GOVS-BEARS POSTGAME NOTES

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay scored 16 consecutive points in the second half, nine off the leg of kicker Logan Birchfield and a touchdown when JaVaughn Craig hit Baniko Harley on a 76-yard touchdown pass.
• Neither team scored until the final play of the first half when UCA hit a field goal to break through in a scoreless contest.
• Making his first appearance of 2019, Craig led the Govs with 249 total offensive yards (63 rushing, 185 passing).

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• The Govs captains were Hunter Schmeisser, Kadeem Goulbourne, Erskine Francis and Marquise Griffin.
• Austin Peay won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Govs are 0-1 when winning the coin toss this season.

SERIES UPDATE                                             

• Austin Peay and Central Arkansas met for the second time but for the first time since 1975.
• Central Arkansas improved to 2-0 in the all-time series.

DEFENDING THE FORT

• Austin Peay fell for only the third time at Fortera Stadium since the start of the 2017 season.
• Austin Peay is 9-3 at Fortera Stadium since the start of the 2017 season.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Entering the game on the Govs ninth play from scrimmage, JaVaughn Craig completed 10 of his first 16 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, including a streak of five consecutive completions.
• Craig had pass completions of 50 (DeAngelo Wilson) and 76 yards (Baniko Harley) in those first 16 pass attempts. The Harley hook-up was Austin Peay's first 70-yard play since Oct. 6, 2018 against Tennessee State—also a Harley reception.
• The Govs outgained the Bears, 351-315 in total yards. The Bears won the battle of first downs, 13-12.
• Craig passed Daniel Williams (1992, 94-96) for most career rushing yards by an Austin Peay quarterback; he now has 1,115 yards on the ground after his team-high 63 yards on Saturday.

DEFENSIVE STANDS                                         

• Dating back to last season, the Govs have held their last three opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground, with an average of 55.0 ypg during that time. The 32 rushing yards the Govs surrendered on Saturday was the lowest tally allowed by the Govs since Culver-Stockton needed 27 carries to gain 10 yards on Nov. 3, 2012.
• A week after recording 10 tackles for loss, the Govs had nine tackles for loss against Central Arkansas. Josephus Smith was credited with two TFLs, one of eight Govs given partial credit for a TFL.
• Jack McDonald, Juantarius Bryant and John Wesley Whiteside tied for the team lead with seven total tackles.
• Defensive end Shaun Whittinghill had a tackle for loss and had a fumble recovery that led to a Govs field goal.
• Austin Peay also had three sacks in the contest. Defensive tackle Mason Harwell and cornerback James Tobin each had a solo sack while linebacker Pat Walker and defensive end Matthew Gayle combined on the third sack.
• UCA was held to 7-of-17 on third-down conversions, APSU has allowed a 35.1 percent conversion rate (13-of-37) on third down in the season's first two games.
• The Bears faced 3rd-and-long (more than six yards) on eight third-down chances, converting only once. The Govs have forced 3rd-and-long 24 times this season and have allowed only one conversion.

SPECIAL TEAMS SPRINTS

• In the shadow of his own goalpost, punter Devin Stuart completed a pass on a fake punt attempt that went 20 yards for the first down, keeping a Govs drive alive.
• Stuart also averaged 38.0 yards on his seven punt attempts, including two punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
• Logan Birchfield missed a 47-yard field goal late in the second quarter but nailed his next three attempts from 39, 32 and 27 yards. He improved to 5-for-6 on field goal attempts this season.
  • Birchfield is the first Gov since 2011 (Stephen Stansell) to make three field goals in a game.
• Elijah Shepard recovered a fumble on a muffed punt attempt near the end of the first quarter, setting the Govs up at the UCA 41-yard line.
• Kentel Williams passed Henry Yarber (1974-76) and became the eighth player in program history with 1,000 career kick return yards; he now has 1,012 kick return yards in his career.