CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Morehead State football took its opening offensive drive and scored first at No. 15 Austin Peay Saturday afternoon at Fortera Stadium, but the hosts Govs then ran past the Eagles in a 63-7 defeat.
MSU fell to 1-2. APSU improved to 2-1.
Wideout
Riley Purcell caught a 16-yard pass from quarterback
David Parsons at the 10-minute mark of the opening quarter for a 7-0 Eagle lead. It marked Parsons' 10th TD pass of the young season.
But, the Govs scored fast and furiously afterward. Just 18 seconds later, APSU hit a 72-yard scoring pass. A 40-yard rush at the 6:29 mark lifted the Govs to a 14-7 advantage. A pair of one-yard scores pushed it to 28-7 before an 80-yard rushing outburst propelled the home squad to a 35-7 lead. Two more scores, including a 67-yard punt return, had it at 49-7 in favor of the Govs at halftime.
APSU added a four-yard rushing score in the third quarter and a one-yard plunge late in the fourth quarter.
Parsons finished 13-of-21 for 121 yards and the score. Purcell's career-best 66 yards led the receivers.
Luciano Corpora-Ellis and
Chris Edwards led the defense with six tackles each.
Bryce Patterson came in in relief of Parsons in the second half and led the ball carriers with 28 yards.
Austin Peay finished with 693 total yards.
A bright spot for the Eagles was the leg of punter
Ashton Adams. In his first career game as the primary punter he booted nine punts for a 50+ yard average.
Morehead State stays on the road next week at Western Illinois for a 7 p.m. ET game Saturday.
