Austin Peay claims OVC crown with 35-7 win over E. Illinois

Nov 24, 2020, 09:25 am

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- JaVaughn Craig threw three touchdowns and ran for two more and Austin Peay beat Eastern Illinois 35-7 for the Ohio Valley Conference championship on Saturday.

Austin Peay (9-3, 7-1) owns the tiebreaker over Southeast Missouri State (9-3, 7-1) by virtue of its 28-24 win over the Redhawks on Oct. 12. Its only their second conference title, the last coming in 1977. The Governors -- ranked No. 19 in FCS -- set a single-season record for wins.

Craig threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Baniko Harley with 4:51 left in the first quarter for the game's first score. Darshon McCullough's 47-yard TD run eight seconds into the second tied it up. Craig followed up with a 5-yard scoring run after a 5-play, 76-yard drive less than two minutes later. Then, his 19-yard touchdown run 68 seconds before halftime made it 21-7.

McCullough ran for 110 yards on 20 carries for the Panthers' (1-11, 1-7) lone score.