Clarksville, TN – With two 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team scored 28 second-half points to power past Gardner-Webb for a 41-14 nonconference victory Saturday at Fortera Stadium.
Austin Peay (4-2) led 13-7 at halftime courtesy Maddux Trujillo’s second-quarter field goals of 44 and 29 yards. After the break, the APSU Govs’ Kory Chapman pushed the Govs lead to two scores for the first time, 20-7, with a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Gardner-Webb (2-4) responded with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive after the pick-six. Quarterback Jaylen King found Jaylen King for a 17-yard touchdown pass to narrow the APSU lead to 20-14 with 6:00 left in the third quarter.
The APSU defense held Gardner-Webb scoreless the rest of the way, and Govs quarterback Mike DiLiello led scoring drives of 65, 60, and 80 yards over the final 17:18. He found Brenen Hawkins for a seven-yard score and a 27-14 lead. Jaden Barnes hauled in a 33-yard touchdown pass for a 34-14 lead to start the fourth quarter. DiLiello then capped the scoring with an eight-yard touchdown run with 1:12 left.
DiLiello passed for 372 yards – sixth-most in program history – and completed 31-of-41 passes for two touchdowns. He had a 12-completion streak to start the game and later had a 10-completion streak. Tre Shackelford caught eight passes for 126 yards, and Trey Goodman had five receptions for 101 yards.
Talking about the passing game, Austin Peay State University quarterback Mike DiLiello stated, “It starts with the guys up front. I feel like we protected better than we have all year, I mean, they had a phenomenal defensive line. They were long and were good pass rushers, and we handled it very well up front. We had a great game plan. Coach Walden did a phenomenal job, but those guys on the front five did a great job as well.”
“We just walked in here, and Casey told me I had 300 yards, and I didn’t even know. The first thing out of my mouth and his mouth was it’s really easy when those guys that receive are getting wide open for you. We scheme a lot of things up for certain guys to get certain picks and certain guys to get open, and it’s their job to do the rest when they get the football, and they did a phenomenal job with that tonight,” said DiLiello.
Jevon Jackson scored the Govs first touchdown of the day and finished with 108 yards on 25 carries, becoming the first APSU running back since 2011 with three consecutive 100-yard rushing performances.
Chapman’s pick-six was the highlight of an eight-tackle day, including a pair of tackles for loss. Jau’von Young had eight tackles, including 1.5 sacks.
King led Gardner-Webb with 153 passing yards and 65 rushing yards, completing 19-of-35 passes. The Runnin’ Bulldogs finished with 300 offensive yards.
“I am so proud of our program. I feel like we are a complete team win. We came in at halftime and made some halftime adjustments. Gardner Webb is a good football team. They are a playoff team; they went to the postseason last season, and we’re trying to be where they are at. I think one thing that is getting overlooked is that we have beaten the reigning WAC champions and the Bid South champions now. We are just trying to earn respect now. We feel like we have not garnered the respect we deserve,” stated APSU football head coach Scotty Walden.
Next Up For APSU Football
The Austin Peay State University football team now turns its attention to its final five games – all in United Athletic Conference play – beginning with a Saturday 7:00pm CT outing against Southern Utah in Cedar City, Utah.
Scoring Summary
GOVS 7, GWU 0 – Austin Peay State University took the opening kickoff and went 79 yards in 13 plays to score the game’s first touchdown. The drive moved methodically, with nine of the first 10 plays covering less than 10 yards. DiLiello broke that rhythm with a 38-yard completion to Tre Shackleford, moving the ball to the three-yard line. Two plays later, Jevon Jackson broke through the line for the touchdown.
GOVS 7, GWU 7 – Gardner-Webb began a drive at its 25-yard line after the teams traded three and outs. The APSU Govs stuffed a run on 3rd-and-1 to force a 4th-and-2 on the drive. After a GWU timeout, quarterback Jaylen King found his way through the drawn-in defense and ran 56 yards for a touchdown to tie the game.
GOVS 10, GWU 7 – Austin Peay State Universityresponded on the ensuing drive, overcoming a holding penalty on the first play from scrimmage. DiLiello negated the holding penalty with an 18-yard completion to Shackleford on second down. The APSU Govs moved the ball down the field bit by bit until the quarter break. After the break, the Govs didn’t gain a yard on two consecutive plays, forcing a field goal attempt. Maddux Trujillo converted the 44-yard opportunity to put the APSU Govs ahead again.
GOVS 13, GWU 7 – APSU Govs’ punter Riley Stephens pinned Gardner-Webb inside its only five-yard line with a 56-yard punt. Austin Peay State University’s defense kept the Running’ Bulldogs pinned with a three-and-out, and the resulting punt set the Govs offense up at midfield. DiLiello hit a 39-yard pass to Trey Goodman on the drive’s second play, and the Govs were at the GWU 10-yard line. The APSU Govs could not move the ball any further, and Trujillo finished the drive with a 29-yard field goal.
GOVS 20, GWU 7 – Austin Peay State University’s defense broke through in the third quarter. Kory Chapman stepped in front of a receiver to intercept a Jaylen King pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown.
GOVS 20, GWU 14 – Gardner-Webb shook off the pick-six on its next drive, going 75 yards in 10 plays. King completed a 24-yard pass early in the drive, and a later 16-yard completion moved the ball into APSU territory. King would connect on a 17-yard pass to Jayden Brown for the touchdown to keep the game within a single score.
GOVS 27, GWU 14 – Two Austin Peay State University drives later, the Govs nearly struck for a 65-yard touchdown completion but saw the play called back on a penalty. Jackson ran for four and 11 yards after the penalty to gain a first down. DiLiello then found Trey Goodman for a 43-yard completion, moving the ball to the seven-yard line. DiLiello completed the drive with a seven-yard touchdown toss to Brennan Hawkins.
GOVS 34, GWU 14 – The Governors secured the win at the start of the fourth quarter with a quick four-play scoring drive. DiLiello hit a 15-yard pass to Hawkins to start the quarter, and Jevon Jackson ran for 11 yards on the next play. DiLiello finished the scoring drive with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Barnes and the 20-point lead.
GOVS 41, GWU 14 – Austin Peay State University wrapped up the scoring on its final drive of the game. DiLiello moved the ball deep into Gardner-Webb territory with a 43-yard completion to Shackleford. After a pass interference penalty, DiLiello kept the ball for an eight-yard touchdown run.
