3 things to know as Austin Peay football faces Alabama A&M in search of third straight win
For the second straight week, Austin Peay football faces a member of the SWAC when the Govs play Alabama A&M at Louis Crews Stadium in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Govs (2-1) dominated Mississippi Valley State 41-0 last week as quarterback Mike DiLiello threw for 383 yards and five touchdowns all in the first half. It also was the second straight week the Govs had more than 500 yards of offense.
While pass protection has been a glaring issue for Austin Peay, DiLiello has shown an ability to scramble out of trouble and he'll face similar pressure from the Bulldogs (0-2) on Saturday (2 p.m.).
Here are three things to know about the game.
PEAY WINSMike DiLiello leads way as Austin Peay football blanks Mississippi Valley State
WARRIORThrough injuries, setbacks and sadness, Austin Peay QB Bryce Robinson never wavered
Room for improvement
Austin Peay didn't walk away from its season opening loss to Western Kentucky feeling completely dejected. The Govs held their own against the Hilltoppers then thrashed an overmatched Presbyterian team before shutting out Mississippi Valley State. But Govs coach Scotty Walden wasn't happy with the Govs inability to score points in the second half against the Delta Devils.
The Govs had over 400 yards in the first half and scored at will. But the offense stalled in the second and racked up too many penalties (15 for 176 yards). If the Govs had finished off WKU late in that game, they would be sitting at 3-0 with a win against an FBS team in their pocket, so putting two halves together has been a point of emphasis.
Defense's chase at history
Austin Peay's defense enters the game with a bit of history on the line. Last week's shutout was the second straight, something APSU hasn't done since 1964. A third straight shutout is almost unheard of in Clarksville. The Govs haven't done that since 1946 when they ended the season holding UT Junior College (now UT Martin), Bethel University and Cumberland University without a point.
The players are aware of how rare the feat has been done. The defensive starters were crowded on the sideline screaming for the Govs' second unit to keep MVS out of the end zone in the final minute of the game after the Delta Devils reached the 8-yard line.
Alabama A&M's offense is more explosive than the Delta Devils so pitching a third straight shutout may be asking too much.
What can Alabama A&M bring?
Road games can be tricky and Austin Peay is staring at ASUN play next week against rival Eastern Kentucky so knocking off Alabama A&M will be a much more difficult task.
The Bulldogs' two losses have come to FBS programs UAB and Troy, so it may be harder to gauge just how potent the offense will be. A&M lit up the scoreboard last year, leading the SWAC in scoring offense (37.9), total offense (477.1), passing yards (366.0), and passing touchdowns (37) but that was with quarterback Aqeel Glass, who was named offensive player of the year in the conference. He's graduated and the Bulldogs have Xavier Langford at QB.
Govs to watch
WR Drae McCray: The sophomore leads the FCS with 24 receptions and 440 all-purpose yards. He's tied for the lead with four TD receptions and ranks second with 361 receiving yards.
WR Trey Goodman: Goodman ranks second in the ASUN with three receiving touchdowns and has been a nice compliment to McCray.
DB Kam Ruffin: Ruffin got his first interception last week and is among the team leaders in total tackles (10). His physical style fits perfectly with how the Govs defense likes to play.
Bulldogs to watch
RB Gary Quarles: Quarles is a preseason first-team, All-SWAC selection after running for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. He has only 44 yards this season.
WR Isaiah Cox: Has been A&M's big-play receiver. He only has five receptions but has 153 yards and can stretch defenses vertically.
QB Quincy Casey: While Langford is a dual threat at quarterback, A&M will also use Casey at QB. He's 10-of-26 passing for 132 yards in two games.
Game prediction
Austin Peay 37, Alabama A&M 30: Austin Peay has been on a roll the past two weeks, scoring 104 points while quarterback Mike DiLiello has thrown for nine touchdowns. A&M has given up 355 yards passing per game. It won't come easy for APSU but the Govs should handle business before ASUN play begins next week.
How to watch Austin Peay vs. Alabama A&M
TV: YouTube. Alabama A&M will have a live broadcast of the game on its YouTube channel. The broadcast will go live at the start of the game. Radio: ESPN Clarksville (104.1 FM).
Want to stay informed on the latest high school and college sports news? A subscription to The Leaf-Chronicle gets you unlimited access to the best information and updates on prep sports, Austin Peay and the ability to tap into over 200 local sites in the USA TODAY Network.
Reach sports writer George Robinson at grobinson@gannett.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Austin Peay football: Three things to know about Govs vs. Alabama A&M
