By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – With the trip to Nissan Stadium last week in the rear-view mirror, the Tennessee Tech football team continues its road trip on Saturday as they head to Clarksville to take on Austin Peay.
Kickoff at Fortera Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Roger Ealey and Dylan Vazzano will provide the call for 98.5 KISS FM and the Golden Eagle Sports Network. Online on ESPN+ (subscription required), Barry Gresham, Aaron King and Kristen Eargle will broadcast the game.
After taking the 41-14 loss to Tennessee State last week, Tech fell to 0-1 in the Sergeant York Trophy chase, but still within reach with victories this week against the Governors and on Nov. 10 at UT Martin.
Neither team this week is going in the direction they'd originally hoped as the Govs enter Saturday's contest with a 3-4 record, 1-3 in the Ohio Valley. Tech, meanwhile, is one of three Football Championship Subdivision teams looking for its first win of the season, alongside Delaware State and VMI, saddled with an 0-7 record, 0-4 in the conference.
However, the Golden Eagles have had success against the Govs – and in Clarksville. Tech holds a 32-19 lead in the all-time series, including an 18-6 record in Clarksville. Tech won the last meeting at Fortera Stadium 41-7 in APSU head coach Will Healy's first season at the helm. The Golden Eagles are 3-2 in Clarksville and 7-4 overall since the Govs returned to scholarship football and the OVC in 2007.
But while the Governors haven't put up the results they did a season ago, they're still putting up solid numbers.
Sophomore quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall has passed for 900 yards and nine touchdowns on 54-of-107 passing, while also standing as the team's second-leading rusher, picking up 343 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
It brings an interesting parallel with Tech freshman quarterback Bailey Fisher, who has 1,288 yards and eight touchdowns passing, while rushing for 245 yards and one touchdowns. Fisher was recently a candidate on the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award watch list as one of the subdivision's top freshman performers.
APSU also gets aerial production from JaVaughn Craig, who has played in all seven games, throwing for 365 yards and two touchdowns.
Kentel Williams leads the Govs on the ground with 504 yards in five games, scoring six times and averaging 100.8 per game. D.J. Montgomery has been APSU's top receiver, hauling in 25 balls for 445 yards, an average of 17.8 yards per catch and 63.6 yards per game.
Defensively, the Govs are led by Gunnar Scholato, who has 70 tackles, including 4.5 tackles-for-loss for 11 yards, one sack, two quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery.
Deontay Wilson and Josh Poplar aren't too far behind – Wilson has a team-high 67 tackles to lead Tech, while Poplar has 61.
