# 2018 Austin Peay Governors football team

The 2018 Austin Peay Governors football team represented Austin Peay State University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Governors, led by third-year head coach Will Healy, played their home games at Fortera Stadium as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 5–6, 3–5 in OVC play to finish in a tie for sixth place.
On December 5, head coach Will Healy resigned to become the head coach at Charlotte. He finished at Austin Peay with a three-year record of 13–21.

## Preseason
### OVC media poll

On July 20, 2018, the media covering the OVC released their preseason poll with the Governors predicted to finish in second place. On July 23, the OVC released their coaches poll with the Governors also predicted to finish in second place.
Media poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Jacksonville State | 134 (14) |
| 2 | Austin Peay | 114 (1) |
| 3 | UT Martin | 96 |
| 4 | Tennessee State | 91 |
| 5 | Eastern Illinois | 83 |
| 6 | Eastern Kentucky | 64 |
| 7 | Murray State | 39 |
| 8 | Southeast Missouri State | 35 |
| 9 | Tennessee Tech | 19 |
Coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Jacksonville State | 126 (14) |
| 2 | Austin Peay | 112 (4) |
| 3 | UT Martin | 95 |
| 4 | Eastern Illinois | 73 |
| 5 | Eastern Kentucky | 69 |
| 6 | Tennessee State | 64 |
| 7 | Southeast Missouri State | 62 |
| 8 | Murray State | 24 |
| 9 | Tennessee Tech | 23 |

### Preseason All-OVC team

The Governors had five players selected to the preseason all-OVC team.

### Award watch lists

| Award | Player | Position | Year |
| Buck Buchanan Award | Jaison Williams | DE | JR |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 3 (FBS) Georgia* | No. 22 | Sanford StadiumAthens, GA | ESPN | L 0–45 | 92,746 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | Presbyterian* | | Fortera StadiumClarksville, TN | ESPN+ | W 24–0 | 5,166 |
| September 15 | 5:00 p.m. | at Morehead State* | | Jayne StadiumMorehead, KY | ESPN+ | W 78–40 | 5,955 |
| September 22 | 2:00 p.m. | at UT Martin | No. 24 | Graham StadiumMartin, TN (Sgt. York Trophy) | ESPN+ | L 7–37 | 1,497 |
| September 29 | 3:00 p.m. | at No. 8 Jacksonville State | | JSU StadiumJacksonville, AL | ESPN3 | L 32–48 | 19,388 |
| October 6 | 6:00 p.m. | Tennessee State | | Fortera StadiumClarksville, TN (Sgt. York Trophy) | ESPN3 | W 49–34 | 12,201 |
| October 13 | 1:00 p.m. | at Southeast Missouri State | | Houck StadiumCape Girardeau, MO | ESPN+ | L 27–31 | 6,467 |
| October 27 | 4:00 p.m. | Tennessee Tech | | Fortera StadiumClarksville, TN (Sgt. York Trophy) | ESPN+ | W 41–10 | 7,236 |
| November 3 | 4:00 p.m. | Eastern Kentucky | | Fortera StadiumClarksville, TN | ESPN+ | L 13–17 | 6,094 |
| November 10 | 1:00 p.m. | at Eastern Illinois | | O'Brien StadiumCharleston, IL | ESPN+ | L 21–52 | 2,149 |
| November 17 | 4:00 p.m. | Murray State | | Fortera StadiumClarksville, TN | ESPN+ | W 48–23 | 7,113 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||
* Source: Schedule

## Game summaries
### At Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 22 Governors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 3 (FBS) Bulldogs | 17 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 45 |

### Presbyterian

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Hose | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Governors | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Fortera Stadium • Clarksville, TN
* Date: September 8
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CT
* Game weather: Temperature: 76 °F (24 °C) • Weather: Overcast • Wind: SW 2 mph
* Game attendance: 5,166
* Referee: Stephen Hazle
* TV: ESPN+
Game information :
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
(6:27) AP – Oatsvall 13 yard rush, Birchfield kick
(1:30) AP – Birchfield 24 yard FG
Third Quarter
(10:52) AP – Momodu 3 yard rush, Birchfield kick
Fourth Quarter
(11:50) AP – Craig 8 yard rush, Birchfield kick
Top Passers
PRES – John Walker: 12/23, 94 yards, 1 INT
AP – JaVaughn Craig: 11/18, 127 yards
Top Rushers
PRES – Jarius Jeter: 16 carries, 61 yards
AP – JaVaughn Craig: 8 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD
Top Receiving
PRES – Keith Pearson: 4 receptions, 38 yards
AP – DJ Montgomery: 10 receptions, 114 yards :

### At Morehead State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Governors | 22 | 21 | 14 | 21 | 78 |
| Eagles | 14 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 40 |

### At UT Martin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 24 Governors | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Skyhawks | 6 | 0 | 17 | 14 | 37 |

### At Jacksonville State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Governors | 9 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 32 |
| No. 8 Gamecocks | 0 | 14 | 14 | 20 | 48 |

### Tennessee State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 7 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 34 |
| Governors | 7 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 49 |

### At Southeast Missouri State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Governors | 6 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 27 |
| Redhawks | 3 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 31 |

### Tennessee Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Governors | 6 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 41 |

### Eastern Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colonels | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Governors | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |

### At Eastern Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Governors | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Panthers | 14 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 52 |

### Murray State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Racers | 10 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
| Governors | 14 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 48 |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 22 | RV | RV | 24 | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Coaches | 23 | 24 | 23 | 21 | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |