CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – If there were still any doubters, Tarleton State Football surely silenced them with a road win at the defending United Athletic Conference champions on Saturday.
The No. 7 Texans (7-1, 4-0 UAC) set their longest winning streak in their NCAA Division I era at six games with a 27-17 win at Austin Peay (3-5, 2-3 UAC) at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee. Tarleton State has now won 11 of its last 12 games, with 11 straight wins over non-FBS opponents. The Texans last lost to a non-FBS opponent over a year ago, on Oct. 14, 2023.
Saturday was a bit of an uncharacteristic win for the Texans, who lost the turnover battle for the first time this season, and they averaged just 4.0 yards per rush. They entered No. 2 in the nation in average turnover margin (plus-1.57) and No. 19 in the country at 5.1 yards per rush.
On brand, however, was Tarleton’s big-play ability on offense, forcing takeaways on defense and limiting the Governors to just 17 points on the day.
Quarterback Victor Gabalis connected with wide receiver Darius Cooper for a 75-yard touchdown to erase a short Tarleton deficit in the second quarter. Caden Holt recorded his first interception, AJ Owens and Donta Stuart tag-teamed on a fumble takeaway, and the Texans forced three straight turnovers on downs to seal the game. Tarleton forced the Govs to just 62 rushing yards as a team, an Austin Peay unit that entered at 180.1 per game, 29th best in the FCS.
Saturday marked Tarleton’s first game in the state of Tennessee in program history and its first matchup with Austin Peay. The Governors won the United Athletic Conference last year at 6-0, going 9-3 overall with a run to the NCAA FCS Playoffs.
This was Austin Peay’s homecoming game. Tarleton is now 3-1 on the road over the past two seasons when playing at an opponents’ homecoming game.
Gabalis, who improved to 14-3 as the starting quarterback at Tarleton State, completed 17-of-30 for 264 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Kayvon Britten rushed 30 times for 106 yards and a touchdown, reaching the century mark for the seventh time in eight games this season. Cooper finished with 112 yards and a touchdown on three receptions, while Benjamin Omayebu recorded nine receptions for 84 yards.
Holt had six tackles and a TFL to go with his interception. Owens had six tackles and a sack to go with his forced fumble, and Stuart also had six tackles to go with his fumble recovery. Brandon Tolvert had a team-high eight tackles and two tackles for loss, with one sack, his team-leading fourth of the season. Devin Sterling returned from a three-game absence to post a sack, 1.5 TFL and seven tackles.
In the kicking game, Corbin Poston went 2-for-2 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points, and punter Adrian Guzman booted a pair, both inside the 20-yard line, including a 70-yarder that pinned the Governors on their own 1-yard line.
To start the game, Tarleton put together a solid drive that stalled near the endzone. After a false start pushed the Texans from 4th and 5 at the 25 to 4th and 10 at the 30, Austin Peay forced the turnover on downs to get its first possession. The Govs marched down and snuck a 53-yard field goal inside the right upright to lead 3-0 halfway through the first quarter.
The Texans marched down the field again on their second drive and punched it in this time, with Britten scoring his 12th rushing touchdown over the past five games and his 13th on the season. The Texans running back scored from two yards out to push Tarleton ahead 7-3, a score that remained at the first quarter break.
With about 10 minutes to play in the second frame, Austin Peay’s Jesse Johnson III picked off Gabalis, and later fumbled (Cody Jackson forced) but the Govs recovered at the Tarleton 13-yard line. Romon Copeland Jr. scored a 2-yard rushing touchdown to give the Governors their second lead of the day, 10-7.
On Tarleton’s first offensive play after throwing the interception, the Texans went right back to the air and soared one deep to Cooper, who hauled it in and took it the rest of the way for a 75-yard touchdown. That gave Tarleton a 14-10 lead.
Several punts ensued over the remainder of the first half until the very end, with Poston splitting the uprights on an 18-yarder to put Tarleton ahead at halftime 17-10.
Austin Peay had some juice coming out of halftime and put together a solid drive that was spoiled on a trick play. The Texans had sniffed it out, with Stuart breaking up a pass after a handoff and Holt coming down with the ball. But, Tarleton threw its own interception just two plays later, and the Governors took advantage, finishing with a La’Vell Wright 2-yard touchdown to tie the game 17-17 at the 9:31 mark in the third quarter.
The Texans drove to the Govs’ 6-yard line before having to settle for a field goal, which Poston made from 23 yards out. Tarleton led 20-17 after three quarters.
One of the most pivotal plays in the game came with 12 minutes to go. Austin Peay had crossed midfield, but Owens forced Austin Smith to fumble and Stuart came up with the football. Tarleton turned that takeaway into points to go up two possessions, leading to a Braelon Bridges 11-yard rushing touchdown. The Texans led 27-17, which ended up being the final score, as Tarleton forced three straight turnovers on downs to leave Fortera Stadium 7-1.
The Texans have continued their best D1 start to a season. They last started 7-1 or better in 2019, when they were 8-0.
Tarleton State has four regular season games remaining, with three at home at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville. That’s where the Texans will be next, as they’ll host Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. for their Military Appreciation Game.
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