Austin Peay (3-5 | 1-2 OVC) vs. Eastern Illinois (1-8 | 1-3 OVC)
Satruday, November 6th, 2021 | 2:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Fortera Stadium
Clarksville, TN – Looking to bounce back, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team will host Eastern Illinois for a 2:00pm, Saturday, contest on Military Appreciation Day at Fortera Stadium.
Military Appreciation Day at Austin Peay State University will feature helicopters on display around campus as well as a pregame flyover.
Koby Perry and Isaiah Norman led the Governors with a pair of pick-sixes last week at UT Martin, but Austin Peay State University was unable to hold off a second-half charge from the No.12-ranked Skyhawks. Perry also made a career-high 16 tackles – the most by a Governors since 2018 – and earned OVC Defensive Player of the Week.
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APSU Notably
Govs Open Season’s Final Month in Fortera Stadium
Austin Peay State University’s football team begins the regular season’s final month when it hosts Eastern Illinois in a 2:00pm, Saturday affair at Fortera Stadium. The Governors will host their annual Military Appreciation Day during Saturday’s game with Fort Campbell providing pregame displays outside the stadium.
In addition, Austin Peay State University’s Governors Guard ROTC battalion held a commissioning ceremony during halftime.
Last Time Out
Koby Perry and Isaiah Norman each had pick-sixes, but Austin Peay State University could not hold off No. 12 UT Martin and fell 17-16 at Graham Stadium. Perry and Norman’s pick-sixes provided the Govs two first-half touchdowns – and only touchdowns on the day – en route to a 16-0 lead.
UT Martin forged its comeback courtesy of three consecutive scoring drives in the second half, the final one a 20-play, 96-yard drive that took 8:28 off the clock and gave UTM a 17-16 lead. The APSU Govs had a final opportunity to win the game but a 49-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
Baniko Harley 2000 + 20
With one catch – a 36-yard touchdown reception – at Murray State, Baniko Harley moved onto both the 2,000 yard and 20 touchdown plateaus. He enters Saturday’s game with 2,053 career receiving yards and 20 career touchdowns.
Harley is fifth all-time in career receiving yards and is third all-time in touchdown receptions. He needs 174 yards and five touchdown receptions to move into the next spot on each respective list.
Ahmaad Tanner To Two Thousand
Ahmaad Tanner’s 28-yard run to end the first quarter at Eastern Kentucky, September 25th, made him the ninth Governors running back to record 2,000 career rushing yards. He enters this week’s game with 2,354 rushing yards after a career-best 134 rushing yards at Murray State.
Tanner needs 209 yards to move past Mike Lewis (1985-89) for sixth on the APSU Govs all-time list.
Sheldon Layman To QB! at Murray State
Following the APSU off week, head coach Scotty Walden turned to Sheldon Layman as the starting quarterback at Murray State.
He led the Govs to their first win in October, becoming the first APSU quarterback to win their debut at starter since at least 1996.
Johnathon Edwards, The Quicker Picker Upper
Johnathon Edwards is a magnet for turnovers, picking off four passes and recovering two fumbles this season.
He is tied for third among FCS defenders with those six turnovers gained, trailing Montana’s Justin Ford and Western Illinois’ Michael Lawson, who have seven each.
Koby Perry For 16
Koby Perry was named the OVC Defensive Player of the Week following his career-high 16 tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry at UT Martin, October 30th.
Those 16 tackles are tied for the most in the OVC this season and are tied for the ninth-best single-game total in the FCS this season, it is also the most tackles by an APSU Gov since Gunnar Scholato recorded 17 tackles against Tennessee State (10/6/18).
Scotty Walden; or, Life At Austin Peay
Scotty Walden was hired as Austin Peay State University’s 21st head football coach in November 2020.
He coached 11th game as head coach – the equivalent of one full season – at Eastern Kentucky, finishing that “season” with a 6-5 record.
He is the seventh head coach to post a winning record in their first 11 games as head coach.
About Eastern Illinois Panthers
This is the 21st meeting all-time in a series that Eastern Illinois leads 15-5, however, Austin Peay State University has won two of the last three meetings and both of the last two games in Clarksville.
The Panthers enter November still seeking to find their roar offensively. They are ranked 109th out of 123 FCS teams in passing offense (178.4 ypg), 117th in scoring offense (13.4 ppg), and 111th in total offense (274.9 ypg). Second-year freshman Quarterback Otto Kuhns has shouldered most of the load, averaging 148.6 offensive yards per game, ranking 91st in the FCS.
The Panthers’ defense has fared better in 2021, ranking 35th in total defense (337.1 ypg) and 7th in passing yards allowed (16.2 ypg). Sophomore linebacker Jason Johnson, a returning First Team All-OVC pick, is captaining the defense, ranking 14th nationally in tackles (10.2 pg) and 13th in solo tackles per game (5.6).
Junior defensive back Russell Dandy has been another key piece for the Panthers’ defense this season. He was named OVC Defensive Player and Newcomer of the Week, October 3rd, after a two-interception, seven-tackle day at Murray State that also saw him recover a fumble. He has 24 tackles this season along with those two picks and fumble recovered.
Next Up For APSU Football
The Austin Peay State University football team closes out its road schedule with a 2:00pm, November 13th game against Tennessee State at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
It will be the fifth time the Govs and Tigers have played at Nissan Stadium, with the teams splitting those four meetings, 2-2, with none of the games decided by more than four points.
