Gardner-Webb University
0-1 , 0-0
Austin Peay
1-0 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner-Webb | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Austin Peay | 7 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
Runnin' Bulldogs Fall at No. 17 Austin Peay in Season Opener
August 27, 2026 | Football
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Gardner-Webb University opened the 2026 football season Thursday evening at Fortera Stadium, falling to Austin Peay, 35-17, in the season opener for both teams.
The Runnin' Bulldogs battled throughout the contest and finished the night with 344 yards of total offense, including 312 yards through the air. Gardner-Webb recorded 22 first downs and converted a pair of fourth downs on the night.
Quarterback Cole Pennington led the Gardner-Webb offense, completing 27-of-49 passes for 312 yards and one touchdown. His 43-yard touchdown connection with Jalile Bost in the second quarter gave the Runnin' Bulldogs a 10-7 advantage.
Gardner-Webb struck first after putting together a 16-play, 73-yard drive that consumed more than six minutes. Tyler Simpson capped the opening possession with a 36-yard field goal, giving the Runnin' Bulldogs a 3-0 lead with 4:17 remaining in the first quarter.
Austin Peay answered with a touchdown late in the opening quarter before Gardner-Webb reclaimed the lead early in the second. Following an interception by Ty Sanders, the Runnin' Bulldogs needed just two plays to find the end zone. Pennington connected with Bost for a 43-yard touchdown, putting Gardner-Webb ahead, 10-7, with 13:29 left in the first half.
The Governors responded with two second-quarter touchdowns to take a 21-10 lead into halftime. Austin Peay added two more touchdowns in the third quarter to extend its advantage to 35-10 entering the final period.
Gardner-Webb continued to fight in the fourth quarter, putting together an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Adrian Cormier finished the possession with a one-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 35-17 with 13:30 remaining.
The Runnin' Bulldogs continued to move the ball late, but Austin Peay's defense stopped Gardner-Webb on downs on its final possession to secure the victory.
Pennington connected nine times with Kory Jones, who led all Gardner-Webb receivers with 102 yards. Giovanni Adopte added six receptions for 60 yards, while Bost finished with two catches for 63 yards and the 43-yard touchdown.
On the ground, Cormier carried seven times for 11 yards and a touchdown, while Christian Vann added 15 rushing yards on four attempts. Randy Young contributed nine yards on two carries and totaled 57 kickoff-return yards.
Defensively, Tre Yanez paced Gardner-Webb with 13 total tackles, while Cahari Haynes added 10 tackles, including a sack and 1.0 tackle for loss. The Runnin' Bulldogs finished with 10 tackles for loss and three sacks as a team.
Despite the setback, Gardner-Webb produced several positive offensive moments in its first game of the season, including 18 passing first downs and a 312-yard passing performance. The Runnin' Bulldogs will look to build on Thursday's opener as the 2026 campaign continues.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
GWU 3, AP 0
GWU - Simpson,Tyler 36 yd field goal 16 plays, 73 yards, TOP 06:08
GWU 3, AP 7
AP - Simmons,Courtland 1 yd run (Guagliano,Nick kick), 7 plays, 79 yards, TOP 02:58
GWU 10, AP 7
GWU - Bost,Jalile 43 yd pass from Pennington,Cole (Simpson,Tyler kick) 2 plays, 47 yards, TOP 00:43
GWU 10, AP 14
AP - Groves,Isaiah 1 yd run (Guagliano,Nick kick), 10 plays, 79 yards, TOP 06:15
GWU 10, AP 21
AP - Harper,Denver 49 yd pass from Parson,Chris (Guagliano,Nick kick) 3 plays, 62 yards, TOP 01:12
GWU 10, AP 28
AP - Parson,Chris 4 yd run (Guagliano,Nick kick), 5 plays, 62 yards, TOP 01:51
GWU 10, AP 35
AP - Simmons,Courtland 19 yd run (Guagliano,Nick kick), 3 plays, 48 yards, TOP 01:19
GWU 17, AP 35
GWU - Cormier,Adrian 1 yd run (Bontekoe,Andrew kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:28
