# 2023 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team

The 2023 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team represented Abilene Christian University as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Keith Patterson, the Wildcats played home games at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium in Abilene, Texas.
After the 2022 season concluded, the ASUN and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), which had been partners in a football-only alliance during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, together announced that they would combine their football leagues. The new conference's permanent name of United Athletic Conference was officially announced on April 17, 2023.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Colorado* | Wildcat StadiumAbilene, TX | ESPN+ | W 31–11 | 6,164 |
| September 9 | 6:00 p.m. | at Prairie View A&M* | Panther StadiumPrairie View, TX | | W 45–16 | 5,774 |
| September 16 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 10 Incarnate Word* | Wildcat StadiumAbilene, TX | ESPN+ | L 20–27 | 8,280 |
| September 23 | 7:00 p.m. | at Central Arkansas | Estes StadiumConway, AR | ESPN+ | L 17–52 | 8,657 |
| September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | at North Texas* | DATCU StadiumDenton, TX | ESPN+ | L 31–45 | 21,494 |
| October 14 | 3:00 p.m. | North Alabama | Wildcat StadiumAbilene, TX | ESPN+ | W 30–13 | 10,383 |
| October 21 | 4:00 p.m. | at Stephen F. Austin | Homer Bryce StadiumNacogdoches, TX | ESPN+ | W 34–27 | 8,961 |
| October 28 | 2:00 p.m. | at Southern Utah | Eccles ColiseumCedar City, UT | ESPN+ | L 14–52 | 2,969 |
| November 4 | 2:00 p.m. | Utah Tech | Wildcat StadiumAbilene, TX | ESPN+ | W 24–7 | 4,076 |
| November 11 | 2:00 p.m. | Tarleton State | Wildcat StadiumAbilene, TX | ESPN+ | L 30–31 | 6,545 |
| November 18 | 11:00 a.m. | at Texas A&M* | Kyle FieldCollege Station, TX | SECN+/ESPN+ | L 10–38 | 94,974 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### No. 10 Incarnate Word

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Cardinals | 0 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 27 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, Abilene, Texas
* Date: September 16
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Temperature: 82 °F (28 °C) • Wind: W 2 miles per hour (3.2 km/h) • Weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 8,280
* Referee: John Kellermeier
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Zach Carlyle (play-by-play), Joseph Chapa (analyst) and Kauy Ostlien (sideline)
* Box Score
| Statistics | UIW | ACU |
| First downs | 21 | 19 |
| Plays–yards | 67–517 | 67–320 |
| Rushes–yards | 31–144 | 35–131 |
| Passing yards | 373 | 189 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 23–36–1 | 15–32–1 |
| Time of possession | 28:01 | 31:59 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Incarnate Word | Passing | Zach Calzada | 23/36, 373 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Incarnate Word | Rushing | Zach Calzada | 7 carries, 66 yards, 2 TD |
| Incarnate Word | Receiving | Brandon Porter | 10 receptions, 201 yards, 1 TD |
| Abilene Christian | Passing | Maverick McIvor | 15/32, 189 yards, 1 INT |
| Abilene Christian | Rushing | Jeremiah Dobbins | 21 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD |
| Abilene Christian | Receiving | Cooper McCasland | 4 receptions, 64 yards |

### at Texas A&M

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Aggies | 7 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 38 |
at Kyle Field, College Station, Texas
* Date: November 18
* Game time: 11 a.m. CST
* Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 67 °F (19 °C) • Wind: NE 8 miles per hour (13 km/h)
* Game attendance: 94,794
* Referee: Steve Marlowe
* TV announcers (SECN+/ESPN+): Courtney Lyle, Hutson Mason, and Ashley Stroehlein
| Statistics | ACU | TXAM |
| First downs | 12 | 25 |
| Total yards | 242 | 448 |
| Rushing yards | 93 | 175 |
| Passing yards | 149 | 273 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 19–34–0 | 17–24–1 |
| Time of possession | 30:46 | 29:14 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Abilene Christian | Passing | Maverick Mclvor | 19/34, 149 yards |
| Abilene Christian | Rushing | Jay'Veon Sunday | 18 rushes, 87 yards |
| Abilene Christian | Receiving | Blayne Taylor | 7 receptions, 77 yards |
| Texas A&M | Passing | Jaylen Henderson | 16/23, 260 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT |
| Texas A&M | Rushing | Rueben Owens | 18 rushes, 106 yards |
| Texas A&M | Receiving | Moose Muhammad III | 4 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD |