Abilene Christian took a tumble in the latest edition of the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll following its first loss to an FCS team this year.
The Wildcats fell to 3-2 overall this season after their 38-7 road loss against the Incarnate Word Cardinals on Saturday night in San Antonio.
ACU — which entered its Week 5 game against UIW ranked No. 12 — slid seven spots after its loss to the Cardinals, dropping to No. 19 in the newest version of the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 released Monday.
That represents Abilene Christian’s lowest position in the FCS Top 25 rankings since the preseason poll, when the Wildcats debuted at No. 16 before the start of the 2025 college football season.
ACU has boasted one of the most difficult schedules throughout the FCS just one month into its 2025 campaign.
On top of road games against FBS foes TCU and Tulsa, the Wildcats have also faced many premier FCS programs, too.
Abilene Christian secured wins over ranked FCS opponents with victories against then 23rd-ranked Stephen F. Austin in a nonconference clash and then 20th-ranked Austin Peay in its UAC conference opener.
UIW — which landed just outside this week’s edition of the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 after defeating ACU — was previously ranked as high as No. 4 in the preseason poll.
The Wildcats’ UAC conference schedule will also feature games against another pair of ranked opponents later in the season: No. 16 West Georgia and No. 3 Tarleton State.
No. 19 Abilene Christian (2-3, 1-0) will return to action and resume its UAC conference slate this week when the Wildcats battle the North Alabama Lions (1-3, 0-0) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium in Abilene.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Christian football slides in FCS Top 25 after road loss to UIW
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
