Clarksville, TN – The first of three straight games at Fortera Stadium awaits the 11th-ranked Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team when the Governors square off against longtime in-state rival and former Ohio Valley Conference foe UT Martin in a Saturday 1:00pm kickoff from Fortera Stadium.
Saturday’s game will be carried on ESPN+, with Barry Gresham and Ethan Schmidt on the call.
Austin Peay State University opened United Athletic Conference play last week against 20th-ranked West Florida, dispatching the Argonauts 38-16 in the largest ranked road win in program history. The APSU Govs forced three West Florida turnovers, including a 70-yard pick-six by Justin Wimpye that effectively sealed the game for the Govs.
Austin Peay State University’s defense dominated the proceedings; in addition to the three forced turnovers, the APSU Govs lived in the Argonaut backfield, tallying 10 tackles for loss and four sacks; UAC Defensive Player of the Week Malik Denkins (4.5 TFL) and DeMoris Jenkins (1.5 sacks) led the push off the edge for the Governors.
Offensively, Austin Peay State University pressed the BIG PLAY button repeatedly last week, with five plays going for 30 or more yards, including touchdowns by Jaden Robinson (61-yard reception) and Denver Harper (41-yard rush).
Notably
DEFEND THE FORT
Austin Peay State University finished the 2025 regular season with a 6-0 record at home, posting the fourth undefeated season at home in program history. The APSU Govs went 4-0 at home in 1940, 6-0 in 1949, and 5-0 in 1964.
The Governors posted the second undefeated regular season in Fortera Stadium (renamed in 2016) history, joining the 2023 UAC Championship team that went 5-0 at The Fort in the regular season, before falling to Chattanooga at home in the first round of the FCS Playoffs.
The APSU Govs’ six wins at home also matched the 1949 and 2019 OVC Championship teams for the most wins at home in a season in program history. After a win at The Fort against Morehead State, Austin Peay State University’s eight-game winning streak at home equaled the longest home winning streak for the Govs in program history, joining the 1964-65 streak.
#WeWILLÂ
Each week, one Austin Peay player is chosen to wear the No. 0 jersey in honor of Will Hardrick, who tragically passed away in May 2025. Each Monday of the season, head coach Jeff Faris selects the player who best exemplifies Hardrick’s character and work ethic to wear the No. 0 jersey that week.
For the UT Martin game, defensive lineman Malik Denkins (usually wearing No. 81) will wear the No. 0 for the Govs.
Leap Year
Head coach Jeff Faris looks to keep the momentum from his second-year improvement at Austin Peay, which saw a three-win improvement from Year One (4-8) to Year Two (7-5)—tied for the fifth-largest leap by a second-year head coach in FCS in 2025, alongside former Gardner-Webb head coach Cris Reisert, who left after the season to become the offensive coordinator at Toledo.
Eight-or-more victories in 2026 would make Faris just the second head coach (out of 22) in the 90-year history of Austin Peay to improve their win total each of their first three seasons.
QB1 Milestone TrackerÂ
The UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and a Preseason All-American, Chris Parson, continued his climb up the record book last week against Morehead State. In just his 16th game under center for APSU, Parson ranks seventh all-time in both career passing yards (3,836) and passing touchdowns (29).
He now needs 50 yards to tie Draylen Ellis (2020-21) and one passing score to match Jeremiah Oatsvall (2017-20) for sixth all-time. Parson’s rushing score against West Florida, his 16th as a Gov, moved him to 10th all-time in career rushing touchdowns and needs one more to tie Ryan White (2007-11) and Mike Lewis (1985-87, 89) for eighth all-time.
He is now just three rushing touchdowns behind JaVaughn Craig for the most by a quarterback in program history. Through the first four weeks of 2026, Parson leads the FCS in yards per completion (18.51) and ranks sixth nationally with a 181.9 passing efficiency, which currently sits as the best single-season mark in program history, surpassing his own 160.8 mark last season.
Parson is second in the UAC and 32nd in the FCS with six passing touchdowns, while his 48 points responsible for are also second in the UAC and 27th in the FCS.
About the UT Martin Skyhawks
Last MeetingÂ
The Govs had one of the most productive defensive days in the history of the program against the Skyhawks in 2021, with pick-sixes by Koby Perry (75 yards) and Isaiah Norman (8 yards), one of just two games in APSU history with multiple defensive scores.
In a rarity during the Scotty Walden Era, the offense never managed to get on track, picking up less than 200 yards total offense and only mustering two plays for longer than 20 yards.
The Governor held the Skyhawks scoreless for the entire first half before the UT Martin rushing attack picked up the pace, gaining 142 of the Skyhawks’ 167 rushing yards in the final 30 minutes of play.
Preseason OutlookÂ
The overwhelming preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorites, UT Martin, received six first-place votes in the preseason poll (Southeast Missouri and Lindenwood each received one). This despite the Skyhawks losing 10 of 11 first- or second team All-OVC performers from 2025, returning only long-snapper Hayden King.
Offensive OptionsÂ
With redshirt freshman Tate Surber under center, the Skyhawks are leaning heavily on a two-headed monster in the running game.
The duo of Tommy Ansley and Chris Franklin combined for just over 1,000 yards out of the backfield a year ago and are already over 400 as a dual threat this season.
The Skyhawks have failed to break 200 yards passing in three of four games this season, although in the one contest in which they did find success through the air, Surber spread the ball out to Anthony Carter, Connie Hewitt II, and Mekhia Sherrard, each of whom had three catches against Chicago State.
Defensive DefinitionÂ
The Skyhawk defense has been opportunistic, as one of just eight FCS programs with multiple defensive scores this season — a Trey Cotton pick-six against Central Arkansas and a John Betts III fumble recovery for scores two weeks ago at West Virginia. Cotton, a sophomore out of Louisville, is the engine of the UT Martin defense, also leading the Skyhawks in tackles (32) and tackles for loss (2.5).
Next Up For APSU Football
The middle match in this three-game homestand will serve as Homecoming 2026; the Austin Peay State University football team will take on FCS newcomer New Haven on October 3rd for a 4:00pm kickoff from Fortera Stadium.
Season and single-game tickets are on sale now by calling 931.221.PEAY. For news, updates, and future ticket information, follow Austin Peay State University football on X (@GovsFB), Instagram (@GovsFootball), and Facebook, or stay tuned here at LetsGoPeay.com.
To follow all Governors sports and get live stats, schedules, and access to your ticket account, download the new-and-improved Lets Go Peay app for iOS and Android.
