TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? Chris Fletcher rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-clinching score with 3:15 left, to lead the Austin Peay State University to a 32-17 victory against Indiana State, Saturday night, at Memorial Stadium.
The victory puts the Governors, who returned to scholarship football a year ago and rejoined the Ohio Valley Conference this season, at 2-0 for the first time since 2002. The Governors will play their first OVC game since 1996, 6 p.m., Saturday, when they play host to Tennessee State in Governors Stadium.
“I told these guys to enjoy this on the way back because we have another goal?the Ohio Valley Conference starts next week,” APSU coach Rick Christophel said. “We have to take it one game at a time and get better each week I think we will be OK.
“The thing was I was impressed with the most was the resiliency we showed. We were able to overcome the fumbles we had in the first half, the weather and playing her at Indiana State. “
Fletcher, who had 100 rushing yards early in the third quarter but played sparingly in the fourth because of a slight injury, returned to the lineup with 3:22 left and the Governors facing a fourth-and-three from the 28. He took a handoff off left tackle broke a tackle and raced to the end zone, ending any hope the Gateway Conference foe had for a comeback.
Austin Peay dominated the game statistically, rolling up 429 yards, including 289 rushing yards, compared to 249 for Indiana State. The Govs held a whopping 37:01 to 22:59 time-of-possession advantage.
Defensively, senior linebacker Josh Hackett intercepted two second-half passes while Daniel Becker had a team-best 11 tackles.
The Governors stopped the initial drive but APSU's first game special teams star, Terrence Holt, dropped a punt deep in Governors territory. However, APSU held the Sycamores to a 25-yard field goal.
Holt, however, made up for it, returning the ensuing kickoff out to the Governors 40-yard line. The Governors proceeded to drive it 60 yards, led by Chris Fletcher's running and Mark Cunningham's passing. Fletcher capped the impressive drive by scoring untouched from five yards out. Isaac Ziolkowski's extra point made it a 7-3 game.
Despite dominating offensively in the first half, mistakes continued to plague the Governors. Fletcher fumbled inside the Sycamores five-yard line when it was appeared APSU was going to add to its lead. Then Lanis Frederick jumped offsides on a Indiana State punt, allowing the Sycamores to attempt and make a third-and-inches deep in their own territory. The Governors also had a pass interference penalty.
But it was an Indiana State turnover, a fumble by quarterback Reilly Murphy that set up the Govs second score. The Govs took over at the ISU yard line and Cunningham passed yards to Brandon Meggs at the two. A play later, Fletcher scored for a second time, giving him 34 career TDs, breaking Jay Bailey's mark set from 2000-02.
