CLARKSVILLE, TN – Kam Thomas caught two touchdown passes and amassed 204 reception yards, and Tre Shackelford and Mike DiLiello connected on a walk-off touchdown in overtime as No. 17 Austin Peay State University’s football team outlasted Eastern Kentucky 33-30 Saturday at Roy Kidd Stadium in United Athletic Conference action.
Austin Peay (7-2, 4-0 UAC) tied a program record with its seventh consecutive victory, matching the mark set by the 2019 team. It is the first seven-game regular season win streak in program history. In addition, the Governors took control of the UAC title race, holding a one-game advantage over the rest of the league with two games remaining.
But it took the final until the fourth quarter for the game to take off offensively. After the teams combined for 16 points in the first quarter – the Governors leading 10-6 after the opening frame – the defenses had their way for over 32 minutes of game time. Austin Peay broke through again with Maddux Trujillo’s 33-yard field goal just 58 seconds into the fourth quarter, giving the Govs a 13-6 lead.
But all that seemed to do was pop the lid off both team’s offenses. Austin Peay would extend its lead to 20-6 on its next drive as Thomas caught a 54-yard pass from DiLiello. But just as it seemed the Govs had gained momentum, Eastern Kentucky countered with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that Braedon Sloan capped with a four-yard touchdown run.
Eastern Kentucky (4-5, 3-1 UAC) used that score to turn the momentum its way. The Colonels defense held the Govs to a five-play drive before forcing a punt. They marched 83 yards in eight plays to tie the game with Patrick McKinney’s five-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Smith.
The Govs responded quickly, getting the ball with 2:18 remaining and moving the ball 75 yards in eight plays to score on Kenn Odom’s 32-yard reception from DiLiello with 39 seconds left. Eastern Kentucky was undeterred, going 75 yards in 37 seconds on their final possession of regulation. McKinney connected with Jalen Burbage for the 11-yard game-tying touchdown.
In overtime, Eastern Kentucky’s possession started with quick plays of nine and 13 yards to get the ball to the Austin Peay three-yard line. But the Governors’ defense stiffened in the nick of time, allowing one yard on the following three plays to force a 22-yard Patrick Nations field goal as EKU took its only lead.
Austin Peay’s overtime possession did not get off to an auspicious start, with the first two plays being a rush for no gain and an incomplete pass. But on third down, DiLiello found Shackelford in a soft spot in the defense, and the connection went for a game-winning 25-yard touchdown.
Thomas’s 204-yard day was the first by a Governors’ receiver since Drae McCray’s 237-yard day against Tennessee Tech in 2021. Jevon Jackson ran for 120 yards on 25 carries for his fifth 100-yard rushing day in the Govs’ last six games.
DiLiello completed 18-of-28 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns – his third game of four-plus touchdowns. He completed 12-of-17 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns in the second half and overtime.
Austin Peay’s defense finished with six tackles for loss, three sacks, and eight pass breakups. Michael Ruttlen Jr. led the defense with a 12-tackle effort that included a pass breakup. Kory Chapman also had 10 tackles. Travis Bates finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a pass breakup.
McKinney led Eastern Kentucky with a 34-of-52 outing that included 396 passing yards and three touchdowns. He went 21-of-33 for 294 yards and three touchdowns in the second half and overtime. Jaden Smith caught 11 passes for 130 yards.
Austin Peay begins its final two-game homestand when it hosts Utah Tech in a 2 p.m., Nov. 11 UAC game at Fortera Stadium. Tickets for the Military Appreciation Game are available online through Ticketmaster.