Aiden McCown delivered big, tossing three touchdown passes as No. 20 Lamar kicked off their season with a hard-fought 21-14 victory over No. 15 Abilene Christian on Saturday night. This wasn’t just any game, either, this was a rematch from last year’s first-round FCS playoffs, a game Abilene Christian won 38-20. Lamar definitely made a statement this time around.
McCown Locked In From the Jump
McCown was locked in early, hitting Davin Driskill for a 5-yard score in the first quarter to put Lamar up 7-0. He kept the pressure on, finding Blake Thomas for a big 33-yard touchdown right before halftime, extending their lead to 14-7. Then, in the first minute of the fourth quarter, he connected with Driskill again for another 5-yard TD, making it 21-7. McCown finished the night completing 17 of 32 passes for 183 yards, a solid outing to open the season.
Wildcats’ QB Drama and Nail-Biting Finish
Abilene Christian, meanwhile, had some early drama under center. Starter Tucker Parks got picked off on back-to-back possessions, forcing redshirt sophomore John David Black into the game in the second quarter. Black, who hadn’t played in a game since high school, actually came in hot, completing his first 11 passes! He ended up 15-for-25 for 142 yards with two touchdowns. He even managed to get them within striking distance, hitting Cristian Driver for a 4-yard touchdown with 3:12 left, bringing the score to 21-14. They pushed inside the Lamar 10-yard line on their final possession, but that comeback attempt fell short, getting tackled one yard short of a first down with only 14 seconds left on the clock. So close, but no cigar for the No. 15 Wildcats.
What a start to the season for No. 20 Lamar, getting a big win and some serious bragging rights after last year. Up next, they hit the road to face Louisiana-Lafayette this Saturday. Abilene Christian, looking to rebound after this tough opener, heads to Texas Tech. Both teams have a lot to prove early on, but Lamar is definitely riding high right now!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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