CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay Governors opened up the 2026 football season on Thursday night at home against Gardner-Webb. This was the first Thursday game at Fortera Stadium since 2019, and the Govs made sure the Stacheville faithful went home happy.
The game was back and forth to start, and the Govs’ offense took a while to get going. However, Austin Peay eventually figured things out and ended up completely controlling the second half. The Govs walked away with a 35-17 victory, and they’ll now have a week to prepare for a trip down the road to Vanderbilt.
With the win, the Govs extended their home winning streak to seven games.
Govs rebound from slow start
On the Govs’ first offensive possession of the game, the team was forced to punt. Gardner-Webb responded by marching down the field and getting a field goal to open up the scoring.
The Govs’ second drive was much more impressive as star quarterback Chris Parson led the team on a seven-play, 79-yard drive that was capped off by a Courtland Simmons touchdown run.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs took the lead back early in the second quarter on a 43-yard touchdown pass. That lead would only last a few minutes though, as Isaiah Groves scored on the Govs’ next drive to put Austin Peay back on top 14-10. The Govs never relinquished the lead for the rest of the contest, as the defense stepped up and the offense started to find a rhythm.
Parson threw a deep pass later to Denver Harper later on in the second quarter to put Austin Peay up 21-10 at halftime. Parson and Simmons each added rushing touchdowns in the third quarter to make it a 35-10 lead for the Govs. This would end up being plenty of cushion, as Gardner-Webb managed just one score in the fourth quarter, making it a 35-17 game.
Standout players
Denver Harper is a name Govs’ fans should get used to hearing. The redshirt freshman caught three passes for 108 yards and one touchdown. This was only the second game of Harper’s college career, and he showed off impressive speed and strong hands.
Chris Parson had one of the best single seasons from an Austin Peay quarterback ever in 2025, and he picked up right where he left off. The quarterback completed 14 of 21 passes for 308 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Parson also rushed for 31 yards and one scoring touchdown.
On defense, a trio of new additions really stood out in their first games with the Govs. Kelton Crisp, a transfer from Samford, collected two tackles and 1.5 sacks. Canaan Williams, who spent last season at Kent State, racked up 10 total tackles. Eli Jones, formerly of Western Kentucky, came away with seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks.
Running back Courtland Simmons had arguably the best game of his career. The running back rushed for 73 yards and two scores and also caught one pass for nine yards.
What’s next
The next time the Govs see the field will be Saturday, Sept. 5, at Vanderbilt. The game is slated to kick off from FirstBank Stadium at 6 pm, as the Govs look to upset an FBS team for the second-straight season.