On the show Ted Lasso, Coach Lasso says, "You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It's a goldfish. You know why? Got a ten-second memory. Be a goldfish, Sam."

The Govs have lost three-straight games and now it's the bye week. But, dwelling on a losing streak for the next 13 days until we play Murray State is not going to help anything. I know Scotty Walden and Company are fed up with the losing more than anyone and that's why they are working tirelessly in Fortera Stadium while I sit in the Dunn Center and type these words.

It's time to be a goldfish. Stop worrying about what has happened and focus on the five games that will decide the Governors fate this season. One Ohio Valley Conference loss does not end the season, it doesn't end conference title hopes, and it doesn't end FCS Playoff hopes.

With five games left on the schedule, the Govs can finish 5-1 in the league and hold the tiebreakers over everyone that isn't Southeast Missouri. As for the Redhawks, they have already lost an OVC game to Tennessee Tech, meaning another loss to Murray State, UT Martin, or Eastern Illinois in one of their final three OVC games puts the Govs right back in the hunt.

Do the Govs have complete control of their postseason destiny? No. Do the Govs still have an opportunity to put themselves in a position to accomplish all of their goals for this season? Yes.

So have a ten-second memory. Three-straight losses hurt, but the road to the FCS Playoffs in the OVC runs almost exclusively through a conference title. That is the goal here and only one of the three losses in the past three weeks counts toward that. Now don't mistake this as me saying those first two losses don't matter, I want the Govs to win and so does everyone else with any association to Austin Peay football.

Those of us that have been here for a while have seen our fair share of losing – I was a student at Austin Peay from 2015-19 and didn't see a football win until my junior year – and we don't want to go back to those days, but three-straight losses doesn't take us back to then. Yet, the reaction to three-straight losses shows us how much better this program is now than back when I first got to Clarksville.  

Now it's time to borrow another line from Coach Lasso, "I believe in hope. I believe in BELIEVE."

There are five games left this season and everyone has a choice, start getting ready for basketball season or believe in this football team, I choose the latter. The 2019 football team lost to Tennessee State on Oct. 19, then they rattled off five-straight regular-season wins to clinch the OVC title on their way to the FCS Playoffs.

But there is no way around it, unless things get real weird in the OVC the rest of the way, the Govs more than likely need to win out and have Southeast Missouri lose another OVC game. Every game the rest of the way is essentially a play-in game for the Govs and that's just how it is in the second half of a football season where you are playing for the postseason.

So, take a week off from Governors football. Use the bye week to be a goldfish, relax, and get ready for the playoff hunt.

When the bye week is over, be at the Coaches Show at 6 p.m., Monday, at Buffalo Wild Wings in Clarksville. Then on Saturday, make the 66-mile trip to Roy Stewart Stadium in Murray, Kentucky and show up ready to beat the Racers. Show up ready to believe in the Govs.