Football | 9/29/2011 1:58:00 PM

This Week: Saturday, Oct. 1, @ No. 11 Abilene Christian, 4:00 p.m. (PST), Shotwell Stadium
Last Week: Western Oregon 56, Dixie State 0
Record: 3-1 overall, 3-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference
WOU Stats: www.wouwolves.com/fbstats

WOU travels to ACU: The Western Oregon football team will be on the road once again this week to face a highly ranked opponent. They will go to Texas for the first time since 2007, as they take on Abilene Christian (No. 8 D2football.com, No. 11 AFCA) on Oct. 1 at 4:00 p.m. (PST).

Listen in: For those not able to travel to the game you will still be able to listen to the game live through a variety of different outlets. On the internet, link to the game from the Wolves website at www.wouwolves.com, or go directly to http://www.am1600kohi.com/. The Wolves' games will also be heard on KLOO 1340 AM (Albany) and KOHI 1600 AM (St. Helens). Mark and Jerry Gilman are both in their second season as the voices of Western Oregon football. 

Take a look: The game between WOU and Abilene Christian will be available on the internet on a pay-per-view basis. The game can be seen on http://www.yoetv.org/show/acu-sports and will be $4.99. 

October-Feast Three Pack: Wolves' fans will have the chance to purchase the “October-feast Three Pack,” a reserved ticket to each of the remaining three WOU home football games, is on-sale now through the WOU ticket office . The price of the special three-game package is $38 per reserved seat. The Wolves, 2-1 overall and a perfect 2-0 in GNAC play, host three remaining games at McArthur Field, highlighted by the Homecoming battle against Humboldt State on Oct. 22. In addition to the game against HSU, the three-game package includes home contests against Simon Fraser (Oct. 15) and Dixie State (Oct. 29). Fans who take the opportunity to purchase the three-game package can also get closer to the action by contributing to the Wolves Club, the primary giving organization for Western Oregon Athletics. With a $300 donation, fans receive two personalized parking spots in the REDZONE tailgating area and two sideline passes. All proceeds of the Wolves Club go to scholarship and program support. To purchase your “October-feast Three Pack” call 503-838-8449.

A look at Abilene Christian: The Wildcats (2-1, 2-0 LSC) opened the season as the No. 4 team in the country. After opening with a win they dropped a home contest to then No. 4 North Alabama, 23-17, in the final minutes of the game. ACU then bounced back with a 31-17 win over Angelo State. The Wildcats are averaging 320 yards per game in the air and 129 on the ground. However, they are also allowing 414 yards of total offense per game. Abilene Christian is led by quarterback Gale Mitchell who has thrown for 959 yards and seven touchdowns in the first three games of the year. Daryl Richardson is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and has the Wildcats only two rushing touchdowns this season. Gabriel Taylor is their top wide receiver with 68.7 yards per game and two scores. Defensive end Ryan Smith has four sacks and one forced fumble to go along with 18 tackles.

Series history: This will be the first meeting between Western Oregon and Abilene Christian.

The Wolves: Western Oregon is leading the GNAC with a record of 3-0. After winning their first two GNAC contests by a touchdown each, they posted their largest margin of victory since 1971, beating Dixie State 56-0. The Wolves' defense is leading the GNAC in turnover margin (+3), rushing (125.5), passing efficiency (102.9) and sacks (14). Quarterback Evan Mozzochi is account thing for 205.5 yards of total offense per game and 10 total touchdowns.

Gates named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week: Trevor Gates has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 19-25. Gates, a 5-9 senior wide receiver from Hillsboro, Ore. (Valley Catholic HS), caught seven passes for a career-high 163 yards and two touchdowns as the Wolves cruised to a 56-0 win over Dixie State. Gates caught a 60-yard TD pass from Evan Mozzochi on the game's first play from scrimmage and also scored the only touchdown in the third quarter on a 10-yard pass from Mozzochi. He continues to lead the Wolves with 21 receptions for 356 yards and touchdowns. This was the third straight week a Western Oregon student-athlete has claimed a GNAC Player of the Week honor.

Wolves' defense in the rankings: Bryce Peila is averaging an interception per game to rank second in NCAA Division II. He has helped WOU rank 25th in the country in passing efficiency defense. Scotland Foss is leading the GNAC with 9.5 tackles per game. Foss and Gavin Drake also have three sacks apiece to pace the GNAC. Sitting right behind them in third place is Levi Smith with 2.5 sacks and Erik Hochhalter is fourth with two sacks.

Mozzochi's historic day: Western Oregon  quarterback Evan Mozzochi set GNAC single-game records for most yards per pass attempt and most yards per play against Dixie State.  Mozzochi completed 12 of 15 passes for 267 yards averaging 17.8 yards per attempt to break the old record of 17.1 set by the Wolves' Denny Bies against San Diego on Oct. 12, 2002.  Mozzochi had 271 yards in total offense on 17 plays.  His average of 15.9 yards per play eclipsed Bies' record of 15.6 set in the same contest.

The coaches' poll: Western Oregon was picked third in the 2010 GNAC preseason coaches' poll with 16 points. Central Washington was selected as the conference favorite, garnering 24 points and four of five first place votes. Humboldt State was picked second in the poll, receiving the final first-place vote.

Ferguson facts: Head coach Arne Ferguson has put together a 42-26 record during his seven seasons as the WOU leader. He has spent nearly a lifetime at the school as a player and as an assistant coach. The Vale, Oregon native was a three-time All-CFA defensive back for the Wolves from 1986-88, and began his coaching career at Western in 1989. He has been WOU's defensive coordinator since 1997. In Ferguson's first season at the helm in 2005, he took over a program that finished 1-9 the year previous and pushed them to a 5-6 mark, finishing the season on a three-game win streak. Ferguson has carried that same momentum into three consecutive winning seasons and a Rotary Bowl Championship.