Austin Peay football faces No. 8 Alabama to finish regular season: 3 things to know

Austin Peay football will finish the regular season with its first-ever meeting against Alabama at 11 a.m. Saturday (SEC Network+) at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

It's the second time the Govs (7-3) will face an FBS school in 2022. Austin Peay lost to Western Kentucky, 38-27, in the season opener in August. The Crimson Tide (8-2) come into the game ranked No. 8 in the AFCA USA Today Coaches Poll, the AP Top 25 and the College Football Playoff rankings.

Here are three things to know about Saturday's game.

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The Govs stumping for playoff berth

Austin Peay has been working its public relations magic on social media this week in hopes that the NCAA's FCS playoff committee will recognize the Govs' efforts this season.

Austin Peay has seven wins against FCS teams and could finish with a share of the ASUN title if Jacksonville State beats Central Arkansas and Eastern Kentucky knocks off Kennesaw State this weekend.

But a share of the conference championship wouldn't solve the Govs' playoff issues. The ASUN and WAC conferences have a partnership, and only one team from those two conferences is an automatic qualifier. That playoff spot is given to the school with the higher power ranking among the two leagues' top teams. If the Govs fall short of that power ranking, it would be up to the committee to consider Peay for one of its 14 at-large spots.

Does that effect 'Bama game?

No. While wins against FBS teams don't hurt, the Govs aren't going into this weekend's game thinking it needs "style points." This isn't the game, and Alabama isn't the team, the Govs are going to hang around with for four quarters.

Yet Govs coach Scotty Walden was clear after last week's 31-14 win over Kennesaw State, he intends to play this game like he's trying to win it. While the game is meaningless to their playoff hopes, a solid showing against the Tide would catch people's attention, and why not try to look good while collecting the $600,000 Austin Peay gets with this game?

It wouldn't be the worst thing for Walden to rest his starters if this is essentially over after three quarters, and there's any chance his team makes the playoffs.

Early morning motivation

Tide coach Nick Saban is a master at motivating his players. You don't win seven national championships without it. But this hasn't been a typical Alabama year. The Tide were eliminated from SEC championship contention with a loss to LSU and, barring a collapse from several teams in front of them in the CFP rankings, the Crimson Tide likely isn't playing for a national title.

The Govs catch 'Bama during the morning hours Saturday, and it'll be interesting to see if Saban's team is focused against an FCS program it outmatches. Alabama is coming off a 30-24 win against Ole Miss and needs momentum heading into the Iron Bowl next week against Auburn.

Govs to watch

WR Drae McCray: McCray needs 71 yards to surpass 1,000 receiving yards this season. He would become only the fourth Govs wideout to record a 1,000-yard season.

QB Mike DiLiello: DiLiello's 2,300 passing yards ranks fourth all-time in a single season for Peay. He trails former Gov Draylen Ellis who threw for 2,626 yards last year.

RB Jevon Jackson: Jackson was named ASUN Freshman of the Week for the second time after last week's 79 yards and two TDs. He leads ASUN freshmen with 564 rushing yards and a 6.3-yard per carry average.

Crimson Tide to watch

QB Bryce Young: Last year's Heisman Trophy winner has thrown for 2,443 yards and 22 touchdowns, ranks 29th in the country in passing yards and fourth the SEC.

RB Jahmyr Gibbs: Gibbs leads Alabama with 774 yards and six touchdowns but left last week's game against Ole Miss with an ankle injury in the first half.

LB Will Anderson Jr.: Anderson leads the SEC with 14 tackles for a loss and has terrorized quarterbacks with eight sacks this season.

Score prediction

Alabama 52, Austin Peay 3: The Tide will have this game wrapped up by halftime and that's not a knock on Austin Peay's defense that ranks ninth in FCS. Alabama has too much talent on both sides of the ball for this to be competitive, but the Govs will muster a first-half threat that produces a Maddux Trujillo field goal.

How to watch Austin Peay vs. Alabama

TV: SEC Network+ and ESPN+

Radio: ESPN Clarksville (104.1 FM). SiriusXM channel 81.

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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 faces Alabama for first time: 3 things to know