CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University finalized its 2026 football schedule with the addition of three home games and launched season ticket renewals for the 2026 season, which includes seven home games at Fortera Stadium.

The first of Austin Peay's three new additions to the schedule is a Week 0 contest against Gardner-Webb on Thursday, Aug. 27 at Fortera Stadium. The Governors also added games against UT Martin, Sept. 26, and New Haven, Oct. 3, at Fortera Stadium to the 2026 slate.

After opening the season at home for the first time since 2019, Austin Peay travels to the Music City to take on Vanderbilt, Sept. 5, at FirstBank Stadium. The Governors then return to Fortera Stadium to play Morehead State, Sept. 12, before leaving the Volunteer State for the first time to take on North Dakota State, Sept. 19, at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.

After taking on the Bison, the Governors return to Clarksville to close nonconference play with back-to-back home games against UT Martin, the first meeting between the in-state rivals since 2021, and New Haven.

Austin Peay then opens United Athletic Conference play with the same opponent it closed the 2025 season with when it takes on Tarleton State, Oct. 10, at Fortera Stadium. The Govs then hit the road for back-to-back games when they face West Georgia, Oct. 17, in Carrollton, Georgia, and North Alabama, Oct. 24, in Florence, Alabama.

After a bye in Week 9, the Govs host longtime rival Eastern Kentucky, Nov. 7, and 2025 UAC Championship Abilene Christian, Nov. 14, at Fortera Stadium in their final home games of the regular season.

Austin Peay then closes the 2026 regular season on the road when it takes on Central Arkansas, Nov. 21, in Conway, Arkansas.

Season ticket renewals for the 2026 football season are now available online on Ticketmaster or by calling the Austin Peay Ticket Office at 931-221-7329. For news, updates, and future ticket information, follow Govs football on X (@GovsFB), Instagram (@GovsFootball), and Facebook, or stay tuned here at LetsGoPeay.com.

2026 Schedule Preview

Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs
Aug. 27 | Fortera Stadium | Clarksville

• 2025 season: 7-5 overall (4-3 road), 5-3 Big South-OVC (t-3rd)
• Gardner-Webb leads the series, 2-1
• The all-time series is tied, 1-1, in Clarksville
• First meeting since a 41-14 APSU victory, Oct. 14, 2023
• Austin Peay's first game against a team from the OVC-Big South Football Association since 2023, when it beat Lindenwood (52-10) and Gardner-Webb (41-14) in Weeks 5 and 7
• Austin Peay's first Thursday game since beating No. 18 Chattanooga, 30-20, in Chattanooga to open the 2021 season; and its first Thursday game at home since beating North Carolina Central, 41-10, in Clarksville to open the 2019 season

Vanderbilt Commodores
Sept. 5 | FirstBank Stadium | Nashville, Tennessee

• 2025 season: 10-3 overall (7-0 home), 6-2 SEC (t-5th)
• Vanderbilt leads the series, 2-0, with both games being played in Nashville
• First meeting since a 47-7 Vanderbilt victory, Sept. 19, 2015
• Austin Peay is 0-9 all-time against the Southeastern Conference after falling to No. 3 Georgia, 28-6, Sept. 6, 2025, in their last outing against an SEC opponent

Morehead State Eagles
Sept. 12 | Fortera Stadium | Clarksville

• 2025 season: 6-6 overall (1-5 road), 4-4 PFL (t-6th)
• Morehead State leads the series, 27-21
• Austin Peay is 13-9 against Morehead State in Clarksville
• The Governors have won their last five games against the Eagles, dating back to 2006
• Austin Peay beat Morehead State, 56-7, Sept. 13, 2025, in Clarksville
• The 11th nonconference contest between Austin Peay and Morehead State, the series is tied 5-5 in nonconference games

North Dakota State Bisons
Sept. 19 | Fargodome | Fargo, North Dakota

• 2025 season: 12-1 overall (6-1 home), 8-0 MVFC (1st)
• North Dakota State leads the series, 1-0
• First meeting since a 41-6 NDSU victory, Aug. 28, 2008, in Fargo, North Dakota
• Austin Peay's first game against a team from the Missouri Valley Football Conference since it fell to No. 10 Southern Illinois, 31-17, on Sept. 7, 2024, in Clarksville
• APSU is 1-15 all-time against the MVFC, with its lone win being a 32-17 victory over Indiana State, Sept. 8, 2007, in Terre Haute, Indiana

UT Martin Skyhawks
Sept. 26 | Fortera Stadium | Clarksville

• 2025 season: 6-6 overall (2-5 road), 6-2 Big South-OVC (2nd)
• UT Martin leads the series, 40-27-2
• Austin Peay is 16-21-1 all-time against UT Martin in Clarksville
• First meeting since a 17-16 UTM victory, Oct. 30, 2021, in Martin, Tennessee
• Austin Peay's last win against the Skyhawks was a 38-24 victory, Nov. 9, 2019, in Clarksville
• The first nonconference game between the in-state rivals since the Skyhawks beat the Govs, 20-10, on Sept. 30, 2006
• Despite not playing since 2021, UT Martin is the most common opponent on Austin Peay's 2026 schedule, with 69 previous meetings being 12 more than the Govs 57 all-time games against Eastern Kentucky

New Haven Chargers
Oct. 3 | Fortera Stadium | Clarksville

• 2025 season: 5-5 overall (1-5 road)
• The first-ever meeting between Austin Peay and New Haven, who is transitioning from Division II to the FCS and will not be eligible for the Northeast Conference championship or the NCAA postseason until the 2028-29 academic year
• New Haven head coach Mark Powell served as the Governors' defensive coordinator from 2019-21, while Chargers' offensive coordinator Tim Zetts served in the same role at APSU during the 2019 season

Tarleton State Texans
Oct. 10 | Fortera Stadium | Clarksville

• 2025 season: 12-2 overall (5-1 road), 7-1 UAC (t-1st)
• Tarleton State leads the series, 2-0
• Austin Peay is 0-1 all-time against Tarleton State in Clarksville
• Tarleton State beat Austin Peay, 45-44, in overtime, Nov. 22, 2025, in the 2025 regular-season finale

West Georgia Wolves
Oct. 17 | University Stadium | Carrollton, Georgia

• 2025 season: 8-3 overall (4-1 home), 5-3 UAC (4th)
• Austin Peay leads the series, 2-0, and is 1-0 against UWG in Carrollton, Georgia
• Austin Peay beat No. 16 West Georgia, 44-30, in Clarksville
• The Govs picked up head coach Jeff Faris' first-ever conference victory when they beat West Georgia, 20-16, Oct. 5, 2024, in Carrollton, Georgia

North Alabama Lions
Oct. 24 | Bank Independent Stadium | Florence, Alabama

• 2025 season: 2-10 overall (2-3 home), 1-7 UAC (t-8th)
• North Alabama leads the series, 13-10
• Austin Peay is 4-7 all-time against North Alabama in Florence
• The Govs have won four-straight games against the Lions and are 4-0 against UNA in conference games
• Austin Peay beat North Alabama, 56-28, Oct. 25, 2025, in Clarksville
• APSU's first trip to North Alabama's new on-campus Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium, which will open for the 2026 football season

Eastern Kentucky Colonels
Nov. 7 | Fortera Stadium | Clarksville

• 2025 season: 5-7 overall (2-4 road), 3-5 UAC (6th)
• Eastern Kentucky leads the series, 49-8, and is 23-4 in Clarksville
• APSU is 4-4 against EKU dating back to the 2017 season
• EKU beat Austin Peay, 34-20, Oct. 11, 2025, in Richmond, Kentucky
• The last meeting in Clarksville was a 30-27 overtime victory for EKU, Nov. 16, 2024
• Austin Peay's last win against the Colonels was a 33-30 overtime victory, Nov. 4, 2023, in Richmond, Kentucky

Abilene Christian Wildcats
Nov. 14 | Fortera Stadium | Clarksville

• 2025 season: 9-5 overall (3-5 road), 7-1 UAC (t-1st)
• Abilene Christian leads the series, 2-0
• Austin Peay is 0-1 all-time against ACU in Clarksville
• No. 14 Abilene Christian beat Austin Peay, 45-31, Sept. 20, 2025, in Abilene, Texas

Central Arkansas Bears
Nov. 21 | Estes Stadium | Conway, Arkansas

• 2025 season: 3-9 overall (2-3 home), 2-6 conference (7th)
• Central Arkansas leads the series, 5-2
• Austin Peay is 0-2 against Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas
• Austin Peay beat Central Arkansas, 41-38, Nov. 8, 2025,  in Clarksville