CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. — (ESPN Clarksville) In a game that went down to the final play, Austin Peay State University’s football team simply ran out of time in their bid to spoil Southeast Missouri’s Homecoming, falling 31-27 despite another outstanding afternoon on the ground.
Austin Peay (3-4, 1-3 OVC) racked up 226 yards rushing on 41 carries for a tidy 5.5 yards per rush; three Govs averaged eight yards per carry as the Govs continually found space between the tackles and off the edges against Southeast Missouri (4-2, 2-1).
The Govs got on the board quickly after forcing an opening-drive three-and-out by the Redhawks. On Austin Peay’s first play from scrimmage, sophomore Ahmaad Tanner burst through the line for a 24-yard scamper. Two plays later, Jeremiah Oatsvall found a wide-open DJ Montgomery for 34 yards down to the Southeast Missouri 13-yardline; on the next play, junior Kentel Williams found a seam in the defense and strolled untouched into the endzone.
Both Williams and Wilson were well north of 100 all-purpose yards on the day; Williams finished with 104 yards rushing, 37 receiving and another 18 on returns, while Wilson needed just eight touches (five receptions, three carries) for 151 yards (127 receiving, 24 rushing). Oatsvall did his part through the air, finishing 15-of-29 passing for 229 yards and a pair of scores.
Led by Juantarius Bryant (12 tackles) and Gunnar Scholato (10), the Governors did an excellent job bottling up Terry; the league’s leading rusher needed 20 carries for 40 yards. And while Santacaterina rolled up 344 yards through the air, 209 of those came in the fourth quarter; over the first three quarters, the Govs limited him to 9-of-25 passing for 139 yards and a Malik Davis interception.
Austin Peay now enters the bye week; the next time the Govs take the field will be for the Oct. 27 Homecoming contest against Tennessee Tech at Fortera Stadium, with kickoff set for 4 p.m.