The Abilene Christian Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Abilene Christian University located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team was a member of the Southland Conference through the 2020–21 season, but joined the Western Athletic Conference in July 2021, coinciding with that league's reinstatement of football as an official conference sport. After the 2022 season, the WAC fully merged its football league with that of the Atlantic Sun Conference, creating what eventually became the United Athletic Conference, and ACU accordingly moved its football team to the new league. In July 2026, the football-only UAC was merged into the WAC, which adopted the United Athletic Conference name with Abilene Christian as a continuing member. The school's first football team was fielded in 1919. The team plays its home games at the on-campus Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

History

Football classifications 1951–1972: College Division (small school) 1973–1982: NAIA Division I 1982–2012: NCAA Division II 2013–present: NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Abilene Christian did not field a team in 1943–1945.

Conference affiliations 1919–1924: Independent 1925–1932: Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1931–1932: Independent 1933–1942, 1946–1953: Texas Conference No team 1943–1945 due to World War II 1954: Independent 1955–1956: Gulf Coast Conference 1957–1963: Independent 1964–1972: Southland Conference 1973–2012: Lone Star Conference 2013: NCAA Division I FCS independent 2014–2020: Southland Conference 2021–2022: Western Athletic Conference 2023–2025: United Athletic Conference (football-only) 2026–present: United Athletic Conference (all-sports)

Head coaching history Name Seasons Record Pct Vernon McCasland 1919 2–2 Sewell Jones 1920 4–0–1 Russell A. Lewis 1921 2–5 Victor Payne 1922–1923 12–3 A. B. Morris 1924–1941 66–77–18 Tonto Coleman 1942–1949 28–15–2 Garvin Beauchamp 1950–1955 39–18–4 N. L. Nicholson 1956–1961 28–30–1 Les Wheeler 1962–1967 29–28 Wally Bullington 1968–1976 62–32–2 DeWitt Jones 1977–1978 18–4–1 Ted Sitton 1979–1984 34–27–1 John Payne 1985–1990 26–34–1 Ronnie Peacock 1991–1992 4–15 Bob Strader 1993–1995 14–17 Jack Kiser 1996–1999 22–19 Gary Gaines 2000–2004 21–30 Chris Thomsen 2005–2011 61–21 Ken Collums 2012–2016 24–32 .429Adam Dorrel 2017–202119–32.373Keith Patterson2022–present29–19.604

Notable former players Notable alumni include:

Charcandrick West Mitchell Gale Grant Feasel James Hill Ove Johansson Johnny Knox Clint Longley Danieal Manning Reggie McGowan Wilbert Montgomery Cleo Montgomery Johnny Perkins Bernard Scott Major Culbert Taylor Gabriel Clyde Gates Bob Oliver Daryl Richardson John Layfield Bernie Erickson Wayne Walton

Championships National championships 1973 Wally Bullington NAIA Playoffs 11–1 Won NAIA Championship 1977 DeWitt Jones NAIA Playoffs 11–1–1 Won NAIA Championship National Championships 2

Conference championships 1939† A.B. Morris Texas Collegiate Athletic Conference 6–2–1 5–1 1940† 7–2 5–1 1946† Tonto Coleman 8–1–1 5–0–1 1950 Garvin Beauchamp 11–0 5–0 1951† 6–4 3–1 1952 6–3–1 4–0 1953† 7–3 3–1 1955† Gulf Coast Conference 3–5–2 2–1 1973 Wally Bullington Lone Star Conference 11–1 9–0 1977† DeWitt Jones 11–1–1 5–1–1 2008 Chris Thomsen 11–1 9–0 2010 11–1 10–0 2022† Keith Patterson Western Athletic Conference 7–4 3–1 2024 United Athletic Conference 8–4 7–1 2025† 7–1 Conference Championships 15 † Co-champions

Division championships 2002† Gary Gaines LSC South 6–4 6–2 5–1 2008 Chris Thomsen 11–1 9–0 6–0 2010 11–1 10–0 8–0 Division Championships 3 † Co-champions

Bowl games December 2, 1950 Refrigerator Bowl Garvin Beauchamp Gustavus Adolphus College W 14–7 December 4, 1976 San Jancinto Shrine Bowl Wally Bullington Harding W 22–12

Playoff appearances NCAA Division I FCS The Wildcats have made two appearances in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. They have a combined record of 2–2. 2024First RoundSecond RoundNorthern ArizonaNorth Dakota StateW 24–0L 31–512025First RoundSecond RoundLamarStephen F. AustinW 38–20L 34–41

NCAA Division II The Wildcats have made six appearances in the Division II playoffs, with an combined record of 3–6.

2006 First Round West Texas A&M L 27–30 OT 2007 First RoundSecond Round Mesa StateChadron State W 56–12L 73–76 3OT 2008 Second RoundQuarterfinals West Texas A&MNorthwest Missouri State W 93–68L 36–45 2009 First RoundSecond Round Midwestern StateNorthwest Missouri State W 24–21L 10–35 2010 Second Round Central Missouri L 41–55 2011 First Round Washburn L 49–52

NAIA The Wildcats made two appearances in the NAIA playoffs with an overall record of 4–0. They were National Champions in 1973 and 1977.

1973 SemifinalsNational Championship Game LangstonElon W 34–6W 42–14 1977 SemifinalsNational Championship Game Wisconsin–Stevens PointSouthwestern Oklahoma State W 35–7W 24–7

Future non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of September 7, 2026.

at Lamar Lamar at Texas A&M at Lamar Lamar at Texas Tech at UTSA Stephen F. Austin at Stephen F. Austin at Idaho Mercer

See also List of NCAA Division I FCS football stadiums

References

External links