The Austin Peay football team has a huge matchup with Vanderbilt, and you shouldn’t count the Govs out.
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – It’s officially August now, which means Austin Peay plays football this month. The Govs’ first game is at home on Aug. 27 against Gardner-Webb. After that opener, the Govs have a game just one week later that every football fan in Tennessee should have their eyes on.
On Sept. 5, the Govs head down to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Commodores won 10 games last season, in what was one of the most successful years in program history. They also play in the SEC, which has been the dominant college football conference for years now.
As a result, most people will see this matchup on the schedule and automatically pencil in a W for the Commodores. However, let’s talk about some reasons nobody should be sleeping on the Govs in this matchup.
Wait a second. Austin Peay could legitimately have the better quarterback in a matchup against an SEC opponent? Yes, I believe so. The Vanderbilt team that won 10 games last year was led by Diego Pavia, but Pavia is not going to be under center in 2026.
Instead, the Commodores will either have true freshman Jared Curtis or upperclassman Blaze Berlowitz at quarterback. Yes, Curtis was a five-star recruit and one of the best quarterback prospects in the country, but it takes time to play quarterback at a high level. This would be Curtis’ first-ever collegiate game, so it won’t be surprising if he struggles.
Meanwhile, the Govs have Chris Parson, who has played in the SEC before, at quarterback for Mississippi State. Parson started every game for the Govs last season and had one of the best quarterback seasons in school history. Parson is widely considered one of, if not the best, quarterbacks at the FCS level. It’s not hard to imagine an experienced, former SEC quarterback having a better game than a true freshman making his first start.
I can guarantee that every Vanderbilt fan and probably everybody associated with the football program has already marked off Week 1 as a victory. SEC teams have to play nine-game conference schedules now, so it’s doubtful the Austin Peay game is being talked about that much.
But it’s dangerous to overlook these Govs, just ask Middle Tennessee State. In Week 1, nobody knows anything yet. Every team has a ton of new talent, so it’s not easy to scout your first opponent. The Commodores have plenty of film on Parson, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they think they can simply overmatch the Govs without much effort.
If the Govs score early, the Commodores will probably be shell-shocked. Head coach Jeff Faris is totally fine with his team being overlooked, and he would love to upset the football tables in 2026.
Here’s the full Austin Peay 2026 football schedule (conference opponents in bold):
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Bryce Lazenby is the APSU sports reporter for Clarksville Now. Lazenby’s work has been featured in The Sporting News, A to Z Sports, Saturday Down South, and others. You can reach him at blazenby@5starradio.com.
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