head coachKeith Patterson
3rd season, 20–14 (.588)
StadiumAnthony Field at Wildcat Stadium
(capacity: 12,000)
Year built2016
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationAbilene, Texas
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceUnited Athletic Conference
Past conferencesIndependent (1919–1924)
TIAA (1925–1932)
Texas (1933–1953)
Independent (1954)
GCC (1955–1956)
Independent (1957–1963)
SLC (1964–1973)
LSC (1973–2012)
FCS Independent (2013)
SLC (2014–2020)
WAC (2021–2022)
All-time record540–459–14 (.540)
Claimed national titles2 (2 NAIA)
Conference titles14 (7 TCAC, 1 Gulf Coast, 4 Lone Star, 1 WAC, 1 UAC)
Division titles3 (3 Lone Star South)
ColorsPurple and white[1]
   
OutfitterUnder Armour
WebsiteACUSports.com

The Abilene Christian Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Abilene Christian University located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team was a member of the Southland Conference through the 2020–21 season,[2] but joined the Western Athletic Conference in July 2021, coinciding with that league's reinstatement of football as an official conference sport.[3] After the 2022 season, the WAC fully merged its football league with that of the ASUN Conference, creating what eventually became the United Athletic Conference, and ACU accordingly moved its football team to the new league.[4][5] The school's first football team was fielded in 1919. The team plays its home games at the on-campus Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

History

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The Wildcats offensive line lines up for a field goal during a 2023 game

Football classifications

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 • Abilene Christian did not field a team in 1943–1945.

Conference affiliations

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Head coaching history

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Name Seasons Record Pct
Vernon McCasland 1919 2–2 .500
Sewell Jones 1920 4–0–1 .900
Russell A. Lewis 1921 2–5 .286
Victor Payne 1922–1923 12–3 .800
A. B. Morris 1924–1941 66–77–18 .466
Tonto Coleman 1942–1949 28–15–2 .644
Garvin Beauchamp 1950–1955 39–18–4 .672
N. L. Nicholson 1956–1961 28–30–1 .483
Les Wheeler 1962–1967 29–28 .509
Wally Bullington 1968–1976 62–32–2 .656
DeWitt Jones 1977–1978 18–4–1 .804
Ted Sitton 1979–1984 34–27–1 .556
John Payne 1985–1990 26–34–1 .435
Ronnie Peacock 1991–1992 4–15 .211
Bob Strader 1993–1995 14–17 .452
Jack Kiser 1996–1999 22–19 .537
Gary Gaines 2000–2004 21–30 .412
Chris Thomsen 2005–2011 61–21 .744
Ken Collums 2012–2016 24–32 .429
Adam Dorrel 2017–2021 19–32 .373
Keith Patterson 2022–present 12–10 .545

Notable former players

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Notable alumni include:

Championships

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National championships

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Season Coach Selectors Record Bowl
1973 Wally Bullington NAIA Playoffs 11–1 Won NAIA Championship
1977 DeWitt Jones NAIA Playoffs 11–1–1 Won NAIA Championship
National Championships 2

Conference championships

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Year Coach Conference Overall record Conference record
1939† A.B. Morris Texas Collegiate Athletic Conference 6–2–1 5–1
1940† 7–2 5–1
1946† Tonto Coleman 8–1–1 5–0–1
1950 Garvin Beauchamp 11–0 5–0
1951† 6–4 3–1
1952 6–3–1 4–0
1953† 7–3 3–1
1955† Gulf Coast Conference 3–5–2 2–1
1973 Wally Bullington Lone Star Conference 11–1 9–0
1977† DeWitt Jones 11–1–1 5–1–1
2008 Chris Thomsen 11–1 9–0
2010 11–1 10–0
2022† Keith Patterson Western Athletic Conference 7–4 3–1
2024 United Athletic Conference 8–4 7–1
Conference Championships 14

† Co-champions

Division championships

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Year Coach Division championship Overall record Conference record Division record
2002† Gary Gaines LSC South 6–4 6–2 5–1
2008 Chris Thomsen 11–1 9–0 6–0
2010 11–1 10–0 8–0
Division Championships 3

† Co-champions

Bowl games

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Date Bowl Coach Opponent Result
December 2, 1950 Refrigerator Bowl Garvin Beauchamp Gustavus Adolphus College W 14–7
December 4, 1976 San Jancinto Shrine Bowl Wally Bullington Harding W 22–12

Playoff appearances

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NCAA Division I FCS

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The Wildcats have made one appearance in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. They have a combined record of 1–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2024 First Round
Second Round 		Northern Arizona
North Dakota State 		W 24–0
L 31–51

NCAA Division II

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The Wildcats appeared in the Division II playoffs six times with an overall record of 3–6.

Year Round Opponent Result
2006 First Round West Texas A&M L 27–30 OT
2007 First Round
Second Round		 Mesa State
Chadron State		 W 56–12
L 73–76 3OT
2008 Second Round
Quarterfinals		 West Texas A&M
Northwest Missouri State		 W 93–68
L 36–45
2009 First Round
Second Round		 Midwestern State
Northwest Missouri State		 W 24–21
L 10–35
2010 Second Round Central Missouri L 41–55
2011 First Round Washburn L 49–52

NAIA

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The Wildcats appeared in the NAIA playoffs two times with an overall record of 4–0. They were National Champions in 1973 and 1977.

Year Round Opponent Result
1973 Semifinals
National Championship Game		 Langston
Elon		 W 34–6
W 42–14
1977 Semifinals
National Championship Game		 Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Southwestern Oklahoma State		 W 35–7
W 24–7

Future non-conference opponents

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Announced schedules as of August 10, 2024.[6]

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
at Texas Tech at Tulsa at Texas Tech at Texas A&M
at Northern Colorado at TCU at Idaho
Idaho Stephen F. Austin
at Stephen F. Austin at Incarnate Word

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Abilene Christian University Branding and Editorial Style Guide. July 1, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  2. ^ McMurphy, Brett. "Abilene Christian to Southland". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  3. ^ "WAC Announces Expedited Entrance for Four Texas Institutions" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "ASUN And WAC Unveil 2023 Football Schedule" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  5. ^ "ASUN-WAC Football Partnership Formally Rebrands as the United Athletic Conference" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  6. ^ "Abilene Christian Wildcats Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
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