By: Abilene Christian Athletic Communications

ABILENE, Texas (ACUsports.com) – The ACU defense chose the perfect moment to deliver its best performance in years, propelling the Wildcats to Fargo, North Dakota, for the second round of the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs.
 
The 15th-ranked Wildcats – playing without starting quarterback Maverick McIvor and relying on the playmakers around backup Carson Haggard and their defense – blanked Northern Arizona, 24-0, Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Stadium in ACU's first playoff game at the FCS level. The win sets up a meeting between the Wildcats (9-4 and ranked 15th in the country) and North Dakota State (10-2 and ranked No. 2) in a second-round playoff game next Saturday at The Fargodome.
 
ACU thoroughly dominated Saturday's game against the Lumberjacks (8-5) from the Big Sky Conference. How complete was the domination? Here are a few examples:
• Northern Arizona entered the game averaging 413.8 yards and 30.7 points per game. The ACU defense limited the Lumberjacks to a meager 194 yards of offense and pitched the program's first shutout since Sept. 25, 2021, when the Wildcats beat Lamar 56-0.
• NAU quarterback Ty Pennington was averaging 230.1 yards of total offense entering the game (193.0 passing and 37.1 passing) but finished with just 170 against the Wildcats (165 passing and five rushing).
• NAU was averaging 192.8 rushing yards entering the game but could muster only 29 yards on 24 attempts. The Lumberjacks ran the ball 13 times for 20 yards in the first half and 11 for nine yards in the second half.
• NAU was 3 for 14 on third-down conversions and 0 for 2 on fourth-down conversion attempts. That resulted in the Lumberjacks putting up just 11 first downs in the contest.
• And perhaps the most dominant statistic of all: Northern Arizona ran just 14 plays on ACU's end of the field, only four in the second half, the last four offensive plays the Lumberjacks ran in the game.
 
"Northern Arizona had a top-25 offense in the country coming into the game, but I knew we would play well," said ACU head coach Keith Patterson, who directed the Wildcats to their first playoff win at any level since a 2009 victory over Midwestern State in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. "I've been saying for the last six weeks that if we can eliminate the big plays on defense, we could go from being a solid defense to a really, really good defense. We were able to do that on Saturday, and I'm so proud of our defense. Those guys played with great effort, and I think everyone saw what we can achieve when we play without giving up big plays.
 
Northern Arizona only reached the red zone twice in the game, and each time, the Lumberjacks were turned away by the ACU defense. The first time was the most significant in the game.
 
With ACU leading 7-0 early in the second quarter, Haggard was intercepted by Alex McLaughlin at the NAU 45-yard line, and he returned it two yards. Two plays later, the Lumberjacks had first-and-goal at the ACU 6-yard line after a 24-yard pass from Ty Pennington to Isaiah Gerena. NAU running back Darvon Hubbard was dropped for a 3-yard loss on first down, and Pennington threw an incomplete pass on second down. On third down, Pennington connected with Isaiah Eastman, who was ruled out of bounds at the 1-yard line, setting up fourth-and-goal.

Pennington carried the ball on fourth down and was swarmed by a group of Wildcat defenders - led by Jordan Mukes - dropping him for a four-yard loss, turning away NAU's best scoring chance.
 
"If we could have scored there, it certainly could have made a difference in the game," NAU head coach Brian Wright said. "We went for it, trying to generate some momentum and get our guys believing that we could (make something happen offensively). That could have changed momentum, but they made a great play to stop it."
 
While the ACU defense dominated the contest, the offense did what was necessary without its leader on the field. Haggard managed the game effectively, finishing 23 of 39 for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He threw three interceptions, but the ACU defense rendered each meaningless by shutting down the Lumberjack offense each time, including once on an interception in the end zone by Dorian Plumley.
 
The Wildcats scored first, finishing a 97-yard touchdown drive with a 37-yard pass from Haggard to Trey Cleveland. Sam Hicks, impressive with 171 rushing yards and 64 receiving yards, made a 24-yard run early in the drive to help ACU escape the shadow of its end zone.
 
ACU had a 10-0 lead going to the fourth quarter, and that's when the running game finished it off.
 
The Wildcats ran the ball 13 times for 113 yards in the quarter, including a 53-yard touchdown run by Sam Hicks that pushed the lead to 17-0. While ACU was grinding down the Lumberjacks, NAU managed four yards on six carries on the ground in the final 15 minutes. Pennington was 4 for 10 for 44 yards and was under constant harassment by the ACU defense, which sacked him four times, including 1.5 times by defensive end Kaghen Roach.
 
"Coach Holt (ACU associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator Nick Holt) emphasized to us all week how important getting a great pass rush would be, especially in the playoffs," Roach said. "He emphasized taking it to another level. I knew I had to get home with my pass rush, and the rest of the defensive line had to do that. The guys in the secondary did a great job in coverage, giving the defensive line time to get home."
 
The Wildcats put the game away with 2:16 left as Haggard hit Blayne Taylor with a 6-yard touchdown pass, pushing the lead to 24-0. Hicks had carried the ball eight times for 101 yards and the 53-yard touchdown run in the final eight minutes, capping one of the best postseason performances by an ACU running back in program history.
 
"We knew there was a possibility that Maverick might not play," said Hicks, "I talked to (Patterson) and said, 'Coach, I'm ready.' I knew number 23 (Isaiah Johnson) was also out, but my mindset in practice was to work harder and get ready. The offensive line did a great job; I might have to take them out for some buffalo wings after that performance."
 
Now the Wildcats head to the frigid north to take on the Bison, who are the standard by which every other team at the FCS level is measured.
 
"We view everything as an opportunity," Patterson said of next week's game. "What an incredible opportunity to showcase our great university, the state of Texas, the Big Country, and Abilene on a national stage. This game is everything we've talked about with our team. Obviously we have a tremendous amount of respect for North Dakota State, and what that program has accomplished. But I also know our guys, and we'll be excited for the chance to play and compete."