Cedar City, UT – Mike DiLiello’s only touchdown throw of the night came with perfect timing as he found Trey Goodman in the end zone to lift No. 24-ranked Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team to a 48-45 double-overtime victory against Southern Utah in United Athletic Conference action Saturday at Eccles Stadium.
Austin Peay (5-2, 2-0 UAC) first had to overcome a 21-point deficit – its largest deficit since the season opener at Southern Illinois – with 37 minutes remaining in regulation. They promptly scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions, wiping out that deficit in just over 12 minutes as DiLiello ran for a score, Jevon Jackson ran for another, and then Trey Goodman tossed a 54-yard touchdown pass to Tre Shackelford to level the score with 14:50 left in the game.
The game took a breath over the next three possessions before Austin Peay State University mounted a furious charge to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. Jevon Jackson led the effort with six carries for 58 yards, including a 23-yard burst to move the ball to the SUU 10-yard line. Two plays later, DiLiello broke loose for a 10-yard touchdown run to give APSU a 42-35 lead with 2:21 remaining in regulation.
Southern Utah (2-5, 1-2 UAC) again proved to be a tough team to knock out. Taking over on their 25-yard line, Justin Miller completed five straight passes to cover the 75 yards in just 1:02 off the clock, his 16-yard touchdown to Joshua Accord tying the game and eventually forcing overtime as neither team scored on their final possession of regulation.
In the first extra period, the Thunderbirds seemed to take control of the game when they picked off a deflected pass to end APSU’s opening possession after just three plays. But Austin Peay State University’s defense did not allow a yard to the Southern Utah offense, and a 42-yard field goal attempt clanged off the left goalpost, sending the game to a second overtime.
Southern Utah had the second overtime’s first possession and got a first down two plays in – the first by either team in overtime. But the APSU Govs’ defense got a 12-yard sack by Jau’von Young that stalled the drive, and the Thunderbirds settled for a 40-yard Tyler Graham field goal to take a 45-42 lead.
Austin Peay State University took over, and after two plays went for minus one yard, DiLiello found Jackson for a pivotal 14-yard completion for a first down at the SUU 12-yard line. Jackson then ran for four yards before DiLiello connected with Goodman on a quick slant for the walk-off touchdown.
DiLiello battled through a rough night under center, completing 16-of-31 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown against two interceptions, and was sacked three times. However, he rushed for 61 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries to help pace a 438-yard night by the offense.
Shackleford caught six of those passes for 123 yards and a touchdown to lead the APSU Govs’ receivers corps. Goodman had four receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Jackson ended the night with 92 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and was not tackled for a loss on the night.
Defensively, Tyler Long led Austin Peay State University with 17 tackles, tying his season-best set in the season opener at Southern Illinois. Hosea Knifeley had 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. The Governors had 10 pass breakups in the game, and Knifeley was one of three defenders with two breakups.
Justin Miller completed 24-of-42 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns to lead Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds also ran for 223 yards on 47 carries, with Braedon Wissler finishing with a team-best 106 yards and a touchdown.
Next Up For APSU Football
The Austin Peay State University Football team now looks ahead to Homecoming Week and a Saturday UAC 3:00pm contest against North Alabama. Tickets for the Homecoming affair are available online at Ticketmaster.
Scoring Summary
GOVS 0, SUU 7 – Southern Utah started its opening drive on its 29-yard line and got to midfield in two Braedon Wissler rushes, including a 20-yarder. The Thunderbirds didn’t have a play of 10 yards or more the rest of the drive, but an Austin Peay State University personal foul penalty provided a chunk of yardage that put SUU on the edge of the red zone. Miller completed the drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Chase Merrell.
GOVS 7, SUU 7 – Austin Peay State University started its second drive on its 25-yard line and turned to the ground game. DiLiello ran three times for 34 yards on the drive – two of those runs converting first downs. Jackson added 25 yards on two carries, including 23 yards on the game-tying touchdown dash.
GOVS 14, SUU 7 – Kam Thomas again proved why he’s the most dangerous man in the country on punt returns. After the APSU Govs defense forced a three-and-out, the Thunderbirds punted to Thomas, who received the punt at the 18-yard line, he immediately sprinted past two defenders and raced down the field for an 82-yard punt return touchdown to give APSU the lead.
GOVS 14, SUU 14 – The Thunderbirds responded to the punt return touchdown with a 16-play, 75-yard drive. Wissler’s two-yard touchdown, one of his five carries, capped the drive. SUU used four different ball carriers, the quartet amassing 62 yards on 10 carries.
GOVS 14, SUU 21 – Austin Peay State University nearly took advantage of a 50-yard Stephens punt and a muffed return by SUU that put them on their own six-yard line. After three plays gained only eight yards, SUU faced 4th-and-2 on its 14-yard line. The Thunderbirds kept the drive alive as they dialed up a fake punt, with up-man Jordan Jefferson getting the first down on a 13-yard run. On the next play, backup quarterback Grady Robinson kept the ball and burst through the middle of the line for a 73-yard touchdown run.
GOVS 14, SUU 28 – Late in the first half, SUU got the game’s first turnover and converted into points on a Hail Mary pass. Southern Utah’s AJ Felton intercepted a pass at midfield with 45 seconds left in the half. The Thunderbirds lost five yards on a penalty to start the drive, but it stalled at their 43-yard line and appeared to run out of time. But an Austin Peay penalty extended the half for an untimed down. Southern Utah’s Grady Robison heaved the ball to the APSU end zone, where the defense attempted to bat the ball down. Unfortunately for the Govs, the ball bounced off a set of shoulder pads and landed in the hands of an SUU receiver for a touchdown.
GOVS 14, SUU 35 – SUU got the ball for the first possession of the second half and pieced together an eight-play, 87-yard drive to extend its lead. Justin Miller hit passes of 49 and 31 yards on back-to-back plays to get the ball to the APSU five-yard line. The Govs’ defense held firm for a pair of plays for no gain, but Miller found Isaiah Wooden on a five-yard pass to extend the lead to 21 points.
GOVS 21, SUU 35 – Austin Peay State University returned the favor on its first drive of the half, going 75 yards and nine plays. DiLiello found Trey Goodman for a 42-yard strike on the drive’s first play, and APSU was quickly into SUU territory. DiLiello then rushed for 14 yards on back-to-back plays before finding Goodman on a 13-yard reception to move the ball inside the 10-yard line. Four plays later, the Govs punched the ball into the end zone with DiLiello’s one-yard run.
GOVS 28, SUU 35 – After the APSU Govs defense forced a three-and-out, the offense started on its 31-yard line. DiLiello hit three of his first five passes for 17 yards before keeping the ball himself for a 23-yard carry. A pair of SUU penalties moved the ball 24 yards to the seven-yard line. After a false start penalty, Thomas got eight yards on a rush, and Jackson covered the final four yards for the touchdown.
GOVS 35, SUU 35 – Austin Peay State University had to stave off poor field position on its next drive of the second half, starting at its three-yard line. DiLiello got the Govs out from the shadow of their own goalposts with a 43-yard completion to Shackleford to end the third quarter. On the other side of the break, the APSU Govs dug into their playbook with the ball ending up in Trey Goodman’s hands after a couple of handoffs in the backfield. Goodman feinted once, then launched the ball downfield, where Shackelford backpedaled into the end zone and made the catch while falling to the ground for the tying score.
GOVS 42, SUU 35 – After a series of three punts, Austin Peay State University took over on its 25-yard line with 6:05 remaining in regulation. Jevon Jackson highlighted the drive with six carries for 58 yards, including a 23-yard run that got the APSU Govs to the SUU 10-yard line. After an incomplete pass, DiLiello broke around the left side of the defense and ran 10 yards to the corner for the go-ahead score.
GOVS 42, SUU 42 – On the ensuing drive, Southern Utah started at its 25-yard line with 2:21 left. Justin Miller completed all five of his passes on the drive, covering the entire 75 yards needed. His 16-yard touchdown completion to Joshua Accord with 1:02 left tied the game.
GOVS 42, SUU 45 – After neither team scored in the first overtime, Southern Utah started the second overtime by quickly moving the ball to the APSU 12-yard line. But the Thunderbirds’ drive stalled after Jau’Von Young’s 12-yard sack of Miller, and SUU settled for a 40-yard Tyler Graham field goal to take the lead.
GOVS 48, SUU 45 – In its second overtime half, Austin Peay State University got off to a slow start and lost a yard on its first two plays. But DiLiello got a key first down with a 14-yard completion to Jackson, getting the ball to the 12-yard line. Jackson ran four yards before DiLiello hit Goodman for the eight-yard walk-off touchdown.
