CLARKSVILLE – Good news keeps arriving for Austin Peay State University's football team, which learned it will host Furman in a noon (CT), Saturday contest in the first round of the Division I Football Championship at Fortera Stadium.

The winner of the Austin Peay-Furman contest is scheduled for a trip to California to face No. 4 overall seed Sacramento State, Dec. 7, in the second round of the championship.

Austin Peay (9-3) clinched a share of its second Ohio Valley Conference championship, Saturday, and earned the league's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. Now, in addition to making their first-ever postseason appearance, the Govs will host their first-ever playoff game.

Furman (8-4) earned an at-large bid after finishing second in the Southern Conference this season behind Wofford, which also will play an opening round game. It will be the Paladins' 18th appearance in the FCS Playoffs and second under third-year head coach Clay Hendrix

Austin Peay and Furman have played two common opponents this season: East Tennessee and Mercer. The Governors split their results against the two, picking up a 48-34 victory at Mercer in Week 3 before dropping a 20-14 decision at ETSU the following week. Furman defeated both teams in consecutive weeks to open SoCon play, securing a 45-10 Week 4 win at Mercer before eking out a 17-10 victory against ETSU the following week.

Saturday's game will be the first between two ranked opponents at Fortera Stadium with the Governors ranked No. 18 in this week's STATS FCS poll with the Paladins ranked No. 16 in the same poll.

Tickets for Saturday's game are available now online. Austin Peay season ticket holders received an email with information to reserve their tickets for the playoff game and may either purchase their tickets online (LetsGoPeay.com/FCStickets) or by calling the Austin Peay Athletics Ticket Office at (931) 221-PEAY (7329). Season ticket holders have until 4:30 p.m. (CT), Monday to purchase their playoff tickets in their current seat locations.