BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Brandon Jackson’s 11-yard run on an end around with 3:09 to play broke a 13-13 tie and gave Gardner-Webb a 20-13 win over upstart Austin Peay.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs (2-2) held off the Governors the rest of the way on defense, getting several big stops down the stretch. Austin Peay (3-2) used a miraculous 50-yard pass play on a tipped ball to get to the GWU five-yard line with less than a minute to play – but could not get in the end zone. A fumbled snap pushed the Govs back on first down, and freshman quarterback Trent Caffee threw three-straight incomplete passes under pressure to give GWU possession.

“We played hard and got after it defensively in the second half,” said GWU head coach Steve Patton. “Austin Peay is a very good football team, and we saw that on film earlier this week. They’ve been spending their scholarships on the right people the last two years. I think, defensively, we had some big plays, but some solid plays too. Offensively we were able to execute much better in the second half. Penalties killed us in the first two quarters (seven for 78 yards), and that’s something we need to correct.”

Brian Johnston, who finished the game with a school-record eight quarterback pressures (five knockdowns) applied the heat on the Governors’ final three plays. Johnston, a preseason All-America selection, had a career-high 14 total tackles (six solo), 3.0 tackles for loss and a pair of half sacks in the game.

Freshman Jeffrey Williams (11 hits) and junior Mario Brown (10 hits) also had good defensive nights. With Austin Peay trying to get out of its goal line shadows late in the game, Williams stopped Caffee at the line of scrimmage on third down, forcing a Governors’ punt that gave GWU possession inside Austin Peay territory.

The ensuing five-play, 44-yard drive resulted in the GWU victory.

Duvaughn Flagler’s 19-yard touchdown reception from Devin Campbell with 14:24 to play in the game pulled GWU into a 13-13 tie, capping a six-play, 46-yard march that lasted just 1:11. Evan Kay had a pair of field goals (37, 24 yards) to account for Gardner-Webb’s other scoring.

Flagler finished with 11 catches for 153 yards in the game, moving into second place in Big South Conference history in both receptions and yardage. Flagler has now hauled in 158 career passes for 2,148 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.

Defensively, the Runnin’ Bulldogs held the Governors to 281 yards of total offense (93 rushing). Austin Peay’s Chris Fletcher, a preseason All-America, had his streak of 10-straight games with 100 yards or more on the ground snapped. Fletcher finished with 73 yards on 24 carries. GWU’s defense held the Governors’ vaunted rushing attack to just 93 yards on 39 carries. APSU came into the game ranked 21st nationally at 210.0 yards per game as a team.

Gardner-Webb managed just 32 yards on the ground offensively, but saw Campbell and starter Stan Doolittle combine for 318 passing yards – as GWU posted 350 total yards on 65 plays. Dobson Collins caught six passes for a career-high 102 yards in the game.

Austin Peay was paced defensively by Kit Hartsfield (10 tackles, two interceptions) and Daniel Becker (eight tackles, half sack).

Gardner-Webb will travel to face two-time defending FCS national champion Appalachian State next weekend in Boone (2:30 kickoff). Austin Peay will play at Tennessee Tech in OVC play.

NOTES: Gardner-Webb named the field at Spangler Stadium on Saturday night, honoring former head coach Norman Harris. Harris coached three sports (football, baseball and basketball) during his career at Gardner-Webb Junior College from 1949-1969 ... Harris coached the first game at Spangler Stadium in 1966, and forged a 14-4-1 mark on the field that now bears his name ... Gardner-Webb has allowed just 105 total rushing yards in its two home games, and against Division I FCS competition this season (52.5 yards per game) ... GWU has, not surprisingly, won both of those contests ... Freshman Jeffrey Williams has posted double figures tackling totals in three of his first four career games. Williams averaged 19.6 tackles per game as a prep senior at Frisco City (Ala.) High last season.