The No. 18 Austin Peay State University football team lost 45-31 to No. 14 Abilene Christian on Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium. Still, sophomore quarterback Chris Parson and junior tight end Jackson Head gave the Governors a chance to rally with record-setting performances.

Parson totaled a career-high four touchdowns, throwing for 330 yards and adding two scores on the ground. Head set a program record for receiving yards by a tight end with 132, highlighted by a pair of long catches that sparked back-to-back APSU touchdowns in the third quarter. Junior wide receiver Jaden Robinson also broke the 100-yard mark, finishing with 114 yards and a touchdown.

While two early turnovers allowed ACU to build a 24-3 halftime lead, the Govs nearly matched the Wildcats in total yards (434-432) and controlled possession for much of the game. Redshirt freshman Montreze Smith Jr. led the defense with nine tackles, while graduate student Raylyn Manley added eight and two pass breakups.

Austin Peay (2-2) returns home Sept. 27 to host Utah Tech. Kickoff at Fortera Stadium is set for 1 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN+.