Austin Peay Governors (0-0) at Memphis Tigers (0-0)
Saturday, August 30th, 2014 | 6:00pm CDT
Memphis, TN | Liberty Bowl (61,008)
Clarksville, TN – On Saturday, August 30th, 2014, the Austin Peay State University football team kicks off the 2014 season on the road against the Memphis Tigers at the Liberty Bowl. Kickoff is at 6:00pm.
This contest begins the second season of the Kirby Cannon Era. After the Govs went 0-12 in their first season under Cannon, APSU’s roster has undergone a huge makeover, with 38 freshmen or redshirt freshmen comprising the roster and making the Governors an extremely young team.
A win would snap Austin Peay’s 12-game losing streak. The Govs have not won since downing Tennessee Tech, 38-31, November 17th, 2012.APSU is 27-48-2 in openers in its previous 77 years of football, including last season’s 45-0 loss at Tennessee.
The Govs have won the season opener five times in the last 19 seasons, the last time being when they beat Cumberland, 38-6, to open 2010. APSU has not won a season-opening road game since it defeated Kansas State, 26-22, September 5th, 1987.
After an early season week off next week, Austin Peay will debut New Governors Stadium, September 13th, when it plays host to Chattanooga.
A ceremonial demolition of the 67-year-old stadium’s west side followed APSU’s last home game against Southeast Missouri, November 16th, 2013. What replaced it is a $19 million structure.
After playing three FBS programs–Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Ohio–in 2013, the Governors play just one this season, Memphis.
After opening 2013 with five straight road games plus a week off, the Governors schedule this season is a little more favorable. Week 2 will see the Govs play their 2014 season’s first home game against Chattanooga.
In addition, the Governors will play five home games this season after only four a year ago. The Govs also will not play more than two straight games away from Governors Stadium this season.
This is APSU’s 78th season of college football, including nine non-scholarship seasons (1997-2005).
Austin Peay has enjoyed only 18 winning seasons in 77 years of football and two winning seasons since the turn of the century–a 7-5 mark in 2002 as a nonscholarship program and a 7-4 record in 2007.
In the Govs three FBS 2013 games against Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Ohio, the total attendance was 149,908. The Govs drew a total of 149,903 (home and away) in attendance during the 2012 season.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for several Governors football players when APSU opens at Memphis. Seven Govs played their prep football in or near the Memphis area.
They are:
- Cornerback Roderick Owens (Whitehaven HS)
- Quarterback Trey Taylor (Houston HS)
- Quarterback Timarious Mitchell (Whitehaven HS)
- Running back Justin Roberson (Germantown HS)
- Injured safety Brad Wilmer (Millington HS)
- Offensive lineman Braxston Jones (Munford HS)
- Nose tackle DeAndre Carroll (Kingsbury HS)
Broadcast Information
ESPN 3
Play-by-Play: Joel Meyers
Analyst: Chad Brown
Radio – Governors Sports Network
Play-by-Play: David Loos
Analyst: Van Stokes
Live Statistics
http://austinpeay.statbroadcast.com
Live Audio
www.LetsGoPeay.com