ABILENE, Texas -- Excitement is building for the third season of gridiron action in the United Athletic Conference (UAC) and as a lead into the kickoff of the 2025 campaign, we will preview each of the nine league members with a daily countdown in the "Chase for the Crown". Abilene Christian captured its first UAC title and made its debut appearance in the FCS Playoffs, highlighted by an opening round, in 2024.
ABILENE CHRISTIAN QUICK FACTS
2025 Preseaeason Selection: 2nd
2024 Record: 9-5 (7-1 UAC / 1st)
Program Best FCS Record: 9-5 (2024)
NCAA FCS Playoff Appearances: 1, 2024 (6x NCAA DII Playoffs)
Head Coach: Keith Patterson
Career Record: 21-15 (4th Season) | 10-4 UAC (3rd Season)
KEY RETURNERS
- JJ HENRY (WR, R-SR) - ACU's top returning pass catcher, finishing last season with 485 yards on 42 receptions (11.55 ypc)... Scored four receiving touchdowns
- WILL SHAFFER (LB, R-SR) - Preseason UAC Defensive Player of the Year... Led the Wildcats and the UAC in tackles last season with 123 total stops (56 solo tackles) including 9.5 TFLs and a pair of sacks... Also recorded two interceptions and recovered a fumble
NOTEWORTHY
1. ACU has three of the top four returning tacklers in the UAC headlined by last year's league leader Will Shaffer along with Chris Wright and Dorian Plumley
2. Legendary college football quarterback Graham Harrell was hired as ACU’s offensive coordinator in January. Harrell has been OC at UNT, USC, West Virginia, and most recently Purdue... Harrell’s younger brother, Clark, played at ACU, and is a coach at Wylie High School in Abilene... Both their father and mother attended ACU... Just this year, it was announced that Harrell will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Texas Tech Ring of Honor
3. The Wildcats look to replace all five starting offensive linemen from last year's squad that topped the league at 469.64 YPG... The squad brought in six transfers from FBS schools in hopes of reloading in the trenches
4. Abilene Christian will have a different starting quarterback for the first time since 2021 after three-year starter Maverick McIvor transferred to FBS program Western Kentucky... ACU brought in transfers from BYU, East Carolina, and Marshall to compete with last year’s backup Carson Haggard, who started the first round FCS Playoffs victory against Northern Arizona
5. The Wildcats are coming off their best season in Division I history... This will be their first conference championship defense since winning the Lone Star Conference in 2010... ACU moved to Division I in 2013, and joined the Southland Conference in 2014
2025 SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 | @Tulsa
Sept. 6 | Stephen F. Austin
Sept. 13 | @TCU
Sept. 20 | Austin Peay*
Sept. 27 | @UIW
Oct. 4 | North Alabama*
Oct. 11 | @West Georgia*
Oct. 18 | @Southern Utah*
Nov. 1 | Tarleton State*
Nov. 8 | Utah Tech*
Nov. 15 | @EKU*
Nov. 22 | @Central Arkansas*
Bold = Home | * = UAC