Post-Game Notes: APSU vs. Mercer

• This was Austin Peay's first season opener at home since 2010.
• Austin Peay is now 27-50-2 in openers, the loss to Mercer being their fifth straight season-opening defeat. APSU's last season-opening win came against Cumberland, 38-6, in 2010.
• The game start was delayed by 45 minutes (4:45 p.m.) because of lightning in the area.
• Austin Peay is now 0-2 against Mercer, a member of the Southern Conference.
• This was the second straight season senior Trey Taylor started at quarterback. He started the Memphis game in 2014, suffering an injury. He started the final two 2014 contests as well.  
• With punter Evan Tobey suffering an appendicitis during camp, the punting duties fell to third-string quarterback Nolan Chowbay and kicker Logan Birchfield, both freshmen. Birchfield averaged 32 yards per punt on four boots while Chowbay averaged 35 on two.
• A year ago Mercer scored on its first possession, literally five plays into the game. This season the Governors forced Mercer to punt after its first possession.
• After Mercer scored 28 points against the Govs in the first quarter a year ago, the Govs held them scoreless this season. However, the Bears scored early in the second half.
• Halftime score: APSU 7, Mercer 7
• Halftime stats: Mercer outgained APSU 196 to 106 yards total offense. In the second half, Mercer outgained the 241 to 138, finishing with a 437 yard-to-244-yard advantage.
• Mercer held a 15:42 to 14:18 time of possession advantage in the opening half, finishing with a 31:57 to 28:03 overall advantage.
• APSU finished with 16 first downs.
• Senior offensive tackle Bernard Gauldin left the contest in the first quarter with a lower body injury. Junior offensive guard Tyler Miles moved out to Gauldin's left tackle spot with freshman Ryan Rockensuess taking over at guard. That meant the Govs played two freshmen—Rockensuess and Ethan Self—at the guard positions for much of the game.
• Quarterback Trey Taylor, despite some early misfires, finished the half 9 of 17 for 78 yards and one TD. His longest completion was 22 yards, that resulted in a TD to Jared Beard. It was Beard's fifth TD reception in a little more than one season. Taylor, who had 110 second-half passing yards, finished the game 20 of 32 for 188 yards.
• Taylor's only interception was a bullet that bounced off the hands of running back Otis Gerron into those of Lee Bennett.
• Beard tied his career high with seven receptions for a game-high 85 yards. Freshman Juwan Davis tied as APSU's second-leading receiver with four catches for 42 yards. Wesley Thomas also had four catches (39 yards).  
• Otis Gerron, who was APSU's leading rusher (596 yards) a year ago, was limited to six second-half yards on five attempts. He had 35 first-half yards on 10 carries.  
• After battling Mercer to a 7-7 first-half tie, the Governors were outscored 21-0 in the final half.
• Mercer outgained APSU 241-238 in the final half, including 154 rushing yards to APSU's 28.
• In his first start at defensive back, sophomore Malik Boynton led the Govs with nine stops, including six solo stops. Boynton played wide receiver, starting most of the 2014 games at his previous position.
• Antonio Turner, the Govs' leading tackler a year ago, was credited with eight against Mercer, including 1.5 tackles for loss.
• The Govs, who had just seven sacks a year ago, failed to record one in the opener. APSU's youthful offensive line permitted only one.
• With Mercer's Alex Lakes (159 yards) and Tee Mitchell (101 yards) breaking the 100-yard rushing mark, it was the first time APSU had allowed 100 yards or more to two opponents' rushers since SEMO's Scott Lathrop (179) and Levi Terrell (137 yards) did the trick, Oct. 27, 2012.