CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Looking to pick up back-to-back wins and its first United Athletic Conference road win of the season, the No. 22-ranked Austin Peay State University football team journeys to Southern Utah for a 7:30 p.m. (CT), Saturday showdown at Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City, Utah.

After a 56-28 win over North Alabama on Homecoming, Austin Peay (5-3, 3-2 UAC) makes its longest trip of the 2025 regular season when it travels to Southern Utah (3-5, 2-2 UAC) for the second time in program history. The Governors beat the Thunderbirds, 48-45, in double overtime in their previous trip to Cedar City during the 2023 season.

After a 1-5 start to the season, Southern Utah enters Saturday's game after picking up back-to-back conference wins against No. 13 Abilene Christian and Utah Tech.

Austin Peay is 1-3 on the road this season and 4-5 under head coach Jeff Faris. The Governors also are 6-3 all-time on the road in UAC games and 3-3 in road conference games under Faris. The Thunderbirds are 2-2 at home this season and 11-8 at home under fourth-year head coach DeLane Fitzgerald.

The Governors are ranked in the Stats FCS Media Poll (No. 22) and the AFCA Coaches Poll (No. 24) for the seventh-straight week and the 40th week in program history. Austin Peay's seven weeks in the rankings during the regular season are the most in program history and trail only the 2019 team, which was ranked for a record nine weeks, including three FCS Playoff games.

The Govs are 22-17 all-time and 8-13 on the road when nationally ranked; they also are 4-2 all-time while ranked under Faris.

Quarterback Chris Parson was named the UAC and Tennessee Sports Writers Association Offensive Player of the Week after totaling 364 yards of total offense and six touchdowns – three rushing and three passing – against North Alabama.

Parson leads the Govs with 99 carries for 357 yards and 10 touchdowns this season; he ranks eighth in the FCS, third among FCS quarterbacks, and second in the UAC in rushing touchdowns. Parson is one rushing touchdown away from breaking the Austin Peay single-season quarterback rushing touchdown record, which was set by Sonny Defilippis during the 1980 season.

Parson also has passed for 1,966 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Shemar Kirk and Jaden Robinson lead the Govs with six and five touchdown receptions this season, respectively; they rank first and third in the UAC in that category. Jackson Head also has caught a pair of touchdown passes, which ranks 10th in the conference and leads UAC tight ends.

Javious Bond leads the Governors' running backs with 32 carries for 294 yards and four touchdowns after rushing for two scores against North Alabama, while Courtland Simmons has added 49 carries for 253 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensively, redshirt freshman linebacker Montreze Smith Jr., who was one of 22 FCS players named to the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Watch List, was named the UAC Freshman of the Week and TSWA Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 12 tackles, 10 solo tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, and two interceptions against North Alabama. Smith Jr. leads the Govs with 50 tackles, 30 solo tackles, and two interceptions this season.

Davion Hood also leads the Governors with 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks; he has recorded a tackle for loss in all eight games this season. Ellis Ellis Jr. also has added 33 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, and a team-leading six pass breakups.

On special teams, kicker Carson Smith is 7-for-9 on field goals and 38-for-38 on PATs. Smith ranks 27th in the FCS in total points scored (59) and 32nd in scoring (7.4); he ranks fourth in the UAC in both categories. Bond also ranks 43rd in the FCS and leads the UAC with 308 combined kick return yards, with 115 punt return yards and 193 kick return yards.

Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Spencer McLaughlin and Dallin Richards on the call, with Kendall McGuire reporting from the sideline. 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, with pregame coverage beginning an hour before kickoff.

NOTABLY

DECADE OF THE GOVS

Despite being only halfway through the 2020s, Austin Peay is eight wins away from matching its 43 wins in the 1980s as the winningest decade in program history. The Governors are 35-28 in the 2020s and their .556 winning percentage is the best in a decade in program history, topping a .551 (32-26-1) winning percentage in the 1940s. The Govs also are 19-11 at home during the 2020s, and their .633 winning percentage is the second best in a decade in APSU history, trailing only the .714 (20-8) winning percentage at home in the 1940s. Additionally, the Govs have a 16-16 record on the road during the 2020s, making this the only decade in program history where Austin Peay has a .500-or-better record away from Clarksville.

GOVERNING FROM THE START

With a 5-3 record through eight games, Austin Peay is one win away from improving to 6-3 or better for the 13th time in program history. In the three most recent starts of 6-3 or better, the Govs have gone on to win a conference championship. The 2023 Govs started 7-2 en route to the United Athletic Conference Championship, while the 2019 OVC and 2022 ASUN Championship teams both were 6-3 through nine games. Additionally, the 1948 Govs started 8-1 on their way to winning the Volunteer State Athletic Conference Championship.

UAC & TSWA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Quarterback Chris Parson was named the UAC Offensive Player of the Week for a league-leading third time this season, and linebacker Montreze Smith Jr. was named UAC Freshman of the Week for the first time. Parson and Smith Jr. also were named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively. Parson led the Govs with 364 yards of total offense and six touchdowns in the 56-28 win over North Alabama, passing for three touchdowns and rushing for three more. Smith Jr. led the Governors' defense with 12 tackles, 10 solo tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, and two interceptions -- it was just the third double-digit tackle, two-interception performance in Austin Peay's digital record-keeping era.

WE WILL

On May 6, 2025, Will Hardrick, a senior on the Austin Peay football team, tragically passed away. In addition to a helmet sticker with Hardrick's initials and jersey number, a different Governor will be chosen to wear No. 0 each week in honor of Hardrick. Each Monday of the season, head coach Jeff Faris will select the player who best exemplifies Hardrick's character and work ethic to wear the No. 0 in his honor that week. In Week 10 against Southern Utah, redshirt freshman Montreze Smith Jr. will wear No. 0.

SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS

• Saturday is the third meeting between Austin Peay and Southern Utah; the series is tied, 1-1, with each team winning one game on the road.
• After going 7-5 overall and 6-2 in the UAC during the 2024 season, Southern Utah was one of the first four out of the 2024 FCS Playoffs. This season, the Thunderbirds were tabbed to finish fourth in the 2025 UAC Preseason Coaches Poll. After a 1-5 start to the season, Southern Utah has won back-to-back games against No. 13 Abilene Christian and Utah Tech.
• Southern Utah ranks 15th in the FCS and second in the UAC in rushing offense (200.8); it also ranks 17th in the FCS in scoring offense (35.1) and 28th in total offense (420.8) – it ranks third in the UAC in both categories. The Thunderbirds also rank fourth in the UAC in passing offense (220.0). Southern Utah has rushed for 230-plus yards four times, with a season-best 323 yards against Idaho State. SUU also has scored two-plus rushing TDs in all but one game, with a season-best five scores on the ground against Northern Arizona and Tarleton State.
• Southern Utah ranks sixth in the UAC in passing defense (227.9), seventh in scoring defense (33.3), eighth in total defense (434.1), and last in rushing defense (206.3). Opponents have rushed for 200-plus yards against the Thunderbirds five times and have scored multiple rushing touchdowns in six-of-eight games, including a 357-yard, five-touchdown game on the ground from UC Davis. Lando Brown ranks second in the FCS in sacks (10.0) and eighth in tackles for loss (11.5) – he leads the UAC in both categories. Sebastian Adamski also ranks ninth in the FCS and leads with UAC with 83 tackles, while ranking ninth in the UAC with 6.5 tackles for loss.
• Running back Joshua Dye leads the FCS in rushing touchdowns (18), total points scored (108), and scoring (13.5 ppg). Dye ranks second in the FCS in rushing yards per game (145.9), third in rushing yards (1,167), and fourth in all-purpose yards (155.88) – he leads the UAC in all three categories. Dye also ranks fifth in the FCS and second in the UAC with 7.03 yards per carry. Dye has ran for 150-plus yards in six games with multiple rushing touchdowns in six games.UP NEXT

UP NEXT

Austin Peay returns home for its first of two final home games when it takes on Central Arkansas at 3 p.m., Nov. 8, in UAC action on Clarksville's Salute to Service Day at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee. The Week 11 contest between the Governors and Bears will be streamed on ESPN+.

For news and updates throughout the 2025 season, follow Govs football on X (@GovsFB) and Instagram (@GovsFootball) or stay tuned here at LetsGoPeay.com.