GAMEDAY: LU vs ACU

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BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar Cardinals football team will look to get back on the winning track Saturday when it travels to Abilene, Texas to face Abilene Christian. The contest marks the first time Lamar has been away from Provost Umphrey Stadium in a month. In addition to playing on the road, the Cardinals (3-2/0-1 SLC) will be renewing a series that hasn’t been played since 1972.

“There is no doubt that last week didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but in this sport, as it is with all sports, you have to learn to handle the good with the bad,” said head coach Ray Woodard. “The important thing this week has been to forget that game and put our focus squarely on Abilene Christian. I felt like our guys did a very good job of that in practice.

“ACU is a very good team. They have already knocked off an FBS school this season. We have known from the beginning of the year this trip was going to be a very tough challenge, but our guys are excited about it.”

Traveling to Abilene might just be what the doctored ordered. The Cardinals own a 9-7 (.563) advantage in the all-time series against ACU, and although it hasn’t been played in 44 years history reflects that the visiting team has always had the upper hand. The Cardinals are 5-2 (.714) all-time in Abilene, and have won the last three meetings there.

Abilene Christian enters Saturday’s contest with an identical 3-2 record, but sit atop the Southland as the league’s only 2-0 team. After consecutive losses to Georgia State and Northern Arizona to start the season, the Wildcats rattled off wins against Troy, Incarnate Word and Houston Baptist. ACU’s two losses have been by a combined seven points.

“It doesn’t take long to understand just how talented this team is,” said Woodard. “Our guys were able to pick that up shortly after sitting down and looking at them on tape. They bring a ton of talent to the field. There quarterback is one of the best in the nation. He doesn’t make mistakes, and he is really accurate when throwing on the run. He is a very dangerous player.”

ACU enters the week as the Southland’s top passing offense. Led by the league’s top-rated passer, Parker McKenzie, the Wildcats lead the Southland averaging better than 320 passing yards per game. Along with Lamar, ACU is one of five teams in the league averaging better than 35 points a game.

The Cardinals also have some familiarity with the ACU running game. Former Cardinal, Herschel Sims, leads ACU with 60 carries for 319 yards (5.3 ypr) and three touchdowns.

There was one key area that Lamar had excelled at during the 2014 season that failed them in the conference opener. Lamar was ranked either first or second nationally in fumbles recovered and turnovers gained prior to facing Sam Houston State, but Lamar failed to force the Bearkats into any miscues. To make matters worse, Lamar coughed the ball up four times.

“Let’s face it, you can’t give any team that many extra possessions,” said Woodard. “We really hurt ourselves in that area. We have done a solid job of gaining extra possessions, while not turning the ball over until last Saturday. We have to get that straightened out. We can’t afford to give ACU any extra opportunities.”

Saturday’s game is slated to kickoff at 6 p.m. from Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, Texas, and can be heard live on KLVI 560 AM.

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