Editor’s Note: We sincerely apologize for the misprint earlier regarding the pre-emptive results of Saturday’s game. The error was not intentional. We are human and may make mistakes from time to time, but will always work to correct any errors that may occur. Thank you for reading.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – To say that Saturday’s contest against Eastern Illinois is just another game for No. 19 Austin Peay football would be an understatement.
With a win against the Panthers on Military Appreciation Night, the Governors would make history and earn their first-ever automatic bid into the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs, wrapping up its second ever and first Ohio Valley Conference championship since 1977 in the process.
Even though both teams currently have a 7-1 record in the league, a No. 16 Southeast Missouri win this week still wouldn’t put the OVC title in jeopardy for the Govs.
Austin Peay currently holds the tiebreaker over SEMO after defeating the Redhawks 28-24 earlier in the year.
An APSU victory would also give the Govs nine for the season, marking the most wins in school history.
In last year’s meeting between the two teams, the Panthers jumped out to a 35-0 lead and never looked back, cruising to a 52-21 win in Charleston.
Clarksville native Isaiah Johnson torched Austin Peay both on the ground and through the air. The senior finished with 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns while catching a team-best six passes for Eastern Illinois.
In their previous contest, the Panthers gave the Redhawks all they could handle and led SEMO 7-6 at the break. Southeast Missouri bounced back in the second half, outscoring EIU 20-5 en route to a 26-12 win.
One definitive bright spot for Eastern Illinois was its wide receiver Isaiah Hill. The South Dakota State transfer brought in 13 passes for 152 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown. The dominant performance earned Hill OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Panther quarterback Harry Woodbery was on his way to a whale of a game, before leaving with an injury. He finished 6-of-9 for 118 yards and a touchdown.
EIU utilized two quarterbacks after Woodbery exited the contest. True freshman Jonah O’Brien made his collegiate debut and completed 12 passes for 84 yards.
Jason Johnson had a team-high 12 tackles against SEMO, two of which were for a loss. Joe Caputo added 11 tackles and a sack, as he ranks second on the Panthers with 59 tackles this season.
In its win last Saturday over Murray State, Austin Peay finished with 275 rushing yards. Prince Momodu led the way with 93 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the fourth different Governor to score multiple rushing touchdowns in a game this season.
Governor wide receiver DeAngelo Wilson broke the APSU single-season receiving record against the Racers. He currently ranks second nationally in receiving yards and his 1,184 yards are good enough for 10th all-time in OVC single-season history. The talented junior also sits at eighth nationally in receiving touchdowns with 11.
Another Governor record was broken against Murray State, as senior quarterback JaVaughn Craig threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns and added 47 yards rushing to surpass the APSU single-season total offense record with 2,822 yards. Craig ranks first in the OVC and 13th nationally in passing yards per completion with 14.13.
Josephus Smith has his eyes set on setting an all-time mark of his own. He needs just 2.5 more tackles for loss to reach the program’s single-season record.
Kordell Jackson, who currently leads in the nation in interceptions with seven, scored his third touchdown of the year against Murray with a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
With numerous playmakers on offense, it’s easy to overlook how good Austin Peay’s defense has also played this season.
The Governors currently rank fourth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 79.8 yards per game and 11th in total defense, giving up 308.1 yards per game.
Austin Peay (8-3, 6-1 OVC) hosts Eastern Illinois (1-10, 1-6) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 at Fortera Stadium.