This was Austin Peay's first trip to Jacksonville, Ala., with both teams as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. APSU's last trip to Paul Snow Memorial Stadium came in 1979 when APSU was an OVC member while JSU was a Gulf South Conference member.
Austin Peay's band, the Governors Own, made the trip to Jacksonville and performed at halftime along with the JSU band, the Marching Southerners.
Jacksonville State opened the game by going 74 yards in seven plays for a score. It was the fourth straight game JSU scored on its opening drive. It was the fifth time?three TDs and two field goals?this season the opponent scored on its opening drive.
Jacksonville State scored the first three times it had the ball. After going up 21-3, the Gamecocks executed an onside kick, recovering at their own 44. However, on the first scrimmage play, quarterback Ryan Perrilloux was intercepted by Kelvin Young at the APSU 15.
Terrence Holt's 77-yard first-quarter kickoff return was his season's longest. His previous long was 66 yards against Murrays State.
Holt's 61-yard second-quarter TD run was APSU's longest rush this season. The previous long was a 41-yarder by Ryan White a week ago against Tennessee Tech.
Late in the first half, APSU drove down to the JSU five-yard line facing a fourth and two. APSU called timeout and chose to attempt a field goal. As John Bell lined up, the Gamecocks called timeout, attempting to freeze Bell. During the timeout, head coach Rick Christophel changed his mind and elected to go for it on fourth down. Running back Ryan White made the move pay off by getting three yards and the first down. It led to Trent Caffee's two-yard TD strike to Jeff Lyle.
Holt accounted for 182 all-purpose yards in the first half, including 66 rushing and 113 yards in kickoff returns. He finished the contest with 248 all-purpose yards.
Holt, in fact, now has tied his own OVC record for single-season kickoff return yards. His 159 yards, Saturday, against Jacksonville State, gives him 1,104 yards, the same number of yards he recorded a year ago as a freshman.
Junior running back Jeff Lyle led APSU pass catches with four receptions for 53 yards, including a pair of two-yard touchdown receptions.
Redshirt freshman running back Ryan White finished the night with 116 yards on 25 carries. It was his second straight 100-yard rushing performance and the Govs third in a row after going the season's first six games without a 100-yard rusher.
In the season's first six games, the Governors averaged just 13.3 points, 111.7 rushing yards and overall 243.0 yards in total offense per game. In the last three contests, the Govs have averaged 29.0 points and 404.3 yards in total offense, including 220.3 yards per game on the ground. The Govs finished Saturday's game against Jacksonville State with 393 yards in total offense, including 225 yards rushing.
Senior safety/nickel back Kelvin Young had a nose for the football against Jacksonville State. He recovered two Ryan Perrilloux fumbles and intercepted a pass.
