• OVC Football Report – March 2 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
Sunday, March 7
*Eastern Illinois at UT Martin, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*#10 Jacksonville State at Tennessee State, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Murray State at #16 Southeast Missouri, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
This Week’s OVC Highlights/Storylines
The eight OVC teams competing will play a round robin schedule of seven Conference games running February 21 through April 11 (April 17 would be used for a makeup weekend)...Games will primarily take place on Sunday's (with the exception of Easter weekend)...The 16-team FCS Playoff field (down from 24 this year only) will be announced on Sunday, April 18...The Conference season finally got underway with one game on February 21 (three others were postponed due to winter weather); the first full weekend of play was on February 28 when all eight teams were in action...Austin Peay sophomore RB Brian Snead had touchdown runs of 75, 67 and 44 yards in the first quarter against Tennessee State on February 28; the 204 rushing yards set a new FCS record for rushing yards in a quarter...Snead was named the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week...Tennessee Tech kicker Hayden Olsen scored the first points of the first-ever spring OVC season, connecting on a 25-yard field goal with 1:03 to play in the first quarter against Austin Peay on Feb. 21...Austin Peay, Jacksonville State and Southeast Missouri played a limited number of non-conference games in the fall...APSU participated in the first college football game of the season, as the FCS Kickoff in Montgomery, Alabama during Week Zero...Jacksonville State finished the fall with a 3-1 record after knocking off FBS foe FIU on October 23...It was the first win for an OVC team over a FBS opponent since 2017; OVC teams have now won at least one FBS game in seven of the past 11 years...Overall it snapped a 66-game losing streak for FCS teams against FBS opponents dating back to September 2019.
OVC Players of the Week
OFFENSIVE
Brian Snead, RB • 6-1, 230, R-So. • Tampa, Fla. • Austin Peay
In a four-minute span of the first quarter, Snead ran for touchdowns of 75, 67 and 44 yards, helping the Govs ease past Tennessee State 27-20. Snead broke an FCS record for most rushing yards in a single quarter, finishing the first with 204 yards on six carries. That broke the previous FCS record of 194 yards by Nevada's Otto Kelly on Nov. 12, 1983. Snead ended the day with 227 yards on 23 carries – 17 yards shy of the program record set in 1981.
Others Nominated: Uriah West, Jacksonville State; DeQuan Dallas, Murray State; Andrew Bunch, Southeast Missouri; Vincent Perry, Tennessee State.
CO-DEFENSIVE
Jack McDonald, LB • 6-0, 206, Jr. • Brentwood, Tenn. • Austin Peay
McDonald led the Govs with 11 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and had a victory-clinching pass breakup in Sunday’s 27-20 win against Tennessee State. He led a Govs defense that posted 13 TFLs (and now has 29 in two OVC games) and limited the Tigers to 98 rushing yards on 45 carries (2.2 ypc). With Tennessee State driving for a potential game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter, McDonald knocked down a pass inside the Govs 10-yard line to secure the win.
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CO-DEFENSIVE
Nicario Harper, SAF • 6-1, 180, R-So. • Atlanta, Ga. • Jacksonville State
Harper led a stellar JSU defensive effort against No. 23 Tennessee Tech, recording a game-high 13 tackles and also intercepting a pass in the 27-10 win. His interception came with just over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter at the JSU three-yard line to stop a TTU scoring threat and keep the JSU lead at two possession. The play also set up the Gamecocks’ final scoring drive. Harper was the leading tackler on a defense that held TTU to just 227 total yards and only 75 yards on the ground and also forced five turnovers.
Others Nominated: Don Parker, Murray State; Nyle Love, Tennessee State; Jamaal Thompson, Tennessee Tech.
SPECIALIST
Dresser Winn, P/QB • 6-3, 215, R-Jr. • Dresden, Tenn. • UT Martin
Winn served as UT Martin's punter for the first time in his collegiate career against Murray State. He tallied seven punts for 299 yards, averaging 42.7 yards/punt with a game-long of 58 yards (the longest punt by a Skyhawk since 2017). Three of his punts went for 50 yards of more and three were downed inside the 20-yard line (with zero touchbacks). Winn later entered on the final two drives for the Skyhawks at quarterback and drove them down the field with 38 yards of total offense and a one-yard rushing touchdown – the fifth rushing touchdown of his career – to make it a one-score game in the final minute.
Others Nominated: Matthew Rigney, Austin Peay; Alen Karajic, Jacksonville State; Kenny Doak, Southeast Missouri; Dayron Johnson, Tennessee State.
NEWCOMER
Brian Snead, RB • 6-1, 230, R-So. • Tampa, Fla. • Austin Peay
In a four-minute span of the first quarter, Snead, a transfer from Iowa Western, ran for touchdowns of 75, 67 and 44 yards, helping the Govs ease past Tennessee State 27-20. Snead broke an FCS record for most rushing yards in a single quarter, finishing the first with 204 yards on six carries. That broke the previous FCS record of 194 yards by Nevada's Otto Kelly on Nov. 12, 1983. Snead ended the day with 227 yards on 23 carries – 17 yards shy of the program record set in 1981.
Others Nominated: Kendi Young, Eastern Illinois; Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State; Damonta Witherspoon, Murray State; Andrew Bunch, Southeast Missouri; Isaiah Green, Tennessee State.
Notes From Around the League
#SundaysInTheSpring: The Conference portion of the 73rd season of Ohio Valley Conference football was postponed to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four OVC teams played a limited number of non-conference games in the fall. This year's spring OVC schedule will include a round-robin format, featuring the eight teams that elected to play competing in seven conference games over an eight-week period (with an open date at the end of the schedule for potential make-up games). Games will be contested on Sundays (with the exception of Easter weekend when the games will be played on Saturday) and start during a 1-3 p.m. window local time.
Austin Peay's Snead Sets FCS Record for Rushing Yards in a Quarter: Austin Peay sophomore running back
Brian Snead set the FCS record for rushing yards in a quarter when he had 204 yards on just six carries in the first quarter against Tennessee State on February 28. Snead had touchdown runs of 75, 67 and 44 yards in the quarter. The previous FCS record was 194 yards by Nevada's Otto Kelly on Nov. 12, 1983.
Jacksonville State and Southeast Missouri Ranked in Stats Perform Poll: In the March 1 Stats Perform media poll, Jacksonville State was ranked No. 10 (up from 16 last week) while Southeast Missouri was ranked No. 16 (up from 21st last week). Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech were among the other teams receiving votes. The first AFCA Coaches Top 25 poll will be released in mid-March.
NCAA Division I Playoff Information: The 2020 FCS Playoffs were pushed to the spring. This year's field will be 16 teams (down from 24) and include 10 automatic qualifiers and six at-large selections. The NCAA will announce the selections for a revised 16-team playoff field on Sunday, April 18. The first round is scheduled for the weekend April 24 with the FCS National Championship game to be played on either May 16 in Frisco, Texas.
Academic Success: During the past academic year (2019-20) there were 162 OVC football student-athletes who were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll for having a 3.25 grade point average or higher. In addition, 13 student-athletes were awarded the OVC Academic Medal of Honor for achieving perfect 4.0 GPAs. The OVC also awards a Team Academic Award for the football program with the highest percentage of players with a 3.25 grade point average or higher; that award went to Austin Peay for 2019-20.
Snead Named Stats Perform National Offensive Player of the Week (March 1): After his recording breaking performance against Tennessee State, Austin Peay sophomore running back
Brian Snead was named the Stats Perform National Offensive Player of the Week on March 1. Snead set the FCS record for rushing yards in a quarter when he had 204 yards on just six carries in the first quarter against TSU on February 28. Snead had touchdown runs of 75, 67 and 44 yards in the quarter. The previous FCS record was 194 yards by Nevada's Otto Kelly on Nov. 12, 1983.
OVC Teams Against FBS Opponents: On October 24, Jacksonville State topped FIU 19-10, giving the Gamecocks its sixth all-time win over a FBS opponent and first since 2013 (Georgia State). It was the first time since September 2019 that any FCS team had topped a FBS opponent (The Citadel over Georgia Tech), ending a streak of 66-straight losses for FCS teams. It was the first win for an OVC team over a FBS opponent since 2017 (Tennessee State over Georgia State). Overall OVC teams have wins over FBS opponents in seven of the past 11 years (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020) and are 36-252-1 all-time against FBS foes.
Two OVC Players Named to FCS Punter of the Year Watch List: Two OVC football players have been named to the 2020 FCS Punter of the Year Award Watch List by the Augusta Sports Council. Southeast Missouri senior
Jake Reynolds and Tennessee State junior
Kaleb Mosley were two of the 22 selections nationally. The 2020 watch list was compiled based on the 2019 FCS Punter of the Year watchlist, the 2019 All-Conference teams, the 2019 All-American Teams and the 2020 preseason All-Conference Teams. The FCS Punter of the Year Award winner will be voted on by the FCS Punter of the Year Award/Ray Guy Award Committee and will be announced after regular season play commences.
Samuel Named Stats Perform National Co-Player of the Week (Oct. 25): Jacksonville State junior running back
Josh Samuel was named the Stats Perform National Co-Player of the Week on October 25 for his performance in JSU's 19-10 win over FBS foe FIU. Samuel, a transfer from WKU, carried the ball 25 times for a career-high 163 yards (91 yards more than the entire FIU team) and a two-yard touchdown that put his team on top for good in the second quarter. He also caught a team-high five passes for 38 yards to finish the contest with 201 all-purpose yards. In addition the Jacksonville State team was named the FCS Team of the Week after ending the FCS's 66-game losing streak to FBS opponents that dated back to September 2019.
Evans Named Stats Perform National Player of the Week (Sept. 20): Austin Peay freshman running back
CJ Evans Jr.'s two-touchdown performance at No. 13 Cincinnati earned him recognition as the STATS Perform Co-FCS Player of the Week on September 20. Evans had two fourth-quarter scores in Cincinnati. The first was a one-yard dash to score the Govs first touchdown of the day, completing a 10-play drive. His second was a monster 64-yard dash that saw him elude a handful of Bearcats defenders. Along with his two touchdowns, Evans amassed a team-best 88 rushing yards on 12 carries. He added seven receiving yards on three receptions and tacked on another 46 yards in kick returns. All told, he finished the day with 141 all-purpose yards.
A Look at the Coaches: Seven of the nine OVC coaches from last season return to their respective teams in 2020. Jacksonville State's
John Grass, Tennessee State's
Rod Reed and Tennessee Tech's
Dewayne Alexander are currently coaching at their alma maters. The longest tenured coach in the league is UT Martin’s
Jason Simpson who is in his 15th season with the Skyhawks in 2020. Simpson has 87 overall victories in his career, sixth-most in OVC history (five away from tying for fifth-place).
EIU's Cushing on Football Oversight Committee: Eastern Illinois head football coach
Adam Cushing has been named to the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee. Cushing is the lone football coach on the committee and will serve a four-year term until June 30, 2024. The Football Oversight Committee ensures that appropriate oversight of football for both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision is maintained, enhances the development of the sport and make recommendations related to regular-season and postseason football. The committee prioritizes enhancement of the student-athlete educational experience (academically and athletically), and in doing so, promotes student-athletes' personal growth and leadership development. It works in conjunction with appropriate governance entities to provide solutions to issues impacting the health and safety of football student-athletes. The committee supervises procedures for licensing of postseason bowls and qualifications and/or selection procedures for the FCS Championship. The committee reviews recommendations from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee and process other issues related to the administration of the FCS Championship. The committee provides direction to the NCAA Football Rules Committee regarding playing rules governing FBS and FCS football. The committee is comprised of representatives from each divisional subgroup that sponsors football.
Carlisle and Horton Named to Division I Football Oversight Committee Student-Athlete Connection Group: Tennessee Tech junior linebacker
Seth Carlisle and Tennessee State junior defensive tackle
Raymond Horton have been selected to participate in the Division I Football Oversight Committee Student-Athlete Connection Group (SACG). The connection group consists of 52 current players and its goal is to gather broad-based feedback from Division I football student-athletes on issues the Football Oversight Committee is reviewing. Among the priorities for the 2020-21 academic year are COVID-19 health and safety measures, transfer policies, name, image and likeness topics and social justice issues. Each Division I football conference has chosen two student-athlete representatives who will serve either one or two-year terms. The committee will meet quarterly to discuss issues and provide feedback to the Football Oversight Committee.
APSU's Wilson and Jackson Headline Preseason All-OVC Team: Although a preseason predicted order of finish for the upcoming season has not been released, the Preseason All-OVC football teams were released in July. Austin Peay senior wide receiver
DeAngelo Wilson and senior nickelback
Kordell Jackson were named the 2020 OVC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and communications directors. Austin Peay led the way with seven total selections, while Jacksonville State finished with six, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin had five apiece, Southeast Missouri had four, Eastern Kentucky, Murray State and Tennessee State had three each and Eastern Illinois had two. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last year (seven in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included 15 players who were second-team picks in 2019. Of the 38 total selections, 20 were seniors, 16 were juniors and two were sophomores.
Romo Selected for College Football Hall of Fame: In January it was announced that former Eastern Illinois quarterback
Tony Romo had been selected to the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class. Romo becomes the third player that played in the OVC to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame joining Jim Youngblood from Tennessee Tech and George Floyd Jr., from Eastern Kentucky. Three former head coaches from the OVC have also been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame with Roy Kidd (Eastern Kentucky), James “Boots” Donnelly (Middle Tennessee/Austin Peay) and Frank Beamer (Murray State). At EIU Romo was the winner of the 2002 Walter Payton Award as the top player in the FCS. After going undrafted in 2003, Romo would put together a standout NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003-16. The four-time Pro Bowl selection holds Cowboy records for career passing yards and passing touchdowns. Off the field, Romo has annually hosted youth football camps in his hometown of Burlington, Wisconsin. He is also heavily involved with the United Way, Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Since retiring with the Cowboys, Romo has served as the lead color analyst for CBS’ NFL telecasts, working alongside Jim Nantz.
Four With OVC Connections in the Super Bowl: At the end of the NFL regular season, there were 11 former OVC players on active rosters and five others on active rosters. For Super Bowl LV, there were four individuals with connections to the OVC taking part in the game. Former Jacksonville State All-American wide receiver
Josh Pearson was a member of the Tampa Bay practice squad while former Austin Peay head coach and quarterback
Rick Christophel was the tight ends coach for the Buccaneers. Former Murray State player and OVC official
Jabir Walker was an alternate on this year's officiating crew and former Eastern Illinois and Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Tony Romo broadcasted his second Super Bowl for CBS alongside Jim Nantz.
I-AA No More: Although some people may still refer to it as I-AA football, the term that represents the level of Division I football in which the Ohio Valley Conference competes has been long retired. Beginning with the 2006 National Championship game, the term Football Championship Subdivision (or FCS) is to be used. Teams who play at the FCS level can offer a maximum of 63 scholarships (Football Bowl Subdivision teams can offer 85) and compete in a playoff at the end of the season to determine the national champion.
NCAA Unity Pledge/Logo: This season you will see OVC teams sporting a Unity Patch on uniforms. The patch is part of a Unity Pledge and Logo approved by the NCAA’s three divisional Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) and the NCAA Board of Governors Student-Athlete Engagement Committee. They are symbolic gestures to continue generating stronger unity among the NCAA’s 1100-plus schools and nearly 500,000 student-athletes. The logo includes three different colored hands holding one another’s wrists inside a circle with “United As One” at the bottom. For more information on this and other OVC social justice initiatives visit
www.OVCSports.com/OVCforChange.
ESPN+: The OVC enters year three with ESPN+, the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company's Direct-to-Consumer & International segment, being the exclusive home of regular season and OVC Championship broadcasts. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) or as part of a bundle with Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu ($12.99/month). ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App and (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. More information can be found at
www.OVCSports.com/ESPN.