Clarksville, TN – Despite matching its season-best mark with three takeaways, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team dropped a 30-27 overtime decision to Eastern Kentucky in United Athletic Conference play on Saturday at Fortera Stadium.
Austin Peay (4-7, 3-5 UAC) scored 10 points before Eastern Kentucky’s (74, 5-2 UAC) first offensive play. Carson Smith connected on a 31-yard field goal on APSU’s first drive and Austin Smith found Jackson Head from two yards out following an EKU fumble on the kickoff that C. Smith recovered.
The Colonels got on the board with a touchdown in the final 10 seconds of the first quarter and held APSU to a three-and-out on the first drive of the second quarter. However, the APSU Govs took advantage of EKU’s second fumble of the afternoon when A. Smith connected with Jaden Barnes for a 60-yard touchdown on the Govs’ first play following the takeaway.
A Romon Copeland Jr. one-yard rushing touchdown at the end of the first half was the Govs’ final score of regulation, as the Colonels scored 17 unanswered points in the final 30 minutes – including a game-tying quarterback sneak with 13 remaining in the fourth quarter – to force overtime.
Austin Peay State University received the ball to begin the overtime period, which resulted in a 23-yard field goal by C. Smith, but the Colonels scored a walkoff 23-yard touchdown on their second play from scrimmage.
A. Smith went 23-of-35 with 239 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He connected with Barnes a game-high eight times for 131 yards and one score.
Bo Spearman led the APSU defense with 10 tackles – including eight solo stops – while Davion Hood paced the team with three tackles for loss.
Eastern Kentucky quarterback Matt Morrissey went 21-of-33 through the air for 230 yards and one touchdown. He found Marcus Calwise six times for a team-best 83 receiving yards.
Mike Smith Jr. led the Colonels defense with six tackles, while four Colonels recorded a tackle for loss in the decision.
Scoring Summary
APSU 3, EKU 0 – 10 plays, 65 yards, 5:14
Austin Peay threw the ball six times on the opening drive of the game, with Jaden Barnes tallying five receptions for 51 yards. Barnes caught a 40-yard pass from Austin Smith on the first offensive play, advancing the Govs to EKU’s 39-yard line.
Barnes caught three-straight passes later in the drive, with the final being a seven-yard reception on third-and-five. The Govs could not pick up a third-and-nine from the EKU 16-yard line, resulting in a 31-yard field goal by Carson Smith.
APSU 10, EKU 0 – 5 plays, 31 yards, 2:17
After taking over on the EKU 31-yard line following a Courtland Simmons forced fumble and Carson Smith recovery on kickoff, Jaden Barnes took a handoff 14 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Austin Smith connected with Corey Richardson on the following play for a 14-yard completion to put APSU on the EKU three-yard line.
After back-to-back rushes totaled a yard, A. Smith connected with tight end Jackson Head from two yards out for the day’s first touchdown.
APSU 10, EKU 7 – 13 plays, 81 yards, 6:57
Eastern Kentucky picked up 35 yards on the opening four plays of its first offensive drive. Quarterback Matt Morrissey rushed for 17 yards before gaining seven yards on a run two plays later.
EKU running back Joshua Carter then ran the ball on four-straight plays, with his final attempt finding paydirt from one-yard out.
APSU 17, EKU 7 – 1 play, 60 yards, 0:09
Garrett Hawkins recovered an Eastern Kentucky fumble around midfield. After taking over on its own 40-yard line, Austin Smith found Jaden Barnes at the EKU 15-yard line, who dashed into the endzone to extend the Govs’ lead early in the second quarter.
APSU 24, EKU 7 – 7 plays, 55 yards, 1:22
The Colonels’ first punt of the day gave APSU possession on their own 45-yard line. Austin Smith went 5-for-5 through the air on the drive, connecting with five different receivers. An 11-yard reception by Malik Bowen-Sims was followed by an 11-yard Kaden Williams rush.
After a trio of passes, Romon Copeland Jr. rushed into the endzone from one yard out for the final score of the first half.
APSU 24, EKU 10 – 13 plays, 51 yards, 6:08
Eastern Kentucky went 4-of-7 through the air and rushed five times on its first scoring drive of the second half. After a 10-yard connection from Matt Morrissey to Ron Vann Jr. to open the drive, Morrissey rushed on back-to-back plays for 10 yards. An Austin Peay defensive pass interference gave the Colonels the ball at the APSU 42-yard line.
An 18-yard catch by Jayden West was EKU’s final play for positive yardage, as the Colonels settled for a 36-yard field goal.
APSU 24, EKU 17 – 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:02
Three-straight Matt Morrissey passes for 10-plus yards advanced Eastern Kentucky to the Austin Peay 27-yard line. The Colonels’ signal caller then connected with wide receiver Marcus Calwise for a touchdown from 13 yards out, trimming the Govs’ lead to seven on the fourth play of the fourth quarter.
APSU 24, EKU 24 – 9 plays, 45 yards, 3:03
Eastern Kentucky took over on the APSU 45-yard line following a 42-yard punt by Dominik Stadlman with 3:16 remaining in regulation. After back-to-back runs, Matt Morrissey connected with Ron Vann Jr. for 18 yards, before finding Marcus Calwise Jr. for 19 yards three plays later.
Following three runs for no gain inside the Govs’ three-yard line, Morrissey found the endzone on a quarterback sneak with 13 seconds to play.
APSU 27, EKU 24 – 6 plays, 19 yards
La’Vell Wright handled the ball on the opening two plays of overtime, rushing 11 yards. Austin Smith then connected with Romon Copeland Jr. on the next two completed passes, but the final catch came two yards short of the first-down marker, bringing out Carson Smith for a 23-yard field goal.
APSU 27, EKU 30 – 2 plays, 25 yards.
After a two-yard gain by running back Brayden Latham, Joshua Carter found the endzone for a game-winning, 23-yard rush through the Austin Peay defense.
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Next Up For APSU Football
The final of three-straight games at Fortera Stadium to close out the regular season is up next when the Austin Peay State University football team takes on Chattanooga in a rematch of last year’s FCS Playoff’s First Round game on November 16th 1:00pm game in Clarksville. The Week 12 contest between the Governors and Mocs will be streamed on ESPN+.
