Entering the game Saturday, Oct. 24, the APSU Govs football team was a bad footnote in history. They held the nation’s third longest losing streak with 22 straight losses to the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.
Behind a potent ground attack from junior running back Terrence Holt, the Govs snapped the 22-game skid. They came from behind to defeat the Colonels 24-20.
The win is APSU’s (3-4, 2-2 OVC) first against the Colonels since Oct. 1, 1977.
“It’s pretty special for me because the last time Austin Peay beat them, my brother was the quarterback,” said APSU head coach Rick Christophel.
The Govs have had a lot of success running the ball this season. They came into the game leading the OVC in rushing. Holt rushed for 176 yards on 16 carries and scored twice, a distinctive career performance.
Holt entered the game ranked second in the nation averaging just over 207.33 all-purpose yards a game. He finished the game with 251 total yards.
The Govs’ defense flexed their muscles for the home crowd. They forced three second-half turnovers, two fumbles and one interception. Redshirt freshman linebacker Zac Burkhart got the interception which proved to be the nail in the coffin for the Colonels with 1:19 left in the game.
“Our defense played so well tonight,” said senior linebacker Daniel Becker. “Our defense stepped up, even when we were down we always were looking to strip the ball and make plays.”
The Govs jumped out to an early 14-0 lead. They scored touchdowns on consecutive drives.
The first score came courtesy of redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Ryan. He threw his first collegiate touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Adrian Mines.
On the second offensive drive of the game, Holt scored the first of his two touchdowns by scampering 80 yards through Colonel defenders to the end zone.
The Colonels played hard during the second quarter. Redshirt freshmen quarterback for the Colonels, T.J. Pryor, scored two of the three Colonel touchdowns in the second quarter.
“He is good and he is a heck of a player, and we knew that when we came into it,” said Becker. “We knew he was a dual threat and we had to keep him inside the pocket and try to make things tough for him.”
Pryor opened up with a 43-yard completion to Shannon Davis on a third down. The pass set up his 15-yard run to cut the lead to 14-7.The momentum stayed with the Colonels. Andrew Soucy blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt by Govs freshman kicker Stephen Stansell, and the Colonels took over at their own 32-yard line.
The Colonels drove 68 yards in seven plays to tie the game 14-14. After a failed fourth down conversion by the Govs, the Colonels’s next drive went 62 yards on 10 plays and ended with Pryor’s second touchdown.
The Govs suddenly found themselves behind 20-14 and perhaps victims of controversy. It appeared as if the Colonels were granted an extra down in their last scoring drive of the quarter.
However, the Govs’s second half proved to hold the defining moments of the game. They held the potent Colonel offense to one first down in the third quarter.
“I thought the whole defensive staff did a great job at halftime making adjustments, getting the right people in the right places and that’s what it boils down to. Make him do things he is not comfortable at doing.”
While the defense shut down the Colonel’s offense in the third quarter, Holt helped the cause with a 41-yard punt return to put the Govs at the Colonel’s 22-yard line. Later, Holt took advantage of the field position by ending the three-play drive with a 12-yard run that put the Govs back on top 21-20.Govs sophomore safety Amius Smith ended the Colonels first drive in the red zone in the fourth quarter by forcing a fumble. Govs redshirt freshman cornerback Antwaun Majors recovered the fumble for a touchback.
After exchanging possessions, the Colonels had another miscue. Pryor fumbled, and Govs senior linebacker Rick Woods recovered the fumble. Three plays later, Stansell connected on a 27-field goal to push the lead to 24-20.
The Colonels final possession ended with the interception by Burkhart.
“It is a great feeling. Besides the point we have lost to them 22 straight times, and for all the 25 seniors we have, that was for them,” said Burkhart. “Besides the pick, our offense played great.”
The Govs finished with 348-yards of total offense, 263 on the ground and 85 through the air.
Ryan completed three of seven passes for 85 yards and one score. Sophomore running back Ryan White chipped in 99 yards on 32 carries. Mines had two catches for 81 yards and one score.
Defensively, Becker lead the charge with 11 tackles. Smith added eight tackles, one forced fumble, two pass break ups and one quarterback hurry.
Terrence Holt was named OVC offensive Player of the Week for his 176-yard, two-touchdown performance against EKU. Defensive tackle Antonio Faulkner, who pass-rushing performance forced a fumble on one drive and helped cause an interception, was named OVC Defensive Player of the Week. This is the second time in as many weeks APSU has had players earn conference honors.
