ACU’s Late Touchdown Wins Them The UAC Title
November 18, 2024
With Tarleton State leading 31-28 with 1:48 left to go in the game, ACU quarterback Maverick McIvor led the Wildcats on a 75-yard drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown pass to Sam Hicks for the 35-31 lead. Tarleton State drove the length of the field and tried a Hail Mary pass with the clock at zeros, but it was knocked down by the ACU defense. With the win, ACU claims the United Athletic Conference title and an automatic berth into the FCS playoffs, both Division I firsts for the Wildcats. ACU and Tarleton flip flop in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The Wildcats rise to No. 12 while the Texans drop to No. 16.
No. 1 North Dakota State clinched at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title with a dominating 59-21 win over then-No. 14 Missouri State. The Bison can win the title outright with a win at No. 4 South Dakota on Saturday. No. 2 Montana State survived a furious 20-point comeback by then-No. 4 UC Davis with seven minutes left to go in the game, winning 30-28 and claiming at least a share of the Big Sky Conference crown. A win against in-state rival and No. 10 Montana will clinch the title outright.
Tennessee State enters the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for the first time this season at No. 25. The Tigers are 8-3, their most wins since 2012, and are in a three-way tie for second place in the Big South-OVC.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 12 Next Game
1 North Dakota St. (23) 10-1 647 1 D. No. 14 Missouri St., 59-21 Nov. 23 at No. 4 South Dakota
2 Montana St. (3) 11-0 623 2 D. No. 4 UC Davis, 30-28 Nov. 23 vs. No. 10 Montana
3 South Dakota St. 9-2 601 3 D. Southern Illinois, 41-10 Nov. 23 at No. 18 Missouri St.
4 South Dakota 8-2 544 5 D. North Dakota, 42-36 Nov. 23 vs. No. 1 North Dakota St.
5 UC Davis 9-2 529 4 Lost to No. 2 Montana St., 30-28 Nov. 23 at Sacramento St.
6 UIW 9-2 515 6 D. Stephen F. Austin, 27-20 Nov. 16 at East Texas A&M
7 Richmond 9-2 490 7 D. Hampton, 24-21 Nov. 23 vs. William & Mary
8 Idaho 8-3 435 10 D. Weber St., 31-24 Nov. 23 at Idaho St.
9 Mercer 9-2 428 9 Lost to Alabama, 52-7 Nov. 23 vs. Furman
10 Montana 8-3 392 11 D. Portland St., 28-17 Nov. 23 at No. 2 Montana St.
11 Southeast Missouri St. 9-2 386 13 D. Western Illinois, 54-45 Nov. 23 at No. 25 Tennessee St.
12 ACU 8-3 356 15 D. No. 12 Tarleton St., 35-31 Nov. 23 at Stephen F. Austin
13 Illinois St. 8-3 317 16 D. Indiana St., 31-19 Nov. 23 vs. North Dakota
14 Villanova 8-3 290 8 Lost to Monmouth (N.J.), 40-33 Nov. 23 vs. Delaware
15 Rhode Island 9-2 288 18 D. UAlbany, 20-17 Nov. 23 at Bryant
16 Tarleton St. 8-3 244 12 Lost to No. 15 ACU, 35-31 Nov. 23 vs. Central Arkansas
17 Jackson St. 9-2 237 20 D. Alabama St., 16-10 Nov. 23 at Alcorn St.
18 Missouri St. 8-3 221 14 Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 59-21 Nov. 23 vs. No. 3 South Dakota St.
19 Duquesne 8-2 178 21 D. Wagner, 42-21 Nov. 23 at Central Connecticut St.
20 Stony Brook 8-3 139 17 Lost to New Hampshire, 31-30 Nov. 23 vs. Monmouth (N.J.)
21t. Harvard 8-1 130 22 D. Pennsylvania, 31-28 Nov. 23 vs. Yale
21t. South Carolina St. 8-2 130 23 D. Morgan St., 54-7 Nov. 23 vs. Norfolk St.
23 Butler 9-2 65 25t D. St. Thomas (Minn.), 36-20 Nov. 23 at Presbyterian
24 UT Martin 7-4 63 19 Lost to Tennessee Tech, 10-9 Nov. 23 vs. Lindenwood
25 Tennessee St. 8-3 52 NR D. Gardner-Webb, 23-20 Nov. 23 vs. No. 11 Southeast Missouri St.
Dropped Out: Dartmouth (24), Chattanooga (25t)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Arizona, 41; North Carolina Central, 32; William & Mary, 29; Drake, 10; Southeastern Louisiana, 8; Eastern Kentucky, 7; New Hampshire, 7; Chattanooga, 5; Southern Utah, 4; Dartmouth, 3; North Dakota, 3; Central Arkansas, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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With Tarleton State leading 31-28 with 1:48 left to go in the game, ACU quarterback Maverick McIvor led the Wildcats on a 75-yard drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown pass to Sam Hicks for the 35-31 lead. Tarleton State drove the length of the field and tried a Hail Mary pass with the clock at zeros, but it was knocked down by the ACU defense. With the win, ACU claims the United Athletic Conference title and an automatic berth into the FCS playoffs, both Division I firsts for the Wildcats. ACU and Tarleton flip flop in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The Wildcats rise to No. 12 while the Texans drop to No. 16.
No. 1 North Dakota State clinched at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title with a dominating 59-21 win over then-No. 14 Missouri State. The Bison can win the title outright with a win at No. 4 South Dakota on Saturday. No. 2 Montana State survived a furious 20-point comeback by then-No. 4 UC Davis with seven minutes left to go in the game, winning 30-28 and claiming at least a share of the Big Sky Conference crown. A win against in-state rival and No. 10 Montana will clinch the title outright.
Tennessee State enters the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for the first time this season at No. 25. The Tigers are 8-3, their most wins since 2012, and are in a three-way tie for second place in the Big South-OVC.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 12 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota St. (23) | 10-1 | 647 | 1 | D. No. 14 Missouri St., 59-21 | Nov. 23 at No. 4 South Dakota | |
| 2 | Montana St. (3) | 11-0 | 623 | 2 | D. No. 4 UC Davis, 30-28 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 10 Montana | |
| 3 | South Dakota St. | 9-2 | 601 | 3 | D. Southern Illinois, 41-10 | Nov. 23 at No. 18 Missouri St. | |
| 4 | South Dakota | 8-2 | 544 | 5 | D. North Dakota, 42-36 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 1 North Dakota St. | |
| 5 | UC Davis | 9-2 | 529 | 4 | Lost to No. 2 Montana St., 30-28 | Nov. 23 at Sacramento St. | |
| 6 | UIW | 9-2 | 515 | 6 | D. Stephen F. Austin, 27-20 | Nov. 16 at East Texas A&M | |
| 7 | Richmond | 9-2 | 490 | 7 | D. Hampton, 24-21 | Nov. 23 vs. William & Mary | |
| 8 | Idaho | 8-3 | 435 | 10 | D. Weber St., 31-24 | Nov. 23 at Idaho St. | |
| 9 | Mercer | 9-2 | 428 | 9 | Lost to Alabama, 52-7 | Nov. 23 vs. Furman | |
| 10 | Montana | 8-3 | 392 | 11 | D. Portland St., 28-17 | Nov. 23 at No. 2 Montana St. | |
| 11 | Southeast Missouri St. | 9-2 | 386 | 13 | D. Western Illinois, 54-45 | Nov. 23 at No. 25 Tennessee St. | |
| 12 | ACU | 8-3 | 356 | 15 | D. No. 12 Tarleton St., 35-31 | Nov. 23 at Stephen F. Austin | |
| 13 | Illinois St. | 8-3 | 317 | 16 | D. Indiana St., 31-19 | Nov. 23 vs. North Dakota | |
| 14 | Villanova | 8-3 | 290 | 8 | Lost to Monmouth (N.J.), 40-33 | Nov. 23 vs. Delaware | |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 9-2 | 288 | 18 | D. UAlbany, 20-17 | Nov. 23 at Bryant | |
| 16 | Tarleton St. | 8-3 | 244 | 12 | Lost to No. 15 ACU, 35-31 | Nov. 23 vs. Central Arkansas | |
| 17 | Jackson St. | 9-2 | 237 | 20 | D. Alabama St., 16-10 | Nov. 23 at Alcorn St. | |
| 18 | Missouri St. | 8-3 | 221 | 14 | Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 59-21 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 3 South Dakota St. | |
| 19 | Duquesne | 8-2 | 178 | 21 | D. Wagner, 42-21 | Nov. 23 at Central Connecticut St. | |
| 20 | Stony Brook | 8-3 | 139 | 17 | Lost to New Hampshire, 31-30 | Nov. 23 vs. Monmouth (N.J.) | |
| 21t. | Harvard | 8-1 | 130 | 22 | D. Pennsylvania, 31-28 | Nov. 23 vs. Yale | |
| 21t. | South Carolina St. | 8-2 | 130 | 23 | D. Morgan St., 54-7 | Nov. 23 vs. Norfolk St. | |
| 23 | Butler | 9-2 | 65 | 25t | D. St. Thomas (Minn.), 36-20 | Nov. 23 at Presbyterian | |
| 24 | UT Martin | 7-4 | 63 | 19 | Lost to Tennessee Tech, 10-9 | Nov. 23 vs. Lindenwood | |
| 25 | Tennessee St. | 8-3 | 52 | NR | D. Gardner-Webb, 23-20 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 11 Southeast Missouri St. |
Dropped Out: Dartmouth (24), Chattanooga (25t)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Arizona, 41; North Carolina Central, 32; William & Mary, 29; Drake, 10; Southeastern Louisiana, 8; Eastern Kentucky, 7; New Hampshire, 7; Chattanooga, 5; Southern Utah, 4; Dartmouth, 3; North Dakota, 3; Central Arkansas, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
