CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay football team is anxious to get back on the field after suffering its first FCS loss of the season last weekend. The team lost a hard-fought battle to Tarleton State, but at 5-2 overall, the Govs are still in a favorable position when it comes to the FCS playoff picture.
This weekend, the Govs go back on the road for the first time in a month to take on the West Georgia Wolves. The Wolves will enter this contest with a 1-5 record, with a 0-1 mark in conference. The Govs, meanwhile, are 5-2 overall and 1-1 in UAC play.
This will be just the third-ever meeting between Austin Peay and West Georgia, with West Georgia being one of the most recent programs to make the transition to the Division-I level. The Govs won the first-ever meeting in 2024 and then won the second meeting in 2025. With a win this Saturday, the Govs will add a much-needed conference victory to their resume and likely move back up in the rankings.
| MORE: Check out more coverage of APSU sports
What to know about West Georgia
West Georgia enters this weekend’s contest with a 1-5 record, which is not an impressive mark by any means, but the Wolves may not be as bad as their record implies. Of those five losses, two were to FBS teams, and one was to a ranked FCS team.
So, it’s been a tough stretch for the Wolves, but we’ve also only seen the team play one conference game. West Georgia’s offense has been one-dimensional up to this point in the year, as they struggle to do anything on the ground, but they boast a prolific passing attack. The Wolves are dead last in the UAC in rushing yards per game, but they’re second in the conference in passing yards per contest.
Quarterback Colton Fitzgerald has thrown for 1,154 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions in 2026. The Wolves also boast the best red zone offense in the conference, scoring 93% of the time they enter. This could be something to keep an eye on as APSU’s red zone defense has been a major weakness for the team so far.
Looking at the Wolves defense now, they have a solid pass rush and pass defense, but they haven’t forced many turnovers this season, and they allow just under 190 rushing yards per contest. Austin Peay’s Chris Parson just rushed for over 100 yards against Tarleton State last weekend, so this is a favorable matchup for the Govs rushing attack.
Game prediction: Govs get another convincing road win
In 2025, the Govs didn’t win a single game outside the state of Tennessee. They’ve already bucked that trend in 2026. As a result, I’m not worried about the Govs playing away from Fortera Stadium.
This matchup with West Georgia is a favorable one for the Govs, and it’s not a stretch to say the Govs own a significant talent gap over the Wolves. Parson is still playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and if he can’t beat the Wolves through the air, he’ll do it on the ground.
The Wolves might be able to move the ball on Saturday, but the Govs should be able to as well. Ultimately, I don’t see the Wolves having enough firepower to keep up with the Govs, and APSU should have a massive chip on their shoulder after the tough loss last weekend.
The game is at 1 p.m. Saturday at University Stadium in Carrollton, Georgia. For tickets, go to the Austin Peay page on Ticketmaster or call 931-221-PEAY (7329).
| SPORTS REPORT: Sign up for the new weekly Clarksville sports newsletter