ABILENE, Texas (AP) — Maverick McIvor threw two touchdown passes and Abilene Christian’s defense blanked Lamar over the final three quarters to give the Wildcats their first season-opening win since 2013 with a 28-14 victory on Thursday night.
After Mike Chandler threw a pair of long first-quarter touchdown passes — 59 yards to Jalen Dummett and 75 yards to Sevonne Rhea — the Cardinals managed just 132 yards the rest of the game.
McIvor, a transfer from Texas Tech making his first collegiate start, tied the game with a 30-yard pass to Kendall Catalon early in the second quarter. Late in the quarter Catalon broke the tie by racing 37 yards untouched on a reverse around the left side.
That made a winner of former Texas Tech defensive coordinator Keith Patterson in his first game replacing Adam Dorrel.
McIvor, in his first meaningful action since getting injured as a high school senior four years ago, finished 22 of 38 for 258 yards. Catalon had seven catches for 199 yards.
Chandler was 8 of 24 for 204 yards, but was 4 of 19 after the first quarter.
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