GOVS-LIONS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following No. 23 Austin Peay's 56-28 United Athletic Conference win over North Alabama on Homecoming at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay's 56 points scored are the most it has ever scored in a United Athletic Conference game and are its most in a conference game since scoring 58 points at Tennessee Tech (10/26/19) in an Ohio Valley Conference contest.
• Austin Peay's 577 yards of total offense are its second-best single-game mark this season and the second-best single-game mark of the Faris Era.
• The Govs' 577 yards of total offense is its best single-game mark in a UAC contest and its best in a conference game since it had 614 yards of total offense against Tennessee Tech (10/26/19) in an OVC game.
• Chris Parson ran for three touchdowns and has rushed for a touchdown in six-straight games; he is the first Gov to accomplish that feat since Chris Fletcher ran for a touchdown in nine-straight games during a streak that spanned the final six games of the 2006 season and the first three games of the 2007 season.
• Linebacker Montreze Smith Jr., who was named to the 2025 Jerry Rice Award Watch List last week, led the Govs defense with 12 tackles, 10 solo tackles, a tackle for loss, and two interceptions, that is the first known 10-tackle, two-interception game in program history.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Davion Blackwell, Jackson Head, Chandler Kirton, and Chris Parson took the coin toss for the Governors. Javious Bond and Myles Wiley also served as captains for Austin Peay.
• North Alabama won the coin toss and deferred its option until the second half. Austin Peay elected to receive the opening coin toss.
• Austin Peay is 3-5 at the coin toss this season and 10-10 under head coach Jeff Faris.
• The Governors are 2-3 this season and 5-5 under Faris when they lose the opening coin toss.
• Weather in Clarksville at kickoff: 69 degrees, fair skies, winds east at 7 mph.

SERIES UPDATE            

• Austin Peay improved to 10-13 all-time and 6-6 in Clarksville against North Alabama.
• The Governors improved to 7-2 against North Alabama since the school was renamed from Florence State in 1974.
• The Govs improved to 3-0 against the Lions in conference games.

RANKED GOVS

• The Governors improved to 22-17 all-time and 14-3 at home when nationally ranked.
• Austin Peay improved to 4-2 when ranked under head coach Jeff Faris.

DEFEND THE FORT

• Austin Peay improved to 33-14 at Fortera Stadium since 2017.
• The Governors improved to 4-0 at Fortera Stadium this season and 5-6 under Faris.

HOMECOMING IN STACHEVILLE

• Austin Peay improved to 32-47-1 all-time in Homecoming games.
• The Governors also improved to 4-1 on Homecoming games played on Oct. 25.
• The Govs improved to 2-0 against North Alabama in Homecoming games.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• Austin Peay improved to 4-1 this season and 8-3 under head coach Jeff Faris when leading at halftime.
• The Governors improved to 4-0 this season and 8-2 under Faris when leading after three quarters.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Austin Peay's 56 points are the most it has scored in a conference game during the Faris Era.
• The Governors posted 500-plus yards of total offense for the third time under head coach Jeff Faris.
• Austin Peay's five rushing touchdowns are its second-best single-game total this season, trailing only the seven rushing touchdowns it had against Morehead State (9/13/25).
• The Govs' eight offensive touchdowns are tied with the eight touchdowns it scored against Morehead State for its best single-game total this season.
• Parson is the first Gov to run for three touchdowns in a game since La'Vell Wright ran for three scores against Alabama A&M (9/21/24).
• Parson is the first Govs quarterback with three rushing touchdowns since Mike DiLiello ran for three scores – all in the second half – against Eastern Kentucky (9/24/22), also on Homecoming.
• Parson's three rushing touchdowns are tied for the fourth-best single-game mark in program history.
• With 10 rushing touchdowns this season, Parson tied Sonny Defilippis (1980) for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season in program history.
• Parson's 10 rushing touchdowns also are tied for the eighth-best single-season in program history.
• Parson also threw three touchdowns; marking the third time this season he has threw for three scores in game.
• With 14 passing touchdowns this season, Parson tied Draylen Ellis (2020) for the 10th-best single-season mark in program history.
• Parson's 364 yards of total offense are his second-best single-game total this season, trailing only the 368 yards he posted at Abilene Christian (9/20/25).
• Parson passed for 311 yards, marking his third 300-yard passing game this season.
• Shemar Kirk had three catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns – on three targets – he is the first Gov to catch three touchdowns in a game since Jaden Barnes had three touchdown receptions at North Alabama (11/2/24).
• Kirk's three touchdowns and 132 yards are both career-highs.
• Kirk is the fourth Gov to post a 100-yard receiving game this season, and his 132 yards are tied for the second-best single-game mark by a Gov this season.
• Kirk's 79-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter is the longest touchdown catch by a Gov this season and the second-longest reception on the team this season.
• The 79-yard touchdown pass from Parson to Kirk is the longest passing touchdown by the Govs since Mike DiLiello threw an 87-yard touchdown to Trey Goodman against North Alabama (10/28/23).
• Javious Bond had eight carries for a team-leading 96 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 12.0 yards per carry; it was his first-career multi-touchdown game.
• Bond's 60-yard touchdown run is his second-longest of the season and is tied for the second-longest touchdown run by a Gov this season.
• Parson and Bond are the first Govs to rush for multiple touchdowns in the same game since Jevon Jackson and Mike DiLiello both ran for two scores at Southern Utah (10/21/23).
• Courtland Simmons also rushed six times for 81 yards, averaging 13.5 yards per carry.
• Jackson Head had a team-best five receptions for 72 yards.

DEFENSIVE STANDS      

• Austin Peay's defense recorded three interceptions for the first time since it had three picks against Tarleton State (10/26/24) on Homecoming.
• The Governors defense held North Alabama – which entered the game averaging 198.4 rushing yards per game – to 142 yards on the ground.
• With North Alabama's leading rusher being quarterback Destin Wade with 60 yards; still no opposing player has rushed for 100 yards against the Govs this season.
• Smith Jr.'s 12 tackles are the best single-game mark by a Gov since Jaden Lyles had 13 tackles against Tarleton State (10/26/24), also on Homecoming.
• Smith Jr. is the first Gov to record two interceptions in a game since Cedarius Doss had two interceptions at Stephen F. Austin (9/23/23).
• Smith Jr.'s 10 solo tackles are the best single-game total by a Gov since Tyler Long had 15 solo stops in a 17-tackle performance at Southern Utah (10/21/23).
• Smith Jr. totaled 49 interception-return yards with a 34 and 15 yard return; that is the best single-game total by a Gov since Jesse Johnson III had a 53-yard interception return against Tarleton State (10/26/24).
• Rishi Rattan recorded his first-career interception, which he returned for 24 yards.
• Davion Hood recorded the Governors' only sack; he has recorded a tackle for loss in all eight games this season and leads the team with 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.
• Markell Redding had a career-best six tackles and matched his career-high with 1.0 tackle for loss.
• Jalon Williams and Charles Crews III both had a season-high six tackles; Crews III also had a half tackle for loss.
• Raylyn Manley added five tackles and his season's first tackle for loss.
• Freshman Anthwone Montgomery II had two tackles and his second half tackle for loss of the season.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Javious Bond returned two kicks for 72 yards with a long return of 55 yards.
• Bond led the Governors with 168 all-purpose yards.
• Carson Smith matched his career-high, going 8-for-8 on PATS; he now ranks seventh in Austin Peay history with 70-career made PATs.
• Smith also kicked off nine times for a 64.9-yard average with five touchbacks.
• Logan Leftrick punted four times for a 42.0-yard average with two punts downed inside the 20-yard line and a long punt of 44 yards.

GOVS-LIONS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Jeff Faris

On the Gov's defense… " Their offense does a heck of a job. They present a lot of issues. I thought we had a great week of practice. We had 11 hats on the ball, and I couldn't be more proud of our defense."

On Montreze Smith Jr.… " To think that kid has only been here since June. The way that they have been able to pick up the defense and grow is great. We've got a great group and a fun group to be a part of."

Moving forward… " There are a lot of things that we could continue to clean up. As good as some things look today, we still have not played our best football yet. I think that we're close, and if we can continue to grow, we have a chance to be a very special team."

Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson

On this week's preparation… " After the loss and going into the bye week, it felt like the longest two weeks of my life. We really just wanted to find a way to get better, self-evaluate, and find ways to improve through our practice. I felt like our coaching staff did a great job of getting us prepared for this week."

On wide receiver Shemar Kirk… " Shemar is a great teammate and an even greater person. I trust him with everything in me. We find a way to put in extra work throughout the week and make sure that we're both on the same page. Guys like that are super talented, and you have to find a way to get them the ball."

Austin Peay wide receiver Shemar Kirk

On his performance… "I'm always put in those types of situations in practice, and in practice, I'm dropping those passes. And tonight, God put me in that position again. When I looked up and saw it coming, I just told myself I had to make that play, and I'm thankful I did."

Austin Peay linebacker Montreze Smith Jr.

On his two-interception performance… "I've never had a two-pick game. It gives me the maximum amount of confidence going forward. This just bumps me up in my journey and to accomplish my goals through the end of the season."