ACU now only season unbeaten in Lone Star - Greg Jaklewicz, Abilene Reporter News
And then there was one.
Abilene Christian’s come-from-behind 31-28 homecoming victory over Midwestern State on Saturday afternoon left only one unbeaten team in the Lone Star Conference. ACU, ranked No. 5 nationally, has knocked then No. 6-Texas A&M-Kingsville and No. 8 Midwestern from that elite group in successive weekends.
Now 6-0, ACU faces LSC newcomber Incarnate Word on Saturday in San Antonio.
Kingsville, ranked No. 10, struggled after its loss to ACU but took a 28-21 win over Angelo State in San Angelo while No. 7 West Texas A&M celebrated the university’s 100th anniversary by topping Tarleton State, 48-17.
Two sidelined Buffs return, make impact - Dave Henry, Amarillo Globe News
West Texas A&M tight end Tyson Williams and defensive lineman Simi Kuli were back on the field Saturday night in a 48-17 victory against Tarleton State, and the Buffs couldn't have been happier.
Williams, who was the Lone Star Conference's leading receiver entering Saturday's game against Tarleton State, returned in impressive fashion after missing the Northeastern State game with a groin injury.
Kuli was back for the first time since his Sept. 22 arrest on drug-related charges and resulting indefinite suspension. Kuli was cleared to return to the Buffs last week, and he made the most of his opportunity.
Area College Football Report - Oct. 11, 2010 - Pat Turner, San Antonio Express News
GAME BALLS
Trent Rios: Incarnate Word RB — Smithson Valley grad rushed for 112 yards and three TDs on 25 carries. He also caught three passes for 33 yards.
Nate Poppell: A&M-Kingsville QB — Passed for 250 yards and two TDs, including a game-winning 62-yard strike to Robert Armstrong with 1:44 remaining. He also scored on an 8-yard run.
NOTABLE
UIW: The Cardinals had two key interceptions. Smithson Valley grad Dakota Mayer returned one for 65 yards. Todd Lyons grabbed another in the end zone to halt an East Central threat. ... DB Aaron Willis of Churchill led UIW with 10 tackles.
A&M-Kingsville: Before Poppell’s game-winning TD pass, Angelo State put together a scoring threat to the Javelinas’ 27. However, Kendrick Matthews stopped the drive with a batted pass on fourth-and-1.
Debt to coach one that's been paid in full - Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News
Jeff Cleveland played quarterback for Eddie Vowell at what was then East Texas State, forging a bond that has held over two decades since. Every coaching job Cleveland has won or even applied for, Vowell played some part in it, including Cleveland's current post at El Paso Hanks, where he's in his seventh season as head coach.
And this is how Cleveland intends to repay the debt to his old coach: He's giving Vowell's wife, Jan, a kidney.
Asked why he'd do such a thing, Cleveland said, "Purely one hundred percent for what Coach and Jan have done for me."
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Vowell was a popular and colorful coach in his years at what is now Texas A&M-Commerce, and his players bear fond memories, not the least of which is this one:
In the 1990 season – when they finished 10-3 and won the Lone Star Conference for the first time since their '72 national title – the Lions were up 30 points over Abilene Christian with two minutes left when ACU turned the ball over deep in its territory. Because Vowell hesitated while sending someone in with a play, the messenger asked if they should run out the clock.
"[Expletive]," Vowell said. "I'm not on their Christmas card list."
LoneStar Conference Weekly Football Release
ACU REMAINS UNBEATEN
Abilene Christian is the lone undefeated Lone Star Conference team after edging Midwestern State last week. West Texas A&M is unbeaten in LSC and South Division action, with the Buffaloes lone loss coming in non-conference action.
DIVISIONAL PLAY CONTINUES
Division play continues in week eight with six contests. A crossover game will be played as well. The league has played 17 crossover contests this season with the South Division holding a 14-3 advantage.
A&M-C, TARLETON GAME TO BE TELEVISED LIVE
The Texas A&M-Commerce-Tarleton State game will be televised live on TXA 21, Saturday, October 16th from Memorial Stadium in Commerce, Texas. Kick-off is set for 3:30 p.m. TXA 21 is also the over-the-air broadcast outlet for area professional teams including the Dallas Mavericks, Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars. The TXA market covers 6.9 million people in 32 counties, including 2.59 million television households.
STAT LEADERS
In week seven, the LSC had two quarterbacks throw for 300-plus yards, eight receivers and five rushers over the century mark and 11 double-digit tacklers. Top performances included:
Passing: 419, Taylor Harris (33-49-0), TARLETON at WTAMU
Rushing: 26-148, Josh Birmingham, UCO at ENMU
Receiving: 5-144, Stephen Burton, TARLETON at WTAMU Tackles: 13, Curtis Jackson, ENMU vs UCO
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
SOUTH OFFENSIVE
Stephen Burton, West Texas A&M University, SR, WR, Lakewood, Calif., Artesia
Burton grabbed five pass receptions against Tarleton State, but he parlayed those catches into a season-high 144 yards, averaging 28.8 yards per reception, and two TDs. Included in that total was a 99-yard TD strike, the longest scoring reception in West Texas A&M history. That 99-yard TD reception also tied a Lone Star Conference record, marking just the third time, and just the second in the past 20 years, that a pass reception has gone for 99 yards.
SOUTH DEFENSIVE
Josh Luck, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, SR, CB, Chandler, AZ, Hamilton
Luck, a senior defensive back who transferred from Northern Arizona this year, made his first start for the Javelinas a memorable one. Early in the third quarter, he made the biggest play of his career. With the Rams driving, a pass was completed but after the catch Luck ripped the ball out of the receiver’s hands. Not only did Luck strip the ball, but then took off for the end zone on a weaving, highlight quality 62-yard run to tie the game with 8:22 left in the third quarter. In addition to the fumble return for a touchdown, Luck also picked up a career high seven tackles and broke up a pass.
SOUTH SPECIAL TEAMS
Dekarai Pecikonis, Angelo State University, SO, PR/KR, Allen, Texas, Allen HS
Only one of Texas A&M-Kingsville’s seven punts and five kickoffs were directed at Angelo State’s leading return specialist Garrett Tidwell, but Rams’ No. 2 Pecikonis found a way to make the Javelinas pay. Immediately after a 62-yard fumble return for a touchdown drained the momentum from ASU’s sideline, Pecikonis re-invigorated his team and the Rams’ fans with a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The score also gave the Rams a 21-14 lead halfway through the third quarter against the No. 10 team in the country. The sophomore from Allen, Texas, averaged 36.2 yards on four kickoff returns and tallied 257 yards of all-purpose yardage with his third 100-yard receiving effort of the season.
NORTH OFFENSIVE
Jessie Poku, Eastern New Mexico University, SR, WR, Murphy, Texas, Richardson HS
In the Greyhounds’ win over Central Oklahoma, Poku registered the third three-touchdown performance of his career, hauling in nine receptions for 94 yards. He caught scoring passes of 35, 5 and 10 yards, with two of the three giving the Greyhounds the lead. During the game, Poku set a new ENMU record for career touchdown catches, at 24. He has scored at least one touchdown in four of Eastern’s six games this season.
NORTH DEFENSIVE
Tillman Stevens, Eastern New Mexico University, SR, S, Baytown, Texas, Sterling HS
Stevens turned in a stellar defensive performance in Eastern’s win over Central Oklahoma, with a career-high three interceptions along with 10 tackles and two passes broken up. In the fourth quarter, he sealed the game by returning an interception 62 yards for a score. For the game, Stevens registered 81 yards on interception returns. The contest marked his second consecutive multiple-interception game and fourth straight with double-digit tackles.
NORTH SPECIAL TEAMS
Colton Rainey, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, SO, K, Lawton, OK, MacArthur HS
Rainey kicked two field goals, including a 47-yarder on the final play of regulation to send Southwestern’s game against Southeastern Oklahoma State into overtime. Rainey who had missed earlier in the game from the same distance made good on his second try. The Bulldogs would eventually lose to Southeastern by a score of 42-35 in double-overtime.
AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll - October 11
The top seven teams all held serve this past weekend and kept their ranking from the previous week in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Grand Valley State (Mich.) still sits No. 1 with 20 first-place votes, but No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth gained some ground after receiving four first-place votes this week. North Alabama is ranked No. 3 with two first-place votes, followed by California (Pa.) and Abilene Christian (Texas). Northwest Missouri State, West Texas A&M, Hillsdale (Mich.), Texas A&M-Kingsville and Albany State (Ga.) round out the Top 10.
Four new teams enter the poll this week with Bloomsburg (Pa.) coming in at No. 20 and West Virginia Wesleyan entering the Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time in school history at No. 21. Kutztown (Pa.) comes in at No. 23 and Colorado School of Mines enters at No. 24. This is Kutztown’s first appearance in the poll since Sept. 25, 2001.
1. Grand Valley (1)
2. Minnesota-Duluth (2)
3. North Alabama (3)
4. California PA (4)
5. Abilene Christian (5)
6. Northwest Missouri (6)
7. West Texas A&M (7)
8. Hillsdale (9)
9. Texas A&M-Kingsville (10)
10. Albany State (11)
11. Central Missouri (12)
15. Midwestern State (8)
17. Missouri Western (19)
Receiving Votes - Humboldt State, Central Washington, Washburn
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