United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football wrapped up its second regular season of competition with a bang as a trio of teams earned invitations to the FCS Playoff field. Abilene Christian, the regular season champion, claimed the AQ bid for the playoffs and was joined by Tarleton State and Eastern Kentucky as at-large selections in the field. The Texans (13th seed) and Wildcats (15th seed) host home games in the opening round while the Colonels start their playoff journey on the road.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
2 PM ET | #22 EKU at #11 Villanova (11th seed) $ — ESPN+
Eastern Kentucky, making their 23rd all-time FCS Playoff appearance which ranks as the second most all-time nationally, hits the road for a game at 11th-seed Villanova. The Colonels, who finished 8-4 during the regular season (8-2 vs FCS foes), carry a five-game win streak into their second playoff trip in the last three seasons. EKU has won a pair of previous FCS National Championships. The match-up will be the first between the two programs on the gridiron with the winner advancing to a second round game at 6th-seed UIW on Dec. 7.
FCS STAT RANKS: Scoring Off – 22.8 PPG (79th) | Scoring Def – 23.8 PPG (48th) | Passing Off – 168.8 (98th) | Passing Def – 244.6 (101st) | Rushing Off – 148.8 (57th) | Rushing Def – 184.3 (28th) | Total Off – 353.0 (67th) | Total Def – 393.3 (84th)
2 PM CT | #14 TARLETON STATE (13th seed) vs Drake $ — ESPN+
The regular season UAC Champion, Abilene Christian, earned the 15-seed spot in the bracket and host No. 17 ranked Northern Arizona. The Wildcats accomplished multiple ‘firsts’ in their Div. I era, including first conference championship & first postseason appearence following an 8-4 record in the regular season including a 7-1 mark in UAC play. This season ACU has won five games against a team that was either ranked or receiving votes in a national poll. Saturday will be the 4th all-time meeting between ACU and NAU with the Lumberjacks claiming the three previous meetings in 1989, 1995 and 2014. Winner of the game advances to face 2nd-seed North Dakota State on Dec. 7 in Fargo, N.D.
FCS STAT RANKS: Scoring Off – 34.8 PPG (16th) | Scoring Def – 31.5 PPG (94th) | Passing Off – 321.8 (4th) | Passing Def – 248.8 (105th) | Rushing Off – 157.8 (53rd) | Rushing Def – 172.3 (86th) | Total Off – 479.7 (3rd) | Total Def – 421.1 (96th)
2 PM CT | #15 ABILENE CHRISTIAN (15th seed) vs #17 Northern Arizona $ — ESPN+
Tarleton State, the highest seeded team in the UAC at No. 13, are making their first playoff appearance since 2019, when the Texans were mainstays in the playoffs at the end of their NCAA Division II days. TSU finished the regular season 9-3 overall, setting a new record for wins in a season in their D1 era. The game marks the first all-time meeting between the Texans and Bulldogs. With a victory, TSU would move on to meet 4th-seed South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D.
FCS STAT RANKS: Scoring Off – 29.7 PPG (34th) | Scoring Def – 22.8 PPG (35th) | Passing Off – 202.5 (66th) | Passing Def – 213.1 (53rd) | Rushing Off – 202.0 (14th) | Rushing Def – 156.3 (67th) | Total Off – 404.5 (32nd) | Total Def – 369.3 (69th)
* FCS Playoff Game
OPENING KICKOFF
WILDCATS CLAIM CROWN & PLAYOFF BID
With a thrilling last minute rally, Abilene Christian topped Tarleton State and captured their first UAC Football Championship along with the AQ bid to the FCS Playoffs… The Wildcats were picked to finish 6th in the preseason poll… ACU heads into the playoffs looking to earn an historic win for the program and the league
BORN TO RUN
-The UAC is home to the TOP THREE running backs in FCS rushing with SUU’s Targhee Lambson (1,921 yds), TSU’s Kavyon Britten (1,750 yds) and UCA’s ShunDerrick Powell (1,343 yds) … In all of Division I Football (FCS & FBS) only Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty (2,062 yards) of Boise State has more yards
NOTEWORTHY
– 17 UAC league games were decided by one score including six of the last seven contests… Seven games were decided by three points or less
– UCA’s David Walker was awarded and accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Feb. 1 in Mobile, Ala.
– Oct. 5 clash between #5 Central Arkansas and #16 Abilene Christian was just the second head-to-head UAC battle of ranked squads in league history… UCA has been part of both competitions, having faced #12 Austin Peay, ranked 20th last season
– With Southern Utah’s 27-24 OT win over UTEP on Sept. 7, the T-Birds secured the league’s first victory against an FBS foe… Abilene Christian (52-51 loss at Texas Tech) and Central Arkansas (34-31 loss at Arkansas State) both nearly accomplished the feat as well this season
– UCA’s 34-14 victory over #19 Lamar (Sept. 29) marked just the second UAC win against a ranked non-conference foe… EKU topped #16 Southeast Missouri, 41-38, last year
– Thunderbirds head coach DeLane Fitzgerald earned the 100th of his career with SUU’s victory over EKU… Fitzgerald joined TSU’s Todd Whitten (135 wins) in the Century Win Club
HOW DO WE STACK UP?
– A trio of UAC teams were again ranked in the Top 25 nationally as ACU, TSU and EKU were all recognized. The Texans were 14th in both polls, the Wildcats were listed 15th (STATS)/ 17th (AFCA) while the Colonels climbed to 22th in the STATS poll… SUU also received votes in a poll this week
– The league saw a record best three teams ranked in the Top 25 for 11 consecutive weeks this season
– In the Sept. 30 STATS Ranking, Central Arkansas was listed No. 5, marking the highest ever rank for a UAC program
