Find your red, get ready to Swag Surf, learn, and relearn the lyrics to "Smash! Bang!"
Welcome to Stacheville. Saturday population: 9,000 or so of the rowdiest fans in college football.

Here's what to expect on home Saturdays this fall:

• Tailgate Alley, one of the longest-running gameday institutions in FCS football. This is where the Gov Walk takes place, energizing fans and players alike ahead of the game.
• A rowdy student section, headlined by Club Stache.
• The end zone suites, the closest fans can get to the game without pulling on a helmet themselves.
• The City Forum Family Zone, located in the southeast corner of Fortera Stadium – at the corner of Henry and Marion Streets – which will be full of games and entertainment for kids during Austin Peay football games.
• A fully renovated Echo Power Club Level.
• The Governors Own Marching Band and the Gov, Austin Peay's award-winning mascot, providing energy throughout the evening.
• A bawdy Buffalo Wild Wings Blazing VIPeay End Zone Experience.
• Year One of the Jeff Faris Era.

For all the pomp, circumstance, and energy poured into the early bullet points on that list, it's the last one that matters most, and Faris knows just how important each week can be. In the months since his arrival, Faris has instilled in the Govs an on-field tenacity, a scheme that excites, and a roster designed to bring out the best results from that scheme. It's about pace and energy and giving everything on the field. These Govs will play to the last snap – see Jaden Lyles, still on the field deep into the fourth quarter last week, coming across the entire formation to take down a runner at the goal line on the game's final play.

Last week at Louisville was for the Week 1 butterflies; for Faris and the Govs, the home opener against Southern Illinois represents a tremendous opportunity for growth, improvement, and – after a loss on the road in Carbondale a year ago – the chance to exact revenge on the Salukis.

"It's a huge test," Faris said of the No. 10 team in the country. "We all know how talented this SIU team is. It's an opportunity for our guys to get back to work and prepare against a very, very good team. This is a team that won a game in the FCS playoffs a year ago, and we know that to be the best, you've got to beat the best. We've never beaten them in Clarksville, and it's a great opportunity for our guys to create a little history as well."

Faris, a former UCLA assistant and Duke offensive coordinator with plenty of experience at the highest levels of college football, is experiencing everything anew for the first time as a head coach. One thing he's confident in is the fervent support from Clarksville's Hometown Team on Saturday.

"We're hoping for a great atmosphere," Faris said on his midweek conference call. "We talk a lot about packing The Fort and being Clarksville's Hometown Team. The stands were packed for Govs Fest. A ton of season tickets have been sold. We fully anticipate a great crowd on a beautiful night; there's always something special about a night game."

Fans can anticipate a team that thrives on the three T's – Tough, Tenacious, Together – and is eager to set the tone for the remainder of Faris' first season in Stacheville. One loss – to a really good FBS team that will contend in a Power Four league this season – is not a referendum on the season. It's about the bounce back and the ability to put it behind you and move forward against another quality opponent.

"It goes a long way, just playing our brand of football and reminding everyone that one outcome doesn't define us unless we allow it to," Faris said. "I'm the worst sport ever and hate to lose; I don't believe in moral victories. [But] some of the best teams lose early, learn from it, and grow."

On Saturday, as the sun dips below the horizon, Fortera Stadium will come alive with the thunderous roar of a passionate fanbase. The air will be thick with anticipation. This home opener isn't just another game on the schedule; it's an occasion, a celebration of Austin Peay's indomitable spirit, a testament to the university's unwavering dedication to excellence, and for many eager fans, the first live look at this new chapter in Governors football history. As the team takes the field under the bright lights, they'll carry with them the hopes and dreams of an entire campus and community, united in their support for the red and white.

Welcome to Stacheville, where every snap, every play, and every impassioned cheer echoes the beating heart of Clarksville's Hometown Team, reverberating through the stands and across the city.