CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay football team welcomed the UT Martin Skyhawks to town on Saturday, and it was a matchup between two teams that are very familiar with each other, having played 13 times since 2009.
In recent times, this matchup has been very one-sided. The Skyhawks had won three of the last five matchups against the Govs heading into this weekend. At first, Saturday also seemed to be going in the wrong direction for the Govs. However, some incredible halftime adjustments completely swung the momentum.
Ultimately, the Govs got it going and ended up winning 35-12 to improve to 4-1. It was another dominant win for the Govs, and the team now has its longest home winning streak in program history.
Now, let’s look back and see how this win happened.
Slow start, dominant finish for Govs
On Austin Peay’s first drive of the game, quarterback Chris Parson was sacked in the endzone for a safety, giving the Skyhawks a 2-0 lead. Shortly after, the Govs got the ball back, and Parson made up for the safety by rushing for a 66-yard touchdown.
UT Martin added a touchdown to retake the lead and make it a 9-7 game. For the rest of the first half, the Govs struggled to move the ball. The Skyhawks’ defensive front was wreaking havoc, stuffing the run lanes and getting significant pressure on Parson. Luckily, the Govs’ defense also played well and kept the Govs in the game despite a number of self-inflicted mistakes.
The only points in the second quarter came on a UT Martin field goal. As a result, the Skyhawks entered the half with a 12-7 lead.
28 unanswered points scored in 2nd half
Fortunately, the second half couldn’t have been any more different. Whatever halftime adjustments head coach Jeff Faris made clearly worked, because the Govs looked like a completely different team.
On the first drive of the second half, the Govs marched down the field, and Parson rushed for another touchdown to put the Govs back on top. Then, Austin Peay’s Ta’Ron Haile picked off UT Martin quarterback Tate Surber and ran it back for a touchdown to make it a 21-12 lead.
That would end up being more than enough, as the Skyhawks didn’t score a single point in the second half. The Govs, meanwhile, ended up adding two more touchdowns on the day and walked away with a 35-12 victory.
Standout players
Parson is the clear offensive star of this game; he was efficient, completing 17 of 21 passes for 254 yards and one touchdown. The quarterback also rushed 14 times for 82 yards and two touchdowns. This is the type of game Govs fans have become used to seeing from Parson.
Wide receiver Marvin Sims also showed up once again. The offseason portal addition has become one of Parson’s favorite targets, and he ended with four catches for 58 yards and one touchdown. This was Sims’ first touchdown of the season.
On defense, linebacker Keith Charney stepped up in a big way. Charney collected seven tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one interception. Haile also had an interception and a touchdown to go with six tackles. Charney, Malik Denkins, Markell Redding, David Portu, and Al Sandifer each had at least a half sack during the contest.
Next up, Austin Peay football will host New Haven on their homecoming night, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3.