CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – An all-out defensive brawl saw the No. 12 Austin Peay State University football team hold on for a 14-12 United Athletic Conference victory against No. 20 Central Arkansas Saturday at Fortera Stadium.
With the win, Austin Peay (9-2, 6-0 UAC) finishes the UAC's inaugural season unbeaten in league play and claims the league's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. The NCAA will announce the 2023 FCS Playoff Bracket with an 11:30 a.m. (CT), Sunday announcement on ESPNU.
Austin Peay will host a selection show viewing party beginning at 10:30 a.m. (CT), Sunday at F&M Bank Arena in downtown Clarksville. Admission to that event is free to the public.
Neither team's offense put points on the board until Central Arkansas (7-4, 4-2 UAC) broke through with a 21-yard field goal 20 minutes into the game. The Govs offense made its breakthrough with 59 seconds left in the first half as Kenny Odom's three-yard jet-sweep found the end zone to give Austin Peay a 7-3 halftime lead.
Austin Peay extended its lead on the second half's opening drive. A Jaden Barnes' 35-yard kick return set up the APSU offense on its 43-yard line. A couple of Central Arkansas penalties got the drive started, and Jevon Jackson carried the ball on seven of the next eight plays, including a seven-yard touchdown dive to give APSU a 14-3 lead.
Central Arkansas chipped away at the lead before the third quarter ended, settling for a 28-yard field goal with 4:36 left in the third to cut the deficit to 14-6. Another long scoring drought ensued, with 12 minutes of scoreless action. The Bears finally broke the drought with a 10-play, 67-yard scoring drive that McElvain capped with a three-yard touchdown pass to Barnes. However, UCA's two-point conversion attempt went begging as the Govs defense batted away the pass.
The Bears had two more possessions before the game ended, but the Govs defense proved up to the task. Austin Peay forced a three-and-out, aided by a pair of UCA penalties, and closed the game with a drive that resulted in a turnover on downs that saw the defense break up two passes and pressure the quarterback into another incomplete pass.
Austin Peay's defense held Central Arkansas to 251 yards and only 83 rushing yards – the fourth straight game the APSU defense has held an opponent to fewer than 100 rushing yards. Sam Howard led the defense with a career-high tying 13 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, and Xavier Smith chipped in 12 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Govs offense finished with 244 yards, Mike DiLiello pacing that effort with a 19-of-26, 189-yard passing performance. Jevon Jackson finished with 70 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
Will McElvain completed 23-of-42 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown with an interception to lead Central Arkansas' offense. Jake Golday led the Bears' defense with a 14-tackle effort that included a tackle for loss and a half sack.
Scoring Recap
GOVS 0, UCA 3 – A scoreless first quarter ended with the Govs and Bears trading turnovers. Cedarius Doss intercepted a UCA pass to set up the Govs offense deep inside UCA territory. On the ensuing play, Austin Peay fumbled a handoff and Central Arkansas recovered. Starting at its 22-yard line, Central Arkansas used a pair of Austin Peay personal fouls, one on a 4th-and-14, to extend the drive. The Bears got inside the Govs 10-yard line on a seven-yard McElvain pass but could not find the end zone. Central Arkansas settled for a 21-yard Jake Gaster field goal for the game's first points.
GOVS 7, UCA 3 – Austin Peay got on the board before halftime on a scoring drive that started on its 25-yard line. DiLiello completed back-to-back 21-yard passes to MJ Singleton, moving the ball to the UCA 20-yard line. DiLiello completed an eight-yard pass to Kenny Odom before Jevon Jackson carries of seven and two yards. Odom capped the drive with a three-yard run to put the Govs ahead.
GOVS 14, UCA 3 – Austin Peay extended its lead with the second half's opening drive. Jaden Barnes' 35 yard kick return set up the APSU offense at its 43-yard line. A pair of Central Arkansas penalties moved the ball across midfield, before Jevon Jackson carried the ball on six of the next seven plays, amassing 17 yards and getting ball to the UCA 13-yard line. DiLiello completed a six-yard pass before Jackson finished the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run.
GOVS 14, UCA 6 – Central Arkansas scored on the game's next drive. Jarrod Barnes' 31-yard return helped set up the drive at the UCA 31-yard line. Two plays into the drive, McElvain completed a 22-yard pass, moving the ball across midfield. Darius Hale provided consecutive runs of 11 and eight yards, getting into the Govs' red zone. However, the Govs forced the drive to stall out, and the Bears settled for a 28-yard Gaster field goal.
GOVS 14, UCA 12 – The Bears closed the gap midway through the fourth quarter. After UCA blocked a 51-yard field goal attempt, they started the ensuing drive on their 33-yard line. McElvain opened the drive with a 24-yard completion before tacking on two 10-yard completions on the next three plays, moving the ball into the red zone. Five plays later, McElvain found Barnes posted up in the end zone for a touchdown. However, the Bears two-point conversion pass was batted away, leaving the Bears in a two-point deficit.
