GOVS-RACERS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following No. 24 Austin Peay's 52-17 win over Murray State on Military Appreciation Day at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay scored the second most points (52) in the series behind its 56 in 1968.
• The Governors won their sixth-straight game over the Racers, their longest win streak in the series.
• The Governors improved to 7-0 at Fortera Stadium as a ranked team.
• Austin Peay won its sixth-straight home game, including fourth this season.
• The Governors won their fourth-consecutive conference home game. 

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Drae McCray, Antoine Williams, Jordan Goco, and Matt Rigney took the coin toss for Austin Peay. Trey Goodman, Sam Howard, Josh Rudolph, and Ethan Caselberry served as alternate captains for the Governors.
• Austin Peay won the toss and deferred. Murray State elected to receive the opening kickoff.
• Austin Peay is 4-3 at the opening coin toss this season. The Govs are 3-1 this season and 8-3 under Walden when winning the opening toss.
• Weather in Clarksville at kickoff: 73, fair, calm.

SERIES UPDATE                                           

• Austin Peay improved to 20-36 all-time, including 13-15 at home, against Murray State.
• Since 2017, the Governors have outscored Murray State 250-91.
• Austin Peay scored its most first-half points (35) in the series.
• The Governors scored 40-plus points in consecutive games for the second time in the series and first since 1968 (56) and 1969 (41). 
• Austin Peay registered its third-largest margin of victory in the series and posted back-to-back wins of 35-plus points for the first time in series history.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• Austin Peay's 21-point first quarter was its sixth quarter scoring 20 or more points this year. 
• The Governors improved to 4-0 this season and 12-3 in the Scotty Walden era when leading at halftime or after the end of the third quarter.
• Austin Peay improved to 4-0 this season and 5-0 in the Scotty Walden era when totaling 500 yards or more of total offense.
• The Governors improved to 3-0 this season and 7-1 in the Scotty Walden era when throwing for at least 300 yards.
• Austin Peay improved to 4-0 this season and 8-2 in the Scotty Walden era when allowing less than 300 yards of total offense.
• The Governors improved to 4-1 this season and 8-3 in the Scotty Walden era when allowing less than 100 yards on the ground.
• Austin Peay has allowed less than 100 rushing yards in three of four home games this season.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Mike DiLiello's 78-yard touchdown pass to James Burns with 3:54 left in the first quarter was Austin Peay's longest play from scrimmage this season and the fourth-longest in program history. The 78-yard catch was the longest of Burns' career. It was the Governors' first 70-yard completion since Drae McCray's 73-yarder against Tennessee Tech in 2021.
• James Burns posted his first career 100-yard receiving game, breaking the century mark in the first quarter.
• CJ Evans Jr.'s 62-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the team's longest this season. It was his third-longest career rush and longest since a 64-yarder versus Cincinnati in 2020. Evans Jr.'s score was the program's longest rush for a touchdown since Brian Sneed went 75 yards to the endzone against Tennessee State in Feb. 2021.
• The Governors were 2-of-2 on fourth down in the first half.
• Austin Peay outgained Murray State 288-151 in the first half.
• Mike DiLiello averaged 18 yards per completion (11-198 yards) in the first half.
• Austin Peay put together a third-quarter scoring drive which lasted 6:18, its longest of the year. 
• Drae McCray's 72-yard touchdown reception less than a minute into the fourth quarter put him over the century mark along with James Burns, marking the first time two Governors posted 100-plus receiving yards in a game since DeAngelo Wilson (107) and Keenan Barnes (105) against Mercer in 2019.
• Mike DiLiello exited early in the fourth quarter with 309 passing yards, the second time this season he has surpassed the mark and 22^nd game with a 300-yard passer in program history. 
• Mike DiLiello is 69 yards shy of 5,000 in total offense for his career. 
• James Burns' 10 receptions tied for ninth most in program history.
• Austin Peay played five quarterbacks – Mike DiLiello, Sheldon Laymon, Bryce Robinson, Skyler Locklear, and Neyland Jean.
• The Governors totaled a season-high 356 passing yards. 
• Mike DiLiello's 17 passing touchdowns moved him past Brian Baker for sixth on the school's single-season list and is tied for fourth in the FCS this season.
• Drae McCray's seven receiving touchdowns this season is tied for 10^th most in program history.
• Austin Peay racked up 570 yards of total offense, the fourth time over 500 this season.
• Four Governors - C.J. Evans (12.7), Jevon Jackson (7.8), Josh Samuel (5.1), and Mike DiLiello (4.8) – averaged at least 4.8 yards per carry and had at least four rushes.

DEFENSIVE STANDS                   

• Antoine Williams became the first Governor to post four tackles for loss since Joe Bell against Centre in 2002. Williams totaled four in the first half. It tied for third most in a game in program history.
• Austin Peay limited Murray State to 2-of-9 on third down in the first half.
• The Governors surrendered just 19 rushing yards and 1.19 yards per carry in the first half. 
• The Governors allowed only 44 yards of total offense in the third quarter.
• Austin Peay did not allow a third-quarter point for the ninth time in the last 10 games. 
• Austin Peay allowed just 68 yards of total offense in the second half and 2.52 yards per play.
• Austin Peay has allowed just seven points in the second half of its last five home games.
• The Racers went ended just 2-of-15 on third down, including 0-of-6 in the second half.
• The Governors allowed just 34 rushing yards in the game and 1.26 yards per carry.
• Darryl Rogan totaled a career-high 10 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Kam Thomas' 94-yard kickoff return touchdown with 13:05 left in the second quarter was Austin Peay's first kickoff return for a score since Kyran Moore against Central Florida in 2017. It was the longest of his career, seventh-longest in program history, and 15^th longest in the FCS this season. He ended with 110 yards on two kickoff returns.
• Maddux Trujillo connected on a field goal for the fourth-straight game and 13^th time in the last 14 contests after making a 24-yarder with 3:47 left in the third quarter.
• Maddux Trujillo's eight made field goals is tied for 12^th in the FCS.
• Maddux Trujillo has made 33 extra points this season, which ties for fifth in program history, and 69 in his career, which ranks sixth all-time.
• Maddux Trujillo has connected on 22 field goals in his career, which ranks fifth in program history.

GOVS-RACERS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden

Opening statement… "I'm very excited and pleased with our football team. Coming off an 'opportunity week,' and we had a bad taste in our mouth (from the last game), that was all we talked about. We had to get that bad taste out of our mouth. We had to execute, and we were very intentional (in practice). I give credit to our players and coaches. We were intentional about those focal points, and you could see our guys on film trying to master them. You could hear our guys talking about them on the sideline. One of them on offense was redzone touchdowns. One of them on defense was leveraging the football better. When you start to focus on those things as opposed to (the bigger picture of) winning the game, that's when you get really good. That's when you get lost in the fundamentals and lost in the chase."

On Saturday's dominance… "We talk about being a consistent team. I think we are a really good football team. I think we play with an edge. We put the work in. We have guys who care. I could sense this morning in the walkthroughs at the hotel that they were chomping at the bit and couldn't wait to go play. I think that's the sign of a team which loves football. You have to recruit guys who love to compete. I was really proud of the way we strive to be a four-quarter team. Our players and coaches were dialed that which led to a dominant win."

On the Murray State rivalry… "We want the rivalry to keep going. We understand that college football is an evolving thing (with conference realignment). Murray State does a great job working with us to make that happen. They got a new conference schedule. We got a different conference schedule. Both sides are working on it. (Austin Peay Vice President and Director of Athletics) Gerald (Harrison) and I work hand in hand to try and make that happen, and I hope we can continue it."

Austin Peay wide receiver Drae McCray

On the Murray State rivalry… "What stands out is how close the schools are (in proximity.) It's kind of similar to a rivalry I had in high school."

On the explosive plays… "It's something we focused on last week in our 'opportunity week.' We focused on making explosive plays. On my touchdown, I saw James Burns blocking 20 yards downfield. Without that, I wouldn't be able (to score my touchdown)."

Austin Peay linebacker Antoine Williams

On the rush defense… "Out there, it's a lot of fun. It's fun when you make plays, but seeing your teammates who you work with make plays too is exciting. There's so much energy out on the field. I love being out there with them."

On the Murray State rivalry… "Against that team up north, I feel like every year, they're going to come with some competition. We have to bring it every week. We can't play down to their level. We have to be on our A-game. We have to lock in. We had an edge this week (in practice) and came out with an edge today."