CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay football team welcomed the Abilene Christian Wildcats to Clarksville on Saturday for a battle of top 25 teams. This was a pivotal matchup for both sides, with the postseason inching closer.
The Wildcats entered at 5-5, so another loss would have all but ended any postseason hopes. The Govs entered at 8-2, which means a playoff spot was likely already secured, but a first-round bye and a home playoff game were still on the line. A win also would have been a nice resume booster for the Govs.
Unfortunately, the Govs came up short in this one. Chris Parson had his usual late-game heroics, but a last-ditch Hail Mary came just short. Now, let’s dive in and find out how it happened.
Tale of two halves: Govs go into halftime with 21-10 lead
This game was a tale of two halves for the Govs. Abilene got off to a hot start, scoring an easy touchdown on their first drive thanks to a long opening kickoff return.
However, the Govs fought back, scoring a touchdown of their own on their first possession. Backup quarterback Kelvin Perkins III scored his first collegiate touchdown run to tie the game at seven. The Govs held the Wildcats to a field goal on their next possession, making it 10-7.
On Austin Peay’s next drive, on the very first play, Parson hit Denver Harper on a 75-yard bomb to put the Govs back in front 14-10. The second quarter wasn’t as explosive, with the only points being an Austin Peay touchdown just before halftime. As a result, the Govs went into the break with a 21-10 lead.
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Austin Peay, Abilene Christian trade blows in 4th quarter
In the third quarter, neither offense could get going. The Wildcats added a field goal to make it 21-13 heading into the fourth, who also immediately scored in the final quarter of play to cut the deficit to one. Austin Peay wasn’t able to respond on their next offensive drive, so Abilene got the ball back only down by one point.
After a few big plays from Tucker Parks, Abilene Christian took the lead once again to give them a 26-21 edge. The Wildcats’ two-point conversion attempt failed, however, so the Govs were only down by five.
Austin Peay had to settle for a field goal on their next possession after driving down the field and cutting the deficit to two. The defense then forced a punt and once back on the field, that’s when Parson hit Courtland Simmons for a 75-yard score to put the Govs up 31-26 with less than three minutes to play.
The hope was that the defense would hold strong for one more possession, but sadly that didn’t happen. Abilene methodically marched down the field, while using up most of the clock, and they scored a touchdown with just 18 seconds remaining.
Down by three with 15 seconds to play, Parson and the offense were unable to get into field goal range, and the Govs fell for their third loss of the season.
APSU Standout players
Parson gave his all for Austin Peay. The star quarterback threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 31 yards. Parson consistently matched what the Wildcats were doing on offense, and he had the Govs in a position to win. Even his final Hail Mary pass made it to the end zone, the receiver just couldn’t make the play.
Harper also deserves his flowers. The star receiver caught eight passes for 140 yards and one touchdown, showing again that he’s as dynamic a weapon as you’ll find in the FCS.
On defense, Caleb Merritt racked up four tackles and came away with an interception, and David Portu added another sack, meaning he now has at least one in five straight games.
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