APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University football team returns home to take on the University of Tennessee at Martin 6:00pm, this Saturday at Fortera Stadium with both squads seeking three-game winning streaks,
The Govs have notched back-to-back wins (Morehead State, Murray State) for the first time since 2011, while the Skyhawks have posted consecutive wins over ranked opponents (No. 15 Chattanooga, No. 20 Tennessee State) for the first time program history.
This will be the first Sgt. York Trophy contest of the season for APSU as they seek to take down UT Martin for the first time in the last 10 tries.
The Governors are 25-38-2 all-time against their adversaries from West Tennessee, with their last win in the series dating back to 2007.
The Skyhawks enter the contest ranked No.18 nationally. Austin Peay will attempt to take down a ranked opponent for the first time since October 24th, 2009 when they defeated No. 20 Eastern Kentucky 24-20.
Saturday Notables
Saturday’s matchup pits the top two statistical leaders in the Ohio Valley Conference against each other. The No. 1 ranked Governors rushing attack will face off against the No. 1 rated Skyhawk defense against the run. APSU is averaging 289.5 yards on the ground per contest – seventh best in the country — while UT Martin allows just 63.2 per game.
The Govs are no pushover on the defensive side of the ball. The Skyhawks will have their hands full with the conference’s leader in total defense, as Austin Peay is allowing just 241.5 yards per game – good for sixth in FCS football.
The top-two scoring offenses in the OVC will meet at Fortera Stadium on Saturday. APSU averages 30.0 points per game, while UT Martin averages 27.8.
UT Martin is allowing just 17.0 points per game thus far in 2017. The Govs will have an advantage in the secondary, as the defense allows just 154.0 yard per contest through the air. Both stats are good for first in the conference in their respective categories.
Skyhawk head coach Jason Simpson is the dean of OVC coaches. He is in his 12th in Martin and ranks seventh (75-55) on the all-time OVC wins list.
Sustaining drives will be a contributing factor on Saturday as the schools rank top-two in OVC in time of possession. UT Martin averages 34:19 of possession on the year, while Austin Peay keeps the football for 32:12 per contest.
Follow APSU Football Online
To follow all things Austin Peay football, visit our website at LetsGoPeay.com or check out the official Facebook page of Austin Peay Athletics. Live play-by-play can be found on Twitter @AustinPeayFB or by visiting Peaystats.com. Coverage of this weekend’s contest will be streamed live on the OVC Digital Network.
