ABILENE, Texas - Abilene Christian rushed for 303 yards in handing HBU a 45-20 loss in Southland Conference football Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium.
Junior quarterback
Bailey Zappe completed 35-of-56 passes for 267 yards, one touchdown and an interception for the Huskies (4-3, 1-2 SLC). Sophomore wide receiver
Jerreth Sterns made 10 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown, while junior
Ben Ratzlaff caught eight passes for 78 yards. Sophomore running back
Ean Beek rushed 13 times for 38 yards and a score.
Freshman safety
Tra Fluellen led HBU with 11 tackles, while sophomore linebacker
Brennan Young made eight and freshman linebacker
Philip Ossai had seven.
Luke Anthony completed 30-of-43 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns for ACU (3-4, 2-3). Sema'J Davis rushed 11 times for 148 yards and a touchdown and Tracy James rushed 18 times for 118 yards and a score. Josh Fink caught 12 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown and Kobe Clark made nine catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.
Ryan Stapp and Jeremiah Chambers led ACU with seven tackles each, while Adonis Davis accounted for the game's only turnover with an interception.
HBU totaled 320 yards of total offense, but only 53 on the ground, while ACU had 583 total yards. The Wildcats had the ball for 33:57, compared to 26:03 for the Huskies. HBU was penalized nine times for 75 yards and ACU committed six penalties for 45 yards.
ACU forced a three-and-out on HBU's opening possession of the game, then went 47 yards on five plays in 1:42 to take a 7-0 lead on Anthony's 12-yard touchdown pass to Fink. The Wildcats got the ball back and quickly scored again with Anthony's 41-yard pass to Clark setting up James' 30-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead just 5:37 into the game.
The Huskies' defense stiffened up and the offense finally got on the board with Garcia's 49-yard field goal with 10:46 to go in the second quarter. The Wildcats mounted an eight-play, 71-yard drive at the end of the half and Anthony flipped a two-yard touchdown pass to Clark with 26 seconds remaining.
Junior
LaDarius Dickens returned the ensuing kickoff 48 yards to the ACU 45, then a pair of Zappe completions to Ratzlaff set up Garcia's 41-yard field goal as time expired as the Wildcats took a 21-6 lead into the break.
ACU had an explosive start to the second half as Davis took a quarterback keeper the distance for a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Zepeda added a 26-yard field goal to extend the Wildcats' lead to 31-6 with just under eight minutes remaining in the third.
HBU answered with Girdy Brito's 29-yard reception setting up Zappe's one-yard touchdown pass to Sterns. The Huskies tried to surprise the Wildcats with an onside kick, but ACU turned the tables with Gage Graham returning it 43 yards for a touchdown.
Zappe completed 8-of-9 passes on a 12-play, 84-yard drive that was capped by Beek's 16-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 38-20. Anthony threw a 10-yard touchdown to Lionell McConnell, putting ACU back up by 25.
The Huskies return to action when they face McNeese Saturday, Oct. 19 in Cowboy Stadium at 4 p.m. in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
