It has been a rocky start for the UTM football campaign this season, with the Skyhawks starting 0-3, but can they turn it around at home against in-state rival Austin Peay?
Before last Saturday, Sept. 15, UTM had not even had a close game. In the season opener at Missouri, UTM fell 51-14 where the Tigers had 281 more total yards with 19 more offensive plays in the game. Next, the Skyhawks went to Murfreesboro to face Middle Tennessee State University, where the Blue Raiders overpowered UTM with a final score of 61-37.
However, Skyhawk quarterback Dresser Winn had his best game of the season so far at MTSU; the sophomore threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Other offensive season-highs in the MTSU game included 10 receptions and two touchdown grabs by junior receiver Terry Williams, and the only four sacks of the season by four different defensive players. By Sept. 15, coming home for the first time of the season and off two blowout losses, UTM was hungry for a win. Unfortunately, they fell short to UTC by 10 points, with the final score being 34-24.
Coming into the game against Austin Peay, the Governors boast a 2-1 record and sit at No. 1 in the OVC, their only loss coming against Georgia. The Governors have two formidable quarterbacks in JaVaughn Craig and Jeremiah Oatsvall. Craig and Oatsvall’s stats are less impressive upon first look than UTM’s Winn mainly because they split playing time. A junior from Chattanooga, Craig has 282 passing yards, two touchdowns and 168 rushing yards, and Oatsvall, a sophomore from Brentwood, has 210 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception and 167 rushing yards. As their stats show, whichever quarterback is in for Austin Peay, the Skyhawk defense will have to keep an eye on them to roll out of the pocket and try to gain yards with their legs instead of their arms.
In comparison, Winn’s stats for the year are 823 passing yards, seven touchdowns, four interceptions and one touchdown on the ground. The young quarterback shows a lot of promise, with this only being his sophomore year and his first year at UTM to begin the season as the starting QB.
UTM holds a 38-26-2 series record against the Governors, and winning 10 of the last 11 meetings, most recently falling to them last year 7-0.
The game will kick off from Hardy M. Graham Stadium at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22. It can be watched on ESPN+ or listened to on the radio at Mix 101.3 FM or WUTM 90.3 FM for live coverage of the game.
To keep up with all things Skyhawk sports, be sure to check back on The Pacer online.
