Ah, college football in the spring. Is there anything better than that? The Austin Peay Governors will be facing the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in both teams’ first game of the spring.
The Governors opened up 0-3 in the fall, scoring just four offensive touchdowns in that timespan. Hopefully, they’ll find some better luck this weekend as their season rolls on.
The one positive for the Governors has been that the run game has been decent thus far. The team has plenty of gaping holes, but perhaps playing a team that hasn’t yet taken the field in 2021, they could have a slight edge.
The good news is that they are actually playing the games. And the obvious bad news is tied directly to their 0-3 start.
The Golden Eagles have got to be excited to be able to play football again. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen them on the field, and these guys are hungry to return.
A number of the top guys from last year’s team will be back, including starting quarterback Bailey Fisher. He’s a game-changer for them and is going to look to command the offense effectively in his junior season.
Tennessee Tech finished 6-6 in 2019, dropping their final two games to Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee State.
For those betting online, the spread is currently set at Tennessee Tech -7½. The over/under is 66 points in our FCS odds.
Governors Seeking Their First Win
Starting the year 0-3 is not what the Governors wanted. They played three games in the fall, most recently losing 55-20 against Cincinnati back on Sept. 19.
The last time Austin Peay won a game was Dec. 7, 2019, a 42-28 decision against Sacramento State. It’s been a long time, and there is no question that these guys want to beat the odds and get back in the win column.
Austin Peay defeated Tennessee Tech 58-21 in their meeting in 2019, with the fact that they come in as underdogs being very telling of their opponent’s improvement. They didn’t get much out of the quarterback position in the fall games, with Jerem Oatsvall completing 41-of-83 passes for 479 yards and three interceptions without a touchdown.
The Governors were playing FBS opponents, but that’s still horrible production.
CJ Evans Jr. is averaging seven yards per carry, gaining 194 yards on 26 attempts and scoring three touchdowns to this point. He was the team’s MVP of the three games played in August and September.
If he can find some comfort on the ground now that the opponent isn’t an FBS team, the team just might be in good hands.
Golden Eagles Set for Debut Game
After the longest offseason, well, ever, the Golden Eagles are set to return to play. Led by Fisher, they’re looking to build off a 6-6 season in 2019.
He threw for 2,643 yards and 21 touchdowns, throwing 10 picks in 12 starts. Fisher also ran for 489 yards, crossing the plane 11 times. He’s a force in the red zone.
David Gist, the team’s top back from a season ago, is returning for his junior season after making college football news by amassing 548 yards on 124 carries and scoring one time a season ago. The Eagles’ top receiver was freshman Metrius Fleming, who they’ve still got plenty of time with. He’ll look to continue being a weapon for Fisher.
Chris Tucker and Henry Karimu each recorded 5.5 sacks a year ago to lead the team. Now, as seniors, the two of them will look to make things tough. They hope to bring Oatsvall to the turf on several occasions.
Austin Peay Pulls the Spring Upset
Austin Peay, a 7.5-point underdog, will be claiming a road win. This will get the Governors’ spring off to a bright start, leaving Tennessee Tech shaking their heads.
If you’re doing some college football betting, take the 7½ points and go with the Governors.
