CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay football team welcomed longtime rivals Eastern Kentucky to town on Saturday. It was a big game for the Govs, who entered with a 7-2 overall record and were looking to win their third game in a row.
Luckily for the Govs, they didn’t have too many problems in this one. The team had a commanding 34-17 lead at halftime and ended up winning 55-31. The win moves the Govs to 8-2 overall and 4-1 in UAC play. The team is now in prime position to not only have a home playoff game, but also a first-round bye.
All-around performance leads to huge win
If there’s been anything to nitpick about the Govs this season, it’s that the team has frequently started slowly. That wasn’t the case Saturday, though, as the Govs got started in the best possible way.
Kaden Williams returned the opening kickoff 100 yards to the house to put the Govs up 7-0 immediately. The Colonels couldn’t get anything done on offense, and then the Govs added a field goal to make it a 10-0 game. Williams scored again on a rushing touchdown, making it a 17-0 game after the first quarter.
The Colonels finally came alive in the second, scoring 17 points of their own. However, there would be no stopping the Govs’ offense on Saturday. Courtland Simmons had a rushing score in the second, Chris Parson scored on a 58-yard scramble, and Hamilton DiBoyan landed another field goal, making it a 34-17 game at the half.
In the third quarter, the Colonels scored on their first offensive possession, making it 34-24. The Govs were stopped on their first drive, and the Colonels quickly scored another touchdown, pulling within three points. The deficit wouldn’t get any closer than three points, though, as the Govs responded with a Jackson Head touchdown to make it a 41-31 game.
The fourth quarter was all Govs. Parson had a huge 26-yard rushing touchdown, which essentially put the game out of reach. The Govs weren’t done scoring, though, as Keith Charney came up with a pick-six, which made it a 55-31 game.
Standout APSU players
To nobody’s surprise, Chris Parson was a standout player once again. The star quarterback threw for 194 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Parson became the first player in Govs history to throw for 5,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in his career.
Another standout has to be Kaden Williams. The running back had the kickoff return touchdown to open the game, and then added 45 rushing yards, two receptions, and one rushing score. Marvin Sims was the top pass-catcher, ending with five catches for 80 yards.
Parson wasn’t the only Gov to make history on Saturday. Edge rusher David Portu tied a program record with four sacks in one game. Portu had four sacks, six tackles, one pass breakup, and four tackles for loss.