CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The eighth-ranked Austin Peay State University football mounted a furious second-half rally which unfortunately came up just short in a 40-32 loss to second-ranked Tarleton State at Fortera Stadium, Saturday.
Redshirt junior Chris Parson threw the ball 33 times and ran it 26 more, tallying more than 300 yards total offense and three scores for the Govs. Marvin Sims and Denver Harper combined for 11 catches and 194 yards as Parson's primary targets.
Linebacker Canaan Williams led the Govs with seven tackles, while RJ Jackson finished with a pair of tackles for loss.
First Quarter
On a soggy night at Fortera Stadium, the run game and field position was always going to be paramount. Austin Peay played this to its advantage early; after a short punt brought an end to Tarleton State's second drive, a 29-yard Parson-to-Denver Harper find brought the Govs to the doorstep, brought about a 23-yard Hamilton DiBoyan field goal to put Austin Peay on the board first.
After a fumbled kick return was ruled a touchback in the end zone, Tarleton State went on a quick march for the Texans' first score, a 34-yard Kaden Anderson-to-Tanner Schmidt strike up the seam for a touchdown.
A blocked punt set up a short field for Tarleton State inside the Austin Peay 10-yard line, but the Governor defense stonewalled the Texan offense, yielding a 20-yard Alejandro De La Poza field goal.
Second Quarter
Tarleton State added two scores in the second quarter to stretch the lead. Early in the second, Anderson found Kyle Thompson leaking out of the right side of the formation near the goal line for a six-yard score; one drive later, Miequle Brock took a direct snap around to the left side from 16 yards out.
The Govs got one back late in the quarter. Aided by a 21-yard Jackson Head reception and two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on the Texans, the Govs marched to the doorstep before Parson found the end zone for the first time on the day. The Texans marched down the field and threaten late, but a Tywan Royal interception—the first thrown by Tarleton State quarterback Kaden Anderson during the 2026 season—halted the drive and send the game into halftime with Austin Peay trailing 23-10.
Third Quarter
After Austin Peay opened the second half with a three-and-out, the Texans moved down the field and into the red zone. An Anderson-to-Marquis Willis connection on an inside slant from five yards out made it a three-score game once again.
The Austin Peay offense began to heat up at this point. Parson found Marvin Sims for a 34-yard gainer on third-and-eight to kickstart the drive, then converted twice on fourth down—once with an eight-yard scramble on fourth-and-five and again by finding Courtland Simmons in the flat for seven yards on fourth-and-seven—to put the Govs inside the Tarleton State 10-yard line. Parson called his own number twice, finding the end zone again from a yard out, to cut into the Texan lead and to become Austin Peay's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
Fourth Quarter
De La Poza banged home another field goal early in the fourth quarter, but the Govs had a quick retort. Parson, started the evening missing on 10 of his first 14 passes in the howling rain, began hitting everything in sight. Thirty yards to Denver Harper; 15 to Sims; a few 10-yard scampers of his own thrown into the mix.
After a third-and-goal dive came up short, Parson's helmet came off, necessitating the Govs either take a timeout or remove their signal-caller for a play. Head coach Jeff Faris elected to roll with backup quarterback Matthew Wilson, and his faith was rewarded with a one-yard plunge by Wilson into the end zone for the first touchdown of his Austin Peay career; Parson came back in for the two-point conversion and knifed his way into the end zone to bring the Govs within a score.
The Texans responded, and they responded quickly. A 29-yard pass to Schmidt and a 46-yarder to Willis put Tarleton State on the cusp of the end zone again, and then James Paige, from the Wildcat formation, hit Markellus Bass for a four-yard score.
Again the Govs rallied. Parson to Sims for 22 yards. Parson to Harper, another 15. Fourth-and-three from the Tarleton 11? Parson, keeping things alive with his legs, hit Harper in the back of the end zone to bring it back to within a score.
After forcing a Tarleton punt, the Govs had one final chance. Parson found Harper up the left side for 15 yards to move near midfield, setting up a last-second heave for the end zone. Parson hurled it deep down the right side into a crowd near the goal line; unfortunately, the miracle play did not materialize for the Govs.
What Made the Difference
Special teams—specifically, the kickoff recovered by Tarleton State in the end zone which was ruled a touchback, a muffed kickoff and a blocked punt—turned into points for the Texans.
Up Next for the Govs
Austin Peay hits the road for the first time in nearly a month, trekking to Carrollton, Georgia for a 1 p.m. contest against West Georgia.
