Gardner-Webb Takes 20-13 Win Over Austin Peay
September 29, 2007 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Brandon
Jackson's 11-yard run on an end around with 3:09 to play broke
a 13-13 tie and gave Gardner-Webb a 20-13 win over upstart Austin
Peay.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (2-2) held off the Governors the rest of the
way on defense, getting several big stops down the stretch. Austin
Peay (3-2) used a miraculous 50-yard pass play on a tipped ball to
get to the GWU five-yard line with less than a minute to play
– but could not get in the end zone. A fumbled snap pushed the
Govs back on first down, and freshman quarterback Trent Caffee
threw three-straight incomplete passes under pressure to give GWU
possession.
"We played hard and got after it defensively in the second half,"
said GWU head coach Steve Patton. "Austin Peay is a very good
football team, and we saw that on film earlier this week. They've
been spending their scholarships on the right people the last two
years. I think, defensively, we had some big plays, but some solid
plays too. Offensively we were able to execute much better in the
second half. Penalties killed us in the first two quarters (seven
for 78 yards), and that's something we need to correct."
Brian Johnston, who finished the game with a
school-record eight quarterback pressures (five knockdowns) applied
the heat on the Governors' final three plays. Johnston, a preseason
All-America selection, had a career-high 14 total tackles (six
solo), 3.0 tackles for loss and a pair of half sacks in the
game.
Freshman Jeffrey Williams (11 hits) and junior Mario Brown
(10 hits) also had good defensive nights. With Austin Peay trying
to get out of its goal line shadows late in the game, Williams
stopped Caffee at the line of scrimmage on third down, forcing a
Governors' punt that gave GWU possession inside Austin Peay
territory.
The ensuing five-play, 44-yard drive resulted in the GWU
victory.
Duvaughn Flagler's 19-yard touchdown reception
from Devin Campbell with 14:24 to play in the game
pulled GWU into a 13-13 tie, capping a six-play, 46-yard march that
lasted just 1:11. Evan Kay had a pair of field goals (37, 24 yards)
to account for Gardner-Webb's other scoring.
Flagler finished with 11 catches for 153 yards in the game, moving
into second place in Big South Conference history in both
receptions and yardage. Flagler has now hauled in 158 career passes
for 2,148 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.
Defensively, the Runnin' Bulldogs held the Governors to 281 yards
of total offense (93 rushing). Austin Peay's Chris Fletcher, a
preseason All-America, had his streak of 10-straight games with 100
yards or more on the ground snapped. Fletcher finished with 73
yards on 24 carries. GWU's defense held the Governors' vaunted
rushing attack to just 93 yards on 39 carries. APSU came into the
game ranked 21st nationally at 210.0 yards per game as a team.
Gardner-Webb managed just 32 yards on the ground offensively, but
saw Campbell and starter Stan Doolittle combine for 318 passing
yards – as GWU posted 350 total yards on 65 plays. Dobson
Collins caught six passes for a career-high 102 yards in the
game.
Austin Peay was paced defensively by Kit Hartsfield (10 tackles,
two interceptions) and Daniel Becker (eight tackles, half
sack).
Gardner-Webb will travel to face two-time defending FCS national
champion Appalachian State next weekend in Boone (2:30 kickoff).
Austin Peay will play at Tennessee Tech in OVC play.
NOTES: Gardner-Webb named the field at
Spangler Stadium on Saturday night, honoring former head coach
Norman Harris. Harris coached three sports (football, baseball and
basketball) during his career at Gardner-Webb Junior College from
1949-1969 ... Harris coached the first game at Spangler Stadium in
1966, and forged a 14-4-1 mark on the field that now bears his name
... Gardner-Webb has allowed just 105 total rushing yards in its
two home games, and against Division I FCS competition this season
(52.5 yards per game) ... GWU has, not surprisingly, won both of
those contests ... Freshman Jeffrey
Williams has posted double figures tackling totals in three of
his first four career games. Williams averaged 19.6 tackles per
game as a prep senior at Frisco City (Ala.) High last season.
| BOX SCORE: GWU 20, Austin Peay 13 |
