St. Charles, MO – Three interceptions by the defense and four touchdowns by the offense – all in the first 11 minutes of the game – set the tone as the Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team rolled to a 52-10 non-conference victory against Lindenwood, Saturday, at Hunter Stadium.
Austin Peay (3-2) could not have asked for a better start to the game, going on a 84-yard scoring drive after taking the opening kickoff. Meanwhile, the Governors’ defense racked up an interception on three of Lindenwood’s first four drives as Jau’Von Young, Michael Ruttlen Jr., and Benji Johnson each picked off a pass.
APSU followed each of those picks with a touchdown drive as DiLiello led the Govs second 28-point quarter of the season. After a touchdown throw to Trey Goodman to open the game, DiLiello found Kam Thomas for back-to-back touchdowns before his own rushing touchdown as the Govs opened with a 28-0 lead. The APSU Govs pushed the lead to 35-0 on the first play of the second quarter.
Lindenwood (2-2) would break through with 3:11 left in the second quarter but could only muster a 39-yard field goal by Logan Seibert before the halftime break. On the second half’s opening drive, the Lions would threaten by marching to the Austin Peay State University three-yard line, but the APSU Govs defense held firm and kept the Lions out of the end zone.
In response, Austin Peay State University’s offense drove the field’s length in just six plays. DiLiello kickstarted the drive with a 31-yard completion to tight end Jordan Goco before running back Jevon Jackson broke through for a 40-yard touchdown run that sealed the victory.
Austin Peay State University finished the day with 690 offensive yards – the third-best offensive performance in program history. DiLiello completed 15-of-30 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns while adding 46 yards on the ground with a touchdown. Jackson ran for 158 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns.
In addition to the three interceptions, Austin Peay State University broke up seven passes to hold Lindenwood’s passing game to 202 yards on 22-of-45 passing and no touchdowns. Garrett Hawkins had a team-leading nine tackles, and four APSU Govs recorded a sack in the win.
Next Up For APSU Football
The Austin Peay State University football team looks ahead to its off week before starting the second half of the season with a Saturday, October 15th, 3:00pm non-conference tilt against Gardner-Webb at Fortera Stadium. Tickets for the Govs’ second-half opener are available on Ticketmaster or by calling the APSU Athletics Ticket Office at 931.221.7329.
Scoring Recap
GOVS 7, LU 0 – Austin Peay State University received the opening kickoff and promptly moved the ball down the field. DiLiello hit Tre Shackelford for a 26-yard completion on the second play from scrimmage. After a couple of Jevon Jackson carries, DiLiello found Trey Goodman streaking down the Lindenwood sideline for a 42-yard touchdown reception.
GOVS 14, LU 0 – On the ensuing Lindenwood drive, J’Vian McCray tipped a Cole Dugger pass, and Jau’Von Young picked off the deflection and returned it 18 yards to set up the APSU offense in Lindenwood territory. The Govs needed just three plays to turn the takeaway into points, with DiLiello finding Kam Thomas, who caught the ball at the 40-yard line and sprinted past his defender into the end zone for the 46-yard touchdown reception.
GOVS 21, LU 0 – The next Lindenwood drive had a familiar result as Benji Johnson picked off a Dugger pass on the fourth play of the Lions drive. The APSU Govs scored on their second play from scrimmage, DiLiello finding Thomas storming down the middle of the field with the 46-yard pass, hitting the Govs’ receiver at the goal line for the score.
GOVS 28, LU 0 – The teams traded punts before the APSU Govs intercepted their third pass of the quarter. Michael Ruttlen Jr. was the only man in the vicinity of a Dugger pass as the receiver fell down. Austin Peay State University set up shop on the Lindenwood 36-yard line and covered that distance in two plays.
DiLiello found Brenen Hawkins along the Govs’ sideline for a 24-yard completion. DiLiello did the work for the touchdown himself, breaking through the Lindenwood line for a 12-yard touchdown run.
GOVS 35, LU 0 – Austin Peay State University started a drive deep in its territory after forcing a punt on the next Lindenwood drive. The drive started quickly with a 15-yard pass to MJ Singleton, a 43-yard pass to Shackleford, and a Jackson 20-yard run. A Jackson six-yard run moved the ball to the two-yard line, but the clock ran out to end the first quarter. On the other side of the break, Jackson completed the drive with a two-yard touchdown run.
GOVS 35, LU 3 – Things settled down for the rest of the second half with the APSU Govs offense turning the ball over on downs on back-to-back drives. After the second giveaway, Lindenwood took over on its 43-yard line.
Dugger opened the drive with a 20-yard pass to Ronnie Thomas, but the Lions gained only one more first down before the drive bogged down outside the APSU red zone. Lindenwood settled for a 39-yard Logan Seibert field goal to break up the Govs shutout bid.
GOVS 42, LU 3 – Austin Peay State University’s defense kept Lindenwood out of the end zone on the half’s opening drive, stopping the Lions push at the three-yard line. The APSU Govs offense took over and marched the length of the field in just six plays. DiLiello found tight end Jordan Goco for a 31-yard pass to get the ball to midfield.
Three plays later, Jevon Jackson barreled down the field and fended off a would-be tackler at the goal line before scoring the 40-yard touchdown run for the Govs’ sixth touchdown of the day.
GOVS 45, LU 3 – After a Lindenwood punt to start the fourth quarter, Austin Peay State University looked for the quick strike to deliver the final blow. DiLiello opened the drive with a 40-yard completion to Trey Goodman, pushing the APSU Govs into Lindenwood territory. Kam Thomas would follow with a 14-yard run and a nine-yard run to push the ball into the red zone.
However, the Govs drive stalled there, and it was left to Maddux Trujillo to covert the 28-yard field goal to extend the APSU lead.
GOVS 52, LU 3 – Austin Peay State University made a change at quarterback, and backup Skyler Locklear connected on each of his three passes on a quick scoring drive. He opened with a nine-yard pass to Singleton, then a four-yard pass to Kenny Odom, before a 46-yard touchdown pass to Odom, who made a one-handed catch in the end zone to cap the drive.
GOVS 52, LU 10 – Lindenwood followed up the APSU Govs scoring drive with their only touchdown drive of the game. Backup quarterback Carter Davis and running back Justin Williams led the Lions move down the field. Davis ran for 16 yards, and two plays later, Williams charged down the field for a 22-yard touchdown run.
