Richmond, KY – Good teams win, great teams win in overtime on the road… twice.
Kam Thomas caught two touchdown passes and amassed 204 reception yards, and Tre Shackelford and Mike DiLiello connected on a walk-off touchdown in overtime as the No. 17 Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team outlasted Eastern Kentucky 33-30 Saturday at Roy Kidd Stadium in United Athletic Conference action.
Austin Peay (7-2, 4-0 UAC) tied a program record with its seventh consecutive victory, matching the mark set by the 2019 team. It is the first seven-game regular season win streak in program history. In addition, the Governors took control of the UAC title race, holding a one-game advantage over the rest of the league with two games remaining.
But it took the final until the fourth quarter for the game to take off offensively. After the teams combined for 16 points in the first quarter – the Governors leading 10-6 after the opening frame – the defenses had their way for over 32 minutes of game time. Austin Peay State University broke through again with Maddux Trujillo’s 33-yard field goal just 58 seconds into the fourth quarter, giving the Govs a 13-6 lead.
But all that seemed to do was pop the lid off both team’s offenses. Austin Peay State University would extend its lead to 20-6 on its next drive as Thomas caught a 54-yard pass from DiLiello. But just as it seemed the APSU Govs had gained momentum, Eastern Kentucky countered with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that Braedon Sloan capped with a four-yard touchdown run.
Eastern Kentucky (4-5, 3-1 UAC) used that score to turn the momentum its way. The Colonels defense held the Govs to a five-play drive before forcing a punt. They marched 83 yards in eight plays to tie the game with Patrick McKinney’s five-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Smith.
APSU responded quickly, getting the ball with 2:18 remaining and moving the ball 75 yards in eight plays to score on Kenny Odom’s 32-yard reception from DiLiello with 39 seconds left. Eastern Kentucky was undeterred, going 75 yards in 37 seconds on their final possession of regulation. McKinney connected with Jalen Burbage for the 11-yard game-tying touchdown.
In overtime, Eastern Kentucky’s possession started with quick plays of nine and 13 yards to get the ball to the Austin Peay State University three-yard line. But the Governors’ defense stiffened in the nick of time, allowing one yard on the following three plays to force a 22-yard Patrick Nations field goal as EKU took its only lead.
Austin Peay State University’s overtime possession did not get off to a promising start, with the first two plays being a rush for no gain and an incomplete pass. But on third down, DiLiello found Shackelford in a soft spot in the defense, and the connection went for a game-winning 25-yard touchdown.
Thomas’s 204-yard day was the first by a Governors’ receiver since Drae McCray’s 237-yard day against Tennessee Tech in 2021. Jevon Jackson ran for 120 yards on 25 carries for his fifth 100-yard rushing day in the Govs’ last six games.
DiLiello completed 18-of-28 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns – his third game of four-plus touchdowns. He completed 12-of-17 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns in the second half and overtime.
Austin Peay State University’s defense finished with six tackles for loss, three sacks, and eight pass breakups. Michael Ruttlen Jr. led the defense with a 12-tackle effort that included a pass breakup. Kory Chapman also had 10 tackles. Travis Bates finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a pass breakup.
McKinney led Eastern Kentucky with a 34-of-52 outing that included 396 passing yards and three touchdowns. He went 21-of-33 for 294 yards and three touchdowns in the second half and overtime. Jaden Smith caught 11 passes for 130 yards.
Next Up For APSU Football
The Austin Peay State University football team begins its final two-game homestand when it hosts Utah Tech in a November 11th, 2:00pm UAC game at Fortera Stadium. Tickets for the Military Appreciation Game are available online through Ticketmaster.
Scoring Summary
GOVS 3, EKU 0 – Austin Peay State University looked to go deep early on its opening drive, and DiLiello found Kam Thomas for a 38-yard completion on the game’s third play from scrimmage. Jevon Jackson followed with a five-yard run, but the APSU Govs saw two passes fall incomplete to force fourth down on the edge of the red zone. Maddux Trujillo’s 38-yard field goal split the uprights, giving the Govs the early lead.
GOVS 3, EKU 6 – After an exchange of punts, EKU set up its second drive on its 45-yard line. The Colonels moved the ball down the field with a Joshua Carter 10-yard run and a McKinney 10-yard reception the drive’s only big plays. McKinney closed the drive with a three-yard completion to Hunter Brown in the back of the end zone. However, the Colonels’ PAT kick was blocked by Travis Bates, keeping APSU within three points.
GOVS 10, EKU 6 – On the ensuing kickoff, Jaden Barnes broke off a 40-yard return to put the Govs on their 41-yard line to start the answering scoring drive. DiLiello ran for five yards on the first play and completed a 12-yard pass to Trey Goodman on the second play. On the third play, Kam Thomas was left wide open down the Govs sideline, and DiLiello dropped the ball right into his hands for a 42-yard touchdown reception to regain the lead.
GOVS 13, EKU 6 – Neither team would score for the next 32:47 until Austin Peay pieced together a 10-play, 74-yard drive. Austin Peay State University nearly saw the drive stall before midfield when a holding penalty put it behind the sticks. DiLiello kept the drive alive with a 38-yard completion to Thomas, putting the Govs on the EKU 20-yard line. The Govs could only move the ball five more yards, but Trujillo converted the long drive into points with his 33-yard field goal to tie the APSU career field goal mark.
GOVS 20, EKU 6 – Austin Peay State University broke through for its second touchdown on its next possession. Another holding penalty put the Govs behind the sticks with a 2nd-and-18 in its own territory. DiLiello got some of it back with an eight-yard completion to Tre Shackelford. After a timeout, DiLiello found Thomas at the EKU 45-yard line, and the Govs’ wide receiver spun away from a would-be tackler and then dashed the remaining 45 yards for a 54-yard touchdown catch-and-carry.
GOVS 20, EKU 13 – On the ensuing EKU drive, Austin Peay State University nearly ended the drive with a three-and-out but committed a penalty that kept the Colonels’ drive alive. McKinney then completed a trio of passes that covered 51 yards and moved the ball to APSU’s four-yard line. Braedon Sloan ended the drive with a four-yard run up the middle, cutting the Govs’ lead to a single score.
GOVS 20, EKU 20 – Austin Peay State University saw its next drive stalled at midfield, and EKU took over at its 17-yard line after a Govs’ punt. McKinney opened the drive with a 29-yard completion to Mo Edwards and later added a 43-yard completion to Jaden Smith, getting the ball to the APSU five-yard line. A holding penalty moved the ball back to the 15, and APSU got EKU into a 4th-and-Goal at the five-yard line. McKinney converted the opportunity with a five-yard pass to Smith, tying the game.
GOVS 27, EKU 20 – Getting the ball back with 2:18 remaining, DiLiello marshaled the Governors down the field. He completed 4-of-5 passes on the drive, including a 12-yard completion to Kenny Odom to convert a 3rd-and-6 early. He would find Odom again on a 32-yard touchdown pass that saw the Govs receiver speed down the APSU sideline to give APSU the lead again.
GOVS 27, EKU 27 – Eastern Kentucky took possession with 39 seconds remaining, and McKinney matched his counterpart’s effort, completing 5-of-6 passes for 85 yards. A 22-yard completion to Braedon Sloan got the ball into Austin Peay State Univeristy territory. After a 17-yard completion, the APSU defense got its third sack when KT Owens got to McKinney for a 10-yard loss. McKinney got 16 yards back on a completion to Jaden Smith, and with five seconds remaining, he found Jalen Burbage for an 11-yard touchdown completion.
First Overtime
GOVS 27, EKU 30 – EKU got overtime’s first possession and opened with McKinney completing a nine-yard pass and Joshua Carter following with a 13-yard run to set up a 1st-and-Goal at the five-yard line. The APSU defense stuffed a quarterback keeper, got a key tackle for loss, and an incompletion to force a field-goal attempt. Patrick Nations converted the 22-yard field goal to give EKU the lead.
GOVS 27, EKU 30 – APSU followed, and its drive started slowly with a run for no game and an incomplete pass. On third down, DiLiello found Shackelford in an open spot at the seven-yard line, and Shackelford dashed toward the goal line for a touchdown that held up after review.
