CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The 16th-ranked West Georgia Wolves football team suffered their first defeat of the 2025 season in a close-fought United Athletic Conference battle with the number 21 Austin Peay Governors.
West Georgia (5-1, 2-1 UAC) and Austin Peay (4-2, 2-1 UAC) played a physical battle that featured four ties and six lead changes. The Wolves were held off the board in the fourth quarter and APSU rattled off 21 unanswered points in their victory.
The loss snaps a six-game winning streak for the Wolves and a four-game streak on the road before sending UWG home for a second-straight battle against a ranked opponent on October 11 against Abilene Christian.
APSU outgained UWG in the total yards department, 468-362, with 346 yards coming through the air for the Govs. UWG's offense lost Davin Wydner in the third quarter to injury, and Wydner finished with 132 yards passing and a touchdown on 11-for-17 while also hauling in his first career receiving touchdown.
The Wolves got on the board first, driving 43 yards and putting points on the board with a 50-yard Simon Zeidan field goal.
Austin Peay responded by going 75 yards in five plays, scoring on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Chris Parson to Jaden Robinson to make it a 7-3 APSU lead.
West Georgia then drove 75 yards on six plays and went with some trickeration to find the endzone as a reverse pass saw DK Daniel connect with quarterback turned receiver Davin Wydner for a 10-yard touchdown. The PAT attempt was blocked and returned by Rishi Rattan for the rare special teams two-point play and left the game tied at 9-9 with 7:52 left in the first.
Wydner threw for a touchdown on the next Wolves' possession after the defense forced a punt.
Jalen Burton set the Wolves up in Govs' territory after a 23-yard return. The Wolves scored six plays later as Wydner hit
Jordan Dees for an 11-yard touchdown, stretching the Wolves' lead to 16-9.
APSU engineered a 13-yard scoring drive on their ensuing possession, scoring on another Parson to Robinson pass, tying things up at 16-16 early in the second.
It was a quick start to the third for the Govs as Parson had completions for 24 yards and 41 yards, the latter of which went to the house and resulted in a 23-16 APSU lead with 14:06 left in the third.
The defense used a takeaway to set up the offense to tie things up at 8:50 in the third. Micah Thurman forced and recovered a fumble, returning it 20 yards to the APSU 18-yard line. After a penalty, Wydner then scrambled to the one-yard line and then gave it to Latrelle Murrell who found the endzone to tie it up, 23-23.
APSU's next possession ended in a UWG takeaway as Joenel Figueroa picked off Parson's pass, securing an interception for the second consecutive week. The Wolves immediately gave it to TJ Lester who did the rest, racing to the endzone from 26 yards out and giving UWG the 30-23 lead with 7:48 left in the period.
UWG got a stop on the next play, but a fumble on the punt return set up Austin Peay at the UWG 34-yard line. The Govs scored five plays later, giving the game its fourth tie at 30-30.
After the Govs forced a punt, they would march 85 yards in just five plays to regain the lead at 37-30 as Parson found the endzone with his legs with 11:24 to play.
APSU's defense put points on the board on the Wolves' next drive, picking off a Colton FitzGerald pass and returning it 26 yards to stretch their advantage to 14 at the 8:09 mark of the fourth.
West Georgia drove inside the five late in the game with an opportunity to cut it back to a one-score game, but the drive would stall out and UWG turned it over on downs.
Murrell finished with a game-high 74 yards rushing and a touchdown. Jordan Dees led all receivers with 99 yards on six catches and a touchdown.
Defensively, UWG got a game-high nine tackles from David Hoage who finished with a sack and a pair of tackles for loss. Micah Thurman chipped in with eight tackles including six solo while Geoffrey Speight added six stops.
UWG will be back at home in seven days, hosting Abilene Christian in a UAC contest at 2 p.m. from RaLin Field at University Stadium.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- Simon Zeidan's 50-yard field goal in the first quarter was a career-long for the freshman. The points on the first drive marked the first time UWG has scored on their opening drive of the game all season.
- Jordan Dees' 23-yard touchdown catch marked his third of the season, which leads the UWG receiving corps.
- The UWG defense has forced a takeaway in all six games this season with Joenel Figueroa securing an interception and Micah Thurman forcing a fumble and recovering it.
- Murrell tallied just his first touchdown of the season despite leading the team in rushing yards.
- The game featured 25 combined "big" plays (passes of 15+ or rushes of 10+).
