Sunday, March 21
Clarksville, Tenn.
2 p.m.
UT Martin
at
Austin Peay
UT MARTIN FOOTBALL TO OPEN SGT. YORK TROPHY SERIES AGAINST AUSTIN PEAY THIS WEEKEND
3/17/2021 4:59:00 PM | Football
The University of Tennessee at Martin football team will hit the road for an in-state matchup at Ohio Valley Conference rival Austin Peay in the first contest of the Sgt. York Trophy series on Sunday, March 21. Kickoff from Fortera Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The Skyhawks (1-2, 1-2 OVC) enters the matchup looking to regroup after falling to No. 10 Jacksonville State last week 37-20. UT Martin jumped out to an early 10-0 lead before allowing JSU to score 27 unanswered points and take control of the contest.
Quarterback John Bachus III ranks third in the OVC in passing yards per game with 197.3 ypg while tossing four touchdowns on the year. Wide receiver Colton Dowell leads the league in receptions per game (6.0) while tallying 18 receptions for 165 yards and one touchdown on the season. On the defensive side, safety Deven Sims ranks third in the league with 9.3 tackles per game while also ranking amongst league leaders with 3.0 tackles for loss and four pass breakups.
Sunday's matchup marks the first of three games in the coveted Sgt. York Trophy series which goes to the winner of the quadrangular season football series between the four OVC football-playing schools located in the state of Tennessee – Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin. UT Martin has won or shared the Sgt. York Trophy seven times in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. The Skyhawks hold a 27-12 all-time record in the series – the best mark of the four Tennessee OVC schools – that includes a 18-5 mark since 2012.
The head coaching matchup features UT Martin's Jason Simpson and Austin Peay's Scotty Walden which enter the matchup with varying forms of experience in the OVC. Simpson ranks as the longest tenured coach in the OVC in his 15th season, while his 88 wins rank sixth in league history. Walden is in just his first season at the helm of the Governors – picking up his first league victory back in February.
Austin Peay (2-4, 2-1 OVC) is coming off a thrilling 49-42 double-overtime victory over Southeast Missouri last week. The Governors were rewarded for their win with a pair of OVC Player of the Week honors as the freshmen pair of Draylen Ellis and Elijah Culp garnered their respective OVC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors.
This marks the 69th meeting between the two programs in a series which dates back to 1930. UT Martin holds a 39-27-2 advantage overall while winning 14 of the last 17 matchups since 1997. Austin Peay has defended its home turf in the last two meetings at Fortera Stadium in both 2017 and 2019.
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The Skyhawks (1-2, 1-2 OVC) enters the matchup looking to regroup after falling to No. 10 Jacksonville State last week 37-20. UT Martin jumped out to an early 10-0 lead before allowing JSU to score 27 unanswered points and take control of the contest.
Quarterback John Bachus III ranks third in the OVC in passing yards per game with 197.3 ypg while tossing four touchdowns on the year. Wide receiver Colton Dowell leads the league in receptions per game (6.0) while tallying 18 receptions for 165 yards and one touchdown on the season. On the defensive side, safety Deven Sims ranks third in the league with 9.3 tackles per game while also ranking amongst league leaders with 3.0 tackles for loss and four pass breakups.
Sunday's matchup marks the first of three games in the coveted Sgt. York Trophy series which goes to the winner of the quadrangular season football series between the four OVC football-playing schools located in the state of Tennessee – Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin. UT Martin has won or shared the Sgt. York Trophy seven times in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. The Skyhawks hold a 27-12 all-time record in the series – the best mark of the four Tennessee OVC schools – that includes a 18-5 mark since 2012.
The head coaching matchup features UT Martin's Jason Simpson and Austin Peay's Scotty Walden which enter the matchup with varying forms of experience in the OVC. Simpson ranks as the longest tenured coach in the OVC in his 15th season, while his 88 wins rank sixth in league history. Walden is in just his first season at the helm of the Governors – picking up his first league victory back in February.
Austin Peay (2-4, 2-1 OVC) is coming off a thrilling 49-42 double-overtime victory over Southeast Missouri last week. The Governors were rewarded for their win with a pair of OVC Player of the Week honors as the freshmen pair of Draylen Ellis and Elijah Culp garnered their respective OVC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors.
This marks the 69th meeting between the two programs in a series which dates back to 1930. UT Martin holds a 39-27-2 advantage overall while winning 14 of the last 17 matchups since 1997. Austin Peay has defended its home turf in the last two meetings at Fortera Stadium in both 2017 and 2019.
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Players Mentioned
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