Murray, Kentucky – Austin Peay RBs Ahmaad Tanner and Brian Snead combined for five TDs and 280 rushing yards to lead the Governors (3-4, 1-2) in a blow-out over Murray State, 47-7. In a rivalry played between two nearby teams on opposite sides of the Kentucky-Tennessee border, the traditional annual meeting named the “Battle at the Border” turned out to be the Blow-out at the Border. When a team plans Homecoming, normally they invite a foe to beat handily in front of alumni to reap financial benefits. Even we at Collegefootballfan.com anticipated a competitive clash here. Instead, the Murray State Racers (3-4, 0-2) hosted a Homecoming Horror and took a shellacking. Evidently, we and Murray State both miscalculated their match with Austin Peay!
Roy Stewart Stadium at Murray State is known as “The Track”.
“Lot Full” read the sign, but no one was “Home”
After attending the energetic and competitive meeting the previous Wednesday between Appy State and Coastal Carolina, we disappointingly dropped from a great high to a disappointing low. With Austin Peay QB Sheldon Layman making his first start this season, the Governors came prepared to play. The Racers, despite celebrating homecoming, played lethargically and apathetically through this entire game in front of 10,023 at their Roy Stewart Stadium, named for an alum known as a great benefactor of the horse-racing industry. To our surprise when we arrived, the stadium parking lot was full an hour prior to kick-off. However, not a single soul could be seen in the tall amphitheater stadium overlooking the packed, parking lot. There didn’t seem to be much enthusiasm amongst the home crowd to get this game underway.
Let the “Battle” begin
In the first period, Tanner ripped through the Murray State defense for a 37-yard TD run to start the Racers’ Horror Show a week before Halloween. On their next possession, Snead raced in for another score from the 44. A failed two-point conversion and a missed PAT kept the Govs up, 12-0.
Ahmaad Tanner sprints in “The Track” on his way to Austin Peay’s first touchdown at Murray State’s Homecoming Horror.
Austin Peay’s only score in the second came on Layman’s 35-yard TD strike to Baniko Harvey in the far right corner of the end zone. We noted as the game progressed that Layman handled the ball adeptly with his quick hands making fakes to throw defenders off to hesitate or cause them to lose track of the ball. Prior to the end of the half, Murray State QB DJ Williams faked a hand-off and arched a short pop pass over the middle for a two-yard TD to TE Jake Saathoff. AP stuffed the two-point attempt in the backfield to lead, 19-6.
AP LB Jack McDonald denies Murray State on their two-point conversion.
Quarterback controversy – Not!
At our opener this season, when we saw AP defeat UT Chattanooga, we noted that QB Draylen Ellis needed some improvements as a first-time starter. Since that opening upset, the Governors won only once in five games. We also attended their 24-22 loss to Tennessee State in Clarksville. Evidently, HC Scotty Walden decided to change QBs for this game, and yesterday he surely liked the results. Layman’s adept hands and fakes to his running backs and his passing success (16 of 25, 126 yards, two TDS along with his 67 rushing yards) resulted in 497 yards of total offense for the Governors. They eclipsed the 289 gained by the Racers.
QB Sheldon Layman played well for the Governors in his first start of the season for the big win.
A one-horse race
Entering the third period, the Govs maintained their offensive efficiency. Tanner (20 carries for 148 yards, and three TDs) scored on AP’s first possession to complete a 75-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown run. In the meantime, the Governor defense stopped the Racers with turnovers on downs several times. On AP’s ensuing possession, their 67-yard drive ended with Tanner taking the ball over in the Wildcat formation from the two. The Governors dominated, 33-6, going into the fourth period. Starting another drive from the 23 in the third, Austin Peay’s offensive efficiencies continued to give the Racers Homecoming Horrors!
Brian Snead (4) battles here for yardage among his 132 gained on the ground.
Layman connected with WR Drae McCray on the 12th play of the next series with a six-yard scoring pass. Homecoming Horrors struck suddenly like a bolt of lightning by the name of Riley Stephens. The Governor kicking specialist kicked off, raced downfield, made the tackle, caused a fumble, and recovered the football at the three-yard line. In 623 football games prior to this, we can’t recall ever seeing that happen. Snead (14 carries, 132 yards, two TDS) ran it across with 12:37 remaining to lead, 47-7. We’d seen enough. Disappointed mostly because this game was unexpectedly so one-sided, we exited Roy Stewart Stadium. Nicknamed “The Track”, we witnessed a one-horse race the entire afternoon. The horse was named Austin Peay.
Good timing
Evidently after our departure, HC Scotty Walden called out his first teamers for the balance of the Racer Homecoming Horror. The score stood as we had left it, 47-7. Since the opener against UT Chattanooga and the loss to Tennessee State, we noted improvements in this game for the AP Governors. With a 3-4, 1-1 record, if QB play continues to improve with Sheldon Layman, the Govs may have a chance to challenge for the conference title that could earn them an FCS bid. As we heard the fans chant during the two prior games we attended, “Let’s go Peay! Let’s go Peay!”
AP Head Coach Scotty Walden and his staff keep their team charged throughout the course of their games.
Coming up, Week 9
For the Ohio Valley Conference title, AP gets their primary shot next Saturday when they visit the Skyhawks of UT Martin. With a record of 6-1 and 2-0 in OVC play, UTM ranked 13th nationally in last week’s FCS Coaches poll. A win for the Govs here would give them a chance. Murray State goes to Tennessee State (4-3, 2-0) in Nashville. TSU will face UTM later this season in a key OVC contest.
Collegefootballfan.com heads out to Utah for two games to be played next Saturday. We will do a site-seeing tour starting from Salt Lake City. Utah State (5-2, 3-1) hosts Hawaii (4-4, 1-2) in a Mountain West clash at 1 pm in Logan. We should have plenty of time to travel after to Provo for an 8:15 pm kickoff there. No. 25 BYU (6-2) hosts Virginia (6-2). Long day for some good competition at two venues we’ll be visiting for the first time.
In a rare moment, The Murray State Cheerleaders had something to cheer about early in the game.
Steve Koreivo, ed. Author of Tales from the Tailgate: From the Fan who’s seen ’em all!