CLARKSVILLE - Austin Peay State University's football team will meet Chattanooga in a four-game series beginning in 2013, head coach Rick Christophel announced Friday.

The Governors and Mocs will meet for the first time since 1968 when they renew the series in 2013 with a Sept. 14 contest at Finley Stadium.  The last time the two in-state squads met, Austin Peay Hall of Fame member Harold "Red" Roberts was beginning his freshman campaign. Austin Peay has not won in four previous meetings in a series that dates back to 1958.

"Playing Chattanooga home and home over a four-year period is a pretty good situation for both of us," said Christophel. "They're doing a great job over there - Coach (Russ) Huesman has done an outstanding job getting that program where it needs to be in that conference. Hopefully we'll be able to compete with them when we get that chance. We recruit that part of the state and I know they recruit some in the midstate, so this will be a good thing."

The two teams will meet again Sept. 13, 2014 at Governors Stadium, the location of the last meeting between the two teams. The series continues with a 2015 meeting in Chattanooga followed by a 2016 contest in Clarksville.

"(Getting quality teams to visit Clarksville) is a big thing," said Christophel. "When we got the opportunity to do it, we had to jump on it. We have to play 12 games (in 2013 and 2014) anyway. It's exciting for our fans and it's exciting for our program."

Austin Peay opens the 2011 campaign with a Sept. 3 contest at Cincinnati. The Govs open the home portion of their schedule with a Sept. 24 Ohio Valley Conference contest against Eastern Kentucky. Season tickets are available now by calling the Austin Peay Athletics Ticket Office at (931) 221-7761.

 -AP-