CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – On the road for the final time during the 2024 regular season, Austin Peay State University's football team looks to pick up its third-straight road victory when it squares off with North Alabama in a 4 p.m., United Athletic Conference contest, Saturday, at Braly Stadium in Florence, Alabama.

Before falling to No. 8 Tarleton State, 27-17, on Homecoming last time out, Austin Peay (3-5, 2-3 UAC) picked up road wins against West Georgia and Utah Tech on either side of its bye week. After starting the season 0-5, North Alabama (3-6, 3-2 UAC) won three-straight conference games before falling to Central Arkansas, 24-19, last time out.

Picked to finish seventh in the UAC Preseason Coaches Poll, North Alabama sits in fifth place in the conference with just three games left. The Governors, who were tabbed to finish fifth in the preseason poll, are currently in seventh place with four games remaining.

Austin Peay is 2-2 on the road this season and 5-1 all-time on the road in UAC action. North Alabama is 2-2 at home during the 2024 season and is 4-5 at Braly Stadium under second-year head coach Brent Dearmon.

After scoring his second rushing touchdown of the season on a two-yard jet sweep against Tarleton State, wide receiver Romon Copeland Jr. leads the Govs with five touchdowns and 124.8 all-purpose yards per game this season. In addition to his two rushing scores, Copeland Jr. has two touchdown receptions and a punt-return touchdown this season.

The Governors have rushed for 217.4 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry over their last five games. Despite playing in just three of the last five games, La'Vell Wright leads the Govs with 307 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 102.3 yards per game during that stretch. In addition, Corey Richardson (239), Austin Smith (170), and O'Shaan Allison (166) have all rushed for over 100 yards in the last five games, while Copeland Jr. (2), Smith (2), Richardson (1), Courtland Simmons (1), and Kaden Williams (1) join Wright as the six different Govs to run for a touchdown during that stretch.

Defensively, the Governors recorded three interceptions last time out against Tarleton State, with Jesse Johnson III, Jaden Lyles, and Kendyle Ball all getting a pick. Lyles also led the Governors with 13 tackles against the Texans and now ranks 46th in the FCS and sixth in the UAC with 8.0 tackles per game. Dion Hunter is Austin Peay's leading tackler this season, averaging 8.4 tackles per game, which ranks 32nd in the FCS and third in the UAC.

Kicker Carson Smith connected on a career-long 53-yard field goal against Tarleton State and is 7-of-12 on field goal attempts this season. Smith's 53-yard field goal is the 11th-longest in the FCS this season and third-longest in Austin Peay history; he is 2-of-3 on 50-plus yard kicks this season after also hitting a 51-yarder at Utah Tech.

Single-game and group tickets are available online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets, through TicketMaster, or by calling the Austin Peay Athletics ticket office at 931-221-PEAY (7329).

Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Benjamin Ray and Bryan Neece on the call. Fans also can tune into the Governors Sports Network on ESPN Clarksville (104.1 FM/540 AM) or via the TuneIn app to hear Brian Rives and Van Stokes call all the action. ESPN Clarksville will kick off its coverage by re-airing the Austin Peay Football Coaches Show at 2 p.m., followed by pregame coverage, which begins an hour before kickoff.

NOTABLY

REPEAYT CHAMPS

For the first time in program history, Austin Peay won back-to-back conference championships with the 2023 United Athletic Conference and the 2022 ASUN Conference titles. When you add in the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference championship, the Govs have won three titles – in three conferences – since 2019.

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'

Dating back to 2017, Austin Peay's 53 victories are tied for the ninth-most in the FCS and are tied for seventh-most among current FCS programs. The Govs' 53 wins are tied with Central Arkansas for the most among UAC members since 2017, with Eastern Kentucky (44) in third place.  The Governors' 53 victories in the past eight seasons are the most in any eight-year stretch in program history and are more than the 51 victories they had in 19 seasons from 1998-2016. The Govs also have five winning seasons since 2017 after posting just eight winning seasons in their first 39 years in the FCS (1978-2016).

ALL THREE PHASES

Against Alabama A&M, Austin Peay scored an offensive, defensive, and special teams touchdown in the first quarter – possibly for the first time in program history. The last game the Governors scored in all three phases was against ETSU (9/16/23); however, they weren't scored in a single quarter. Going deeper into Austin Peay's digital recording-keeping era indicates the only other occurrence of scoring touchdowns in all three phases was in a 34-27 win against No. 11 Tennessee Tech (10/1/94).

FARIS ERA, YEAR I

A Knoxville, Tennessee native, Jeff Faris was named Austin Peay's 22nd head football coach in December 2023. In his first season at the helm of the Governors football program, Faris looks to join Dave Aaron (5-4, 1946), James "Boots" Donnelly (8-3, 1977), Watson Brown (7-4, 1979), Rick Christophel (7-4, 2007), Mark Hudspeth (11-4, 2019), and Scotty Walden (4-2, 2020-21) as the seventh head coach in program history to post a winning record in their first season. With four games remaining, the Governors would need to win out for Faris to become the third-straight Austin Peay head coach to have a winning record in their debut season.

NOVEMBER AIR

Before falling to Chattanooga in the first round of the 2023 FCS Playoffs, Austin Peay had won 14-straight FCS games in the month of November. Still, the Govs have won 14 of their last 16 games in November, with their only other loss coming to No. 8 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa during the 2022 season finale. The Governors have won 14-straight regular-season FCS games in November (see page 3) -- with six wins on the road -- and last dropped a regular-season game in the 11th month when they lost at Eastern Illinois in 2018.

SCOUTING THE LIONS

• Saturday is the 22nd meeting between Austin Peay and North Alabama; the Lions lead the all-time series, 13-8.
• The Governors are 2-0 all-time against North Alabama in conference games, with wins in the last two meetings.
• The Govs have won five of their last seven games against North Alabama and the last two games in Florence, Alabama.
• Austin Peay has not lost to North Alabama in Florence since dropping a 23-6 decision on Oct. 18, 1975.
• After a 0-5 start to the season, North Alabama has won three of its last four games to improve to 3-6 overall and 3-2 in the UAC. The Lions were picked to finish seventh in the UAC's Preseason Coaches Poll and currently sit in fifth place with a 47-34 win over No. 10 Abilene Christian.
• Through nine games this season, North Alabama ranks fifth in the UAC in total offense (375.1) and scoring offense (25.0). The Lions average 210.6 passing yards per game, which ranks 54th in the FCS and fourth in the UAC this season. Quarterback TJ Smith has 78 completions for 938 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Graduate wide receiver Takairee Kenebrew leads UNA with 32 receptions for 478 yards and three touchdowns; he also is the program's all-time leader in receiving touchdowns with 29. In addition, redshirt senior receiver Kobe Warden has 30 catches for 358 yards and three touchdowns
• North Alabama ranks second in the UAC in passing yards allowed (201.0) and rushing defense (152.9) while leading the league in total defense (353.9). The Lions rank second in the UAC in tackles for loss (6.3) and sacks (2.2) per game. Defensive back Gregory Reddick leads the Lions with 69 tackles this season; he also has totaled 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. Freshman linebacker Josh Anglin also ranks second on the team in tackles (55) and tackles for loss (5.0).
• Redshirt senior linebacker Jackson Bratton ranks third in the UAC with 8.5 tackles for loss and is tied for 10th with 3.0 sacks this season – he leads UNA in both categories. Bratton also ranks third on the team with 54 tackles and is tied for the team lead with one interception. Bratton has recorded a tackle for loss in 6-of-9 games this season and has a sack in 4-of-9 games. Bratton also recorded a safety against West Georgia when he sacked quarterback Davin Wydner to secure the win for North Alabama.

UP NEXT

Austin Peay returns home for the first of three-straight games at Fortera Stadium to close out the regular season when it takes on No. 17 Abilene Christian at 3 p.m., Nov. 9, for Stacheville's Salute to Service Day. The Week 11 contest between the Governors and Wildcats will be streamed on ESPN+.

For news and updates throughout the 2024 season, follow Govs football on X (@GovsFB) and Instagram (@GovsFootball) or stay tuned here at LetsGoPeay.com.