Clarksville, TN – Running back La’Vell Wright scored three touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 142 yards on eight carries to lead an Austin Peay State University (APSU) football rushing attack that tallied 331 yards in a 59-16 victory against Alabama A&M in the first win of the Jeff Faris Era, Saturday, at Fortera Stadium.
Austin Peay (1-3) set the tone early, with Sammy Anderson Jr. intercepting Alabama A&M (2-2) quarterback Cornelious Brown on the first offensive snap of the game for his third interception in as many games.
After a field goal on its first drive of the game, the Governors’ following three scores – all in the opening quarter – came from all three phases of the game. Austin Smith connected with Romon Copeland Jr. from 10 yards out for the first touchdown of the evening before safety Jesse Johnson III took advantage of a bad Bulldogs’ snap and returned the fumble 21 yards to the endzone midway through the opening period.
Copeland Jr. then scored Austin Peay’s first special teams touchdown of the season on an 82-yard punt return touchdown to extend the Govs’ advantage to 24-3 at the 4:48 mark in the first quarter.
Wright was the next Gov to score, with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second quarter, before kickstarting the second half with a 62-yard rushing touchdown on the first play of the third quarter.
Leading 45-3 after Wright’s final score, the Govs and Bulldogs exchanged touchdowns to end the game, with Kaden Williams and Corey Richardson picking up their first-career scores in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
Defensively, Austin Peay State University held the Alabama A&M to just 1.9 yards per carry on 30 attempts, while also intercepting a pair of passes.
In addition to Wright’s 142 yards on the ground, Corey Richardson tallied 102 rushing yards on nine attempts, while Kaden Williams finished with nine carries for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Dion Hunter led the Govs with seven tackles, while Hosea Knifeley Jr., Bo Spearman, and Jakari Patterson all picked up a tackle for loss in the win.
Brown went 13-of-23 through the air for the Bulldogs, with Donovan Eaglin finishing with a team-best 29 rushing yards on 12 attempts.
Scoring Summary
APSU 3, AAMU 0 – 4 plays, -1 yards, 1:21
After a game-opening interception by Sammy Anderson Jr., the APSU Govs could not gain yardage on their first drive, but Carson Smith scored the game’s first points on a 41-yard field goal.
APSU 3, AAMU 3 – 8 plays, 44 yards, 4:31
An eight-play Alabama A&M drive was highlighted by a 33-yard reception by DeQuadrion Welch that put the Bulldogs’ on the Govs’ 45-yard line on the second play of the drive. AAMU then gained 13 yards on back-to-back runs, but was limited to just five yards after the runs, resulting in a 48-yard, game-tying field goal.
APSU 10, AAMU 3 – 4 plays, 44 yards, 1:29
A 56-yard kickoff return by Romon Copeland Jr. set the APSU Govs at the AAMU 44-yard line. After a 15-yard pass from Austin Smith to Jaden Barnes and a Bulldogs’ roughing the passer penalty, Smith found Copeland Jr. at the seven-yard line, who eluded a trio of defenders and crossed into the endzone for the game’s first touchdown.
APSU 17, AAMU 3 – 0 plays, 21 yards
After a rush for no gain on the opening play of the drive, a bad snap resulted in a fumble, which Jesse Johnson III recovered for a 21-yard, scoop-and-score touchdown.
APSU 24, AAMU 3 – 0 plays, 82 yards
After an AAMU three-and-out, Bulldogs’ punter Austin McCready punted 55 yards to Romon Copeland Jr. at the 18-yard line. The Chesapeake, Virginia native sprinted up the right sideline, cut into the middle of the field at the AAMU 45-yard line, and used a left-handed stiff arm at the 18 before waltzing into the endzone for his first-career punt-return touchdown.
APSU 31, AAMU 3 – 1 play, 53 yards, 0:09
An Alabama A&M turnover on downs gave the Govs possession on their 47-yard line. It took just one play for the Govs to find paydirt again, with La’Vell Wright taking an inside handoff 53 yards to the endzone.
APSU 38, AAMU 3 – 12 plays, 95 yards, 5:19
Austin Peay State University’s longest drive of the season featured 10 carries, with O’Shaan Allison tallying the first five rushing attempts for 27 yards. After a 36-yard reception from Austin Smith to Jaden Barnes, La’Vell Wright ran the ball five times for 28 yards, including the six-yard touchdown to cap off the drive.
APSU 45, AAMU 3 – 1 play, 62 yards, 0:11
La’Vell Wright took the opening play of the second half to the house with a 62-yard rush up the middle for six.
APSU 52, AAMU 3 – 7 plays 46 yards, 3:10
Kaden Williams took over the running back responsibilities deep in the third quarter, and ran six times for 26 yards, finishing the drive with his first-career touchdown from three yards out.
APSU 52, AAMU 9 – 13 plays, 79 yards, 5:34
Alabama A&M’s Cornelius Brown went 5-for-8 for 63 yards through the air, including completing his first three attempts for 41 yards. Brown capped off the Bulldogs’ first touchdown drive of the evening with a seven-yard pass to Donovan Price. The PAT was blocked by Jaden McKinney, keeping the Bulldogs’ at nine points.
APSU 59, AAMU 9 – 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:48
Corey Richardson carried the load on the Governors’ final of nine scoring drives, rushing eight times for 71 yards including his first-career touchdown from 13 yards out.
APSU 59 – AAMU 16 – 1 play, 1 yard, 0:03
A Bulldogs’ interception put them on the Govs’ one-yard line, before running back DJ Mofett scored on the first play of the drive for the final points of the evening.
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Next Up For APSU Football
The Austin Peay State University football teams returns to United Athletics Conference action when it hosts Southern Utah on September 28th at Fortera Stadium. The game kicks off at 1:00pm. The Week 5 contest between the Governors and Thunderbirds will be streamed on ESPN+.
