CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay football team is in uncharted territory. For the first time in modern program history, the Govs will play a regular season game as a top 10 team in the country.
The Govs are ranked at No. 9 in the most recent AFCA Coaches Poll. It’s just the fifth time the Govs have ever been a top 10 team, and the first time it’s ever happened during the regular season. The ranking comes after the Govs picked up another dominant win last weekend, defeating UT Martin 35-12.
Now, the Govs will look to keep the momentum going against the New Haven Chargers on Homecoming. The Chargers enter this game with a 1-4 record while the Govs enter at 4-1. New Haven is only in their second season as an FCS program, and this is the first-ever meeting between these programs.
In recent years, the Govs have been very successful on Homecoming. The team has won three of its last four homecoming games going back to 2022 season. Now, let’s dig in and learn about the Govs’ next opponent.
What to know about New Haven
In New Haven’s first year as a Division I program, the team performed well, earning a 5-5 record and defeating two Division I programs in the process. The Chargers are led by a familiar name: The program’s head coach is Mark Powell, who was Austin Peay’s defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021.
Unfortunately for Powell, his second season at the helm hasn’t gone as well. The Chargers are 1-4, with their lone win coming in Week 0 over Marist. Since then, the team has dropped contests to Stonehill, South Dakota State, Brown, and Merrimack.
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The Chargers’ offense is led by quarterback A.J. Duffy. Duffy previously played at San Diego State and Florida State, and he threw for over 2,300 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2025. 2026 hasn’t been as kind to Duffy, though, as he has barely completed 50% of his passes and has more interceptions than touchdowns.
The Chargers have struggled to get much of anything going offensively this season. The team averages just 11.8 points per game, which is tied for 121st out of 124 FCS teams.
If there’s one thing the Chargers have done admirably, it’s defend the pass. The Chargers allow fewer than 200 passing yards per game, which ranks in the top 40 of the FCS. If New Haven was able to defeat Austin Peay, it would be easily the biggest win in program history.
Game prediction: One more easy win for Govs
There’s not too much analysis needed for this one. The Govs are by far the more talented team here, and they should have no problems cruising to a win. New Haven doesn’t have the defensive talent to keep Austin Peay’s explosive offense in check, and their offense won’t be able to move the ball against Austin Peay’s stifling defense.
The approach to this game is similar to the approach to the Morehead State game earlier this season. The Govs just need to take care of the ball, control the game, and get out without any injuries. Hopefully, the Govs will be able to rest the starters in the second half because the massive matchup against Tarleton State is just a week away.
The game is at 4 p.m. Saturday at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville. For tickets, go to the Austin Peay page on Ticketmaster or call 931-221-PEAY (7329).
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