Conway, AR – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team fell to #7 Central Arkansas 45-17 in its United Athletic Conference opener, Saturday, at Estes Stadium.
After back-to-back punts by Austin Peay (0-3, 0-1 UAC) and Central Arkansas (2-1, 1-0 UAC), the APSU Govs used 12 plays to score the game’s first points, coming off the right foot of Carson Smith from 39 yards out.
Central Arkansas answered Austin Peay State University’s field goal with three of their own after Bears’ running back ShunDerrick Powell accounted for 26 of UCA’s 52 yards on the drive. The Bears reached APSU’s 16-yard line after eight plays, but were unable to advance further, after losing 23 yards on a fumble caused by Ellis Ellis Jr. and settling for a 40-yard field goal.
After combining for 84 yards in the first quarter, the Governors and Bears totaled 229 yards in the second period.
Central Arkansas scored the game’s first touchdown on the second play of the quarter on a 59-yard punt return touchdown following an APSU three-and-out.
The Govs answered UCA’s score with a 36-yard touchdown run on an end-around by Jaden Barnes up the right sideline.
UCA took over on APSU’ 42 following an illegal touching on an onside kick attempt, but was unable to capitalize on the field position due to Sammy Anderson Jr.’s second interception of the season in the endzone.
After scoreless possessions by both sides, UCA scored on two of its final three possessions of the second quarter with the first coming off a 51-yard rush by Darius Hale. The Bears then extended their lead on a drive in which Powell accounted for all 59 yards, including the 12-yard touchdown reception.
The Bears scored back-to-back touchdowns on the ground to take a 38-10 lead with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter, the Govs then answered with a touchdown of their own, coming on a 36-yard, one-handed grab by Jaden Barnes in the endzone.
The final score of the game came on a 63-yard rush by Powell with 24 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Austin Smith led the Govs’ passing attack, going 15-for-26 for 159 yards and a touchdown through the air. Jaden Barnes led APSU in receiving yards with 52 yards on three receptions, while La’Vell Wright paced APSU’s ground game with 11 rushes for 57 yards.
Defensively, Jaden Lyles led the APSU Govs with 11 tackles, while Ellis Ellis Jr. paced the team with three tackles for loss.
Central Arkansas was led by a stout run game that totaled 309 yards on 43 carries. ShunDerrick Powell led the Bears’ rushing attack with 179 rushing yards on 22 carries, while both he and Darius Hale had two touchdowns on the ground.
Jace Benesch led UCA with seven tackles, while five Bears tallied a sack in the outing.
Scoring Summary
APSU 3, UCA 0 – 12 plays, 43 yards, 4:59
After both sides opened the game with punts, the Governors took over on their own 35 following a 32-yard boot by the Bears. Austin Smith connected with Romon Copeland Jr. on back-to-back pass plays. Smith rushed for three yards on 3rd-and-4, then connected with Alec Pell for 16 yards to convert a fourth-down attempt. La’Vell Wright rushed for 20 yards on his next three carries to put the Govs in the redzone, but a holding call on 3rd-and-2 stalled the drive, resulting in a 39-yard field goal by Carson Smith.
APSU 3, UCA 3 – 13 plays, 52 yards, 5:34
Central Arkansas took over on its own 25 after the Govs’ score and took just four plays to reach Austin Peay territory after a 15-yard rush by ShunDerrick Powell. After reaching the APSU 16, the Bears lost 23 yards on a fumble caused by Ellis Ellis Jr., but regained yardage on the following play on a roughing the passer call. A pair of incomplete passes and a rush by Powell for a minimal gain resulted in the 40-yard field goal by Central Arkansas’ Jake Gaster.
APSU 3, UCA 10 – 0 plays, 59 yards, 0:10
Central Arkansas’ Trejan Bridges returned a 40-yard APSU punt 59 yards for a touchdown.
APSU 10, UCA 10 – 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:12
Austin Smith found Jade Kneeland for 24 yards on the drive’s first play. Following a UCA personal foul, wide receiver Jaden Barnes took an end-around 36 yards up the right sideline for his first-career rushing touchdown.
APSU 10, UCA 17 – 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:15
A Governors’ unsportsmanlike on 3rd-and-2 kept a UCA drive alive, as the Bears used just three plays after the penalty to find the endzone, scoring on a 51-yard rush by Darius Hale up the middle to retake the lead.
APSU 10, UCA 24 – 6 plays, 59 yards, 1:22
ShunDerrick Powell accounted for all 59 yards on UCA’s fourth scoring drive of the first half, which was highlighted by a 42-yard run on 3rd-and-17. After a 12-yard rush by Powell on the ensuing play, UCA quarterback Will McElvain found his running back in the backfield for a 12-yard receiving touchdown.
APSU 10, UCA 31 – 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:50
A 54-yard completion from Will McElvain to Manny Smith highlighted the opening drive of the second half, which was capped off by a four-yard rushing touchdown by Darius Hale.
APSU 10, UCA 38 – 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:29
The Bears rushed eight times on their second drive of the half, with ShunDerrick Powell carrying the load with five carries for 45 yards on the drive, including the 11-yard touchdown.
APSU 17, UCA 38 – 6 plays, 77 yards, 2:31|
A 13-yard run by La’Vell Wright put the Govs on their own 43 and was followed by back-to-back passes by Austin Smith for 21 yards. Following a nine-yard catch by Romon Copeland Jr., Smith found a streaking Jaden Barnes in the endzone, who made a one-handed grab for his second touchdown of the day.
APSU 17, UCA 45 – 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:33
ShunDerrick Powell scored his second rushing touchdown of the day on a 63-yard run on the drive’s third play to answer the Govs’ score.
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Next Up For APSU Football
The Austin Peay State University football team returns home to take on Alabama A&M on September 21st for a 6:00pm game at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee. The Week 4 contest between the Governors and Bulldogs will be streamed on ESPN+.
