Program outlook
Austin Peay went 38 years without beating an FBS team — then routed Middle Tennessee 34-14 in 2025, ending the drought and landing coach Jeff Faris a contract extension through 2030.
Since Jul 23: W 42-17 vs New Haven; L 32-40 vs Tarleton State; W 24-10 at West Georgia; W 27-21 at North Alabama. 7-2 this season.
Walden left for UTEP after that season.
Jeff Faris, hired from UCLA's staff in December 2023, delivered the signature moment of modern Austin Peay football in his second season. On November 28, 2025, the university signed Faris to a five-year contract extension through 2030.
Austin Peay plays in Clarksville, Tennessee, next to Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division — a military-town identity that shapes the fanbase as much as any on-field result.
Austin Peay plays behind dual-threat quarterback production — Chris Parson's 2025 season (3,003 passing yards, 743 rushing yards, 37 total touchdowns) defined the offense. The program's biggest recent wins have come as the underdog, most dramatically in the 2025 upset of FBS Middle Tennessee.
Moment of the year · 2026
Week 1 of 2026. The single game that defined the season.
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UAC standing · 2026
Austin Peay is 3rd in the UAC at 3-1. Two teams above — that's the direct path to the title game.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abilene Christian | 4-0 |
| 2 | Tarleton State | 4-0 |
| 3 | Austin Peay | 3-1 |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky | 2-2 |
| 5 | North Alabama | 2-2 |
| 6 | West Florida | 1-3 |
| 7 | Central Arkansas | 0-4 |
| 8 | West Georgia | 0-4 |
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 1970
Austin Peay's signature crowd chant originated with 1970s basketball star James "Fly" Williams, whose catchphrase "The Fly is open, Let's Go Peay!" became a fixture of Governors athletics. The Sporting News once ranked it alongside Kansas's "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" as one of the best chants in college sports. Now used site-wide across Austin Peay athletics, including football at Fortera Stadium.
since 2007 · trophy game
A quadrangular rivalry trophy among the four Tennessee-based OVC/UAC-affiliated programs (Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin), named for World War I hero Sgt. Alvin C. York of nearby Pall Mall, Tennessee. It is only the second traveling trophy in college football shared by more than two teams (after the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy). Austin Peay has claimed or shared it in 2007, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
since 1929
An all-sports rivalry series with Murray State (67 miles away), sponsored over the years by different local banks (Heritage Bank, First Financial Bank). In football specifically, Murray State has long held the historical edge in the series.
Most recent: 2023 — loss 21-24 (home). Last 5 postseason: 0-1.
