FINAL: Austin Peay 35, Gardner-Webb 17
Gardner-Webb hung with Austin Peay through much of the first half Thursday night before the Governors pulled away for a 35-17 victory in the season opener in Clarksville, Tenn.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs grabbed a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter after Ty Sanders intercepted Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson. Gardner-Webb needed just two plays to cash in, with Cole Pennington connecting with Jalile Bost for a 43-yard touchdown.
Austin Peay responded with 28 unanswered points, taking a 21-10 lead into halftime and scoring twice more in the third quarter to stretch the margin to 35-10. Gardner-Webb ended the run with Adrian Cormier’s 1-yard touchdown early in the fourth.
More Highlights
- Pennington completed 27-of-49 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Austin Peay’s Parson threw for 308 yards and a score.
- Kory Jones led Gardner-Webb with nine catches for 102 yards, while Bost finished with 63 yards and a touchdown on two receptions.
- Gardner-Webb finished with 344 total yards and matched Austin Peay with 22 first downs, but the Governors piled up 483 yards.
- The biggest difference came on the ground. Austin Peay rushed for 175 yards and four touchdowns, while Gardner-Webb managed just 32 rushing yards on 20 attempts.
- The Runnin’ Bulldogs’ defense recorded 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. Tre Yanez led Gardner-Webb with 13 tackles, while Cahari Haynes had 10 tackles and a sack.
- Gardner-Webb moved the ball into Austin Peay territory twice while trailing 14-10 late in the first half but turned it over on downs both times.
🏟️ Pregame Information
The information below was published before Thursday night’s game and includes the original matchup preview, game notes, players to watch and TV/streaming information.
Gardner-Webb (7-5 in 2025) at Austin Peay (7-5)
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Fortera Stadium | Clarksville, TN
TV/Stream: ESPN+
🔄 Last Updated: August 28, 2026 1:29 am
Previewing the Matchup
The Kris McCullough coaching era kicks off for Gardner-Webb football with a Thursday night road trip to Austin Peay in Week 0. The Governors play in the United Athletic Conference, a partnership formed between the ASUN and WAC. Gardner-Webb is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (formerly OVC/Big South).
The two teams last met in 2023 in a non-conference clash in Tennessee. Austin Peay pulled away in the second half for a 41-14 victory. The loss left Gardner-Webb 2-4, but the Runnin’ Bulldogs reeled off five victories in a row to capture the Big South/OVC football championship.
Gardner-Webb won the only other meetings with Austin Peay, beating the Governors 31-15 in 2008 and 20-13 in 2007.
Austin Peay has been generating preseason headlines as a potential top-15 team in 2026. In April, Sports Illustrated pegged the Governors as one of five teams who could “shake up the FCS playoff picture.”
Austin Peay won seven games last season, including upsetting FBS Middle Tennessee State. Quarterback Chris Parson makes them go. The former Mississippi State player logged 3,003 passing yards, 23 passing TDs, 743 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs in 2025.
Facing Austin Peay will mark the first of three road games for GWU to start the 2026 campaign. The Runnin’ Bulldogs will play five of their first six contests away from home.
🔗 Quick Links
- Gardner-Webb schedule
Ohio Valley Conference standings - 2026 week-by-week schedule
- North Carolina college football scores
📝 Game Recap
Check back after the game for a recap, notes and observations.
