• OVC Football Report - September 22 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
Saturday, September 27
Eastern Illinois at Ohio, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Tennessee Tech at #10 Northern Iowa, 4:00 p.m.
*#8 Jacksonville State at Murray State, 6:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
Florida A&M
at #20 Tennessee State, 6:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
*Southeast Missouri at UT Martin, 6:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
Austin Peay at #22 Illinois State, 6:30 p.m.
This Week’s OVC Highlights/Storylines
Conference play started on Saturday as Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee State all won games to improve to 1-0 on the season...Eastern Kentucky improved to 4-0 with its win over UT Martin; it marks the first time the Colonels have been 4-0 since the 1992 season...EKU is 1 of 11 undefeated teams in the FCS and 1 of 5 who are a perfect 4-0...Southeast Missouri picked up the biggest win in its Division I Era as it topped No. 3 ranked Southeastern Louisiana 24-23; that is the highest-ranked FCS opponent the Redhawks have ever defeated (the previous best had been No. 5 Southern Illinois in 2010)...You have to go all the way back to 1990 to find the last time an OVC team beat a non-conference opponent ranked in the Top 3 nationally (MTSU beat No. 1 Georgia Southern that year)...Three OVC teams remained ranked in the Top 25 this week with Jacksonville State coming in at No. 8, Eastern Kentucky No. 18 and Tennessee State at No. 20...As a league the OVC is ranked third among all FCS conferences in the latest Sagarin Power Rankings while Jacksonville State is the highest-ranked OVC team in that power ranking...Two OVC teams (Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State) currently rank in the Top 8 in average home attendance for 2014...After its win over Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois has now won 13-straight OVC contests dating back to the 2012 season; the streak is tied with North Dakota State for the longest Conference winning streak nationally...The second OVC Game of the Week on ESPN3 game for the season was announced as part of the league’s Wildcard Selection process; the game is October 4 and features UT Martin at Jacksonville State...This week’s schedule features just two Conference games as Jacksonville State travels to Murray State and UT Martin hosts Southeast Missouri...Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech will all play non-conference games while EKU has an open date.
adidas® OVC Players of the Week
CO-OFFENSIVE
Kyle Snyder, QB • Sr., 6-1, 209 • Barberton, Ohio • Southeast Missouri
Paul McRoberts, WR • Jr., 6-3, 197 • St. Louis, Mo. • Southeast Missouri
The duo of Snyder and McRoberts helped Southeast Missouri defeat the highest-ranked opponent in school history as the Redhawks knocked off No. 3 ranked Southeastern Louisiana 24-23 on Saturday night. Snyder completed 16-of-31 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball 17 times for 95 yards (5.6 ypc). His biggest run of the game came on 3rd-and-10 from the 17-yard line with 12 seconds remaining when he took the snap and rushed 15 yards up-the-middle to the 2-yard line with just seven seconds to go. On the next play he completed a pass to McRoberts for the game-winning score. McRoberts finished the night with seven catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns. His other score of the night was a 12-yard completion from Snyder with 8:24 to play in the third quarter that gave the Redhawks a 17-10 lead. McRoberts has caught a touchdown pass in four-straight games and ranks first nationally in receiving touchdowns (6). Snyder ranks seventh nationally in both points responsible for (15.0/game) and passing touchdowns (7) and 12th in passing yards/completion (15.04).
Others Nominated: Jalen Whitlow, Eastern Illinois; Dy’Shawn Mobley, Eastern Kentucky; Josh Barge, Jacksonville State; KD Humphries, Murray State.
DEFENSIVE
Ronnie Vinson, S • Sr., 5-11, 185 • New Orleans, La. • Tennessee State
Vinson picked off a pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown with 1:32 remaining in the first quarter of Saturday’s win over Tennessee Tech. That score put the nationally-ranked Tigers ahead 10-7 and concluded the scoring for the day as neither team scored over the final three quarters. TSU players have returned interceptions for touchdowns in each of the past two weeks and the team has eight total interceptions on the season, a mark that is third nationally. The team also ranks second nationally in total defense (203.3 yards/game allowed) and fourth in scoring defense (11.8 points/game allowed). Tennessee State has had the OVC Defensive Player of the Week in three of the four weeks this season.
Others Nominated: Robert Haynes, Eastern Illinois; Trey Thomas, Eastern Kentucky; Jermaine Hough, Jacksonville State; Travis Taylor, Murray State; Roper Garrett, Southeast Missouri; Midoho Okpokowuruk, Tennessee Tech.
SPECIALIST
Antoine Johnson, DB • Jr., 5-10, 172 • Washington, D.C. • Eastern Illinois
Johnson blocked a punt at the 12-yard line and recovered it in the end zone in the third quarter to extend the Eastern Illinois lead to 49-7 on its way to a 63-7 victory over Austin Peay. It was the first blocked punt for a score for the team since the second round of the FCS Playoffs a year ago. Johnson also added two solo tackles on defense.
Others Nominated: Connor Rouleau, Jacksonville State; Zach Bogard, Murray State; Spencer Davis, Southeast Missouri.
CO-NEWCOMER
Jalen Whitlow, QB • Jr., 6-2, 220 • Montgomery, Ala. • Eastern Illinois
Whitlow, the transfer from Kentucky, set an Eastern Illinois record for rushing yards by a quarterback in carrying the ball 15 times for 137 yards (9.1 ypc) and two touchdowns in the team’s 63-7 victory over Austin Peay. The previous record had been 134 yards by Joe Davis in 1968. Whitlow was also efficient as a passer, completing 13-of-15 passes (86.7%) for 159 yards and two additional touchdowns. Overall EIU rushed for 413 yards (tying a school record set a season ago) and finished the day with 620 yards of total offense (10th-best in school history). Whitlow currently ranks fourth in the OVC in rushing (70.8 yards/game).
CO-NEWCOMER
Dy’Shawn Mobley, RB • Jr., 5-11, 215 • Powell, Tenn. • Eastern Kentucky
Mobley earned OVC Newcomer of the Week honors for the second-straight week after rushing for 183 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-24 victory over UT Martin. The transfer from Kentucky amassed that total on just 11 carries, averaging 16.6 yards/carry. He scored on touchdown runs of 68, 14 and a career-best 75 yards; the 75-yarder came late in the third quarter and iced the game for the now 4-0 Colonels. Mobley ranks fourth nationally in rushing yards/carry (8.64), 11th in total rushing yards (475) and 23rd in rushing touchdowns (4).
Others Nominated: Connor Rouleau, Jacksonville State; D’Montre Wade, Murray State.
Notes From Around the Gridiron
EKU One of 11 Undefeated FCS Teams: Entering this week Eastern Kentucky is 1 of 11 FCS teams that remains perfect on the season. The Colonels are one of just five FCS teams with perfect 4-0 records. EKU, who has a bye this week, has defeated an FBS team, won 2 road FCS games and has 1 home FCS victory among its four wins. Here is a list of undefeated FCS teams entering Week 5:
4-0:
Eastern Kentucky, North Dakota St., Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Tx. Southern
3-0: Albany, Bucknell
2-0: Illinois State
1-0: Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth
Southeast Missouri Scores Win Over Top 3 Ranked Team; First OVC Non-Conference Win Over Top 3 Squad Since 1990: Southeast Missouri pulled off the biggest win of its Division I Era on Sept. 20 when they topped No. 3 ranked Southeastern Louisiana 24-23 at Houck Stadium. Southeast led the game entering the fourth quarter but fell behind 23-17 on a touchdown with 2:53 to go. But the Redhawks went 80 yards in 15 plays capped by Paul McRoberts 2-yard touchdown catch from Kyle Snyder (who had rushed up-the-middle for 15 yards on the previous play to set up the winning score). It marked the first non-conference victory by an OVC team over a Top 3 ranked squad since Sept. 8, 1990 when former member Middle Tennessee State (ranked No. 4 at the time) beat No. 1 Georgia Southern 16-13.
Eastern Kentucky Tops FBS Miami (Ohio) In Week 1: For the fourth time in the last five years an OVC team has beaten a team from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as Eastern Kentucky won 17-10 at Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 6. The win was the first for the Colonels over a FBS team since the 1985 season, snapping an 18-game losing streak for EKU against teams from the higher subdivision; EKU is now 7-20 all-time against FBS opponents while OVC teams are 33-190-1 all-time against FBS opponents. The streak of winning a FBS game in 4 of the past 5 years is even more impressive when you consider the OVC went from Sept. 25, 2004 to Sept. 4, 2010 without an FBS victory (a 50-game losing streak). Here is a list of OVC wins over FBS teams over the past five years:
Jacksonville State 49, Ole Miss 48 (2OT) (2010)
UT Martin 20, Memphis 17 (2012)
Eastern Illinois 40, San Diego State 19 (2013)
Jacksonville State 32, Georgia State 26 (OT) (2013)
Eastern Kentucky 17, Miami (Ohio) 10 (2014)
#FearTheFCS: In 2013 a record 16 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams topped opponents from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). So far in 2014 six FCS teams have been victorious against teams from the FBS.
North Dakota State 34, Iowa State 14 (Aug. 30)
Bethune-Cookman 14, Florida International 12 (Aug. 30)
Eastern Kentucky 17, Miami (Ohio) 10 (Sept. 6)
Indiana State 27, Ball State 20 (Sept. 13)
Abilene Christian 38, Troy 35 (Sept. 13)
Northwestern State 30, Louisiana Tech 27 (Sept. 20)
OVC Ranks Third Among FCS Conferences in Latest Sagarin Rankings: In the latest Sagarin Power Rankings (through Sept. 20 games) the OVC is rated the third-best FCS conference, trailing the Missouri Valley and CAA. Jacksonville State is the OVC’s top-ranked team in the Sagarin Rankings, coming in at No. 87 among all 252 Division I teams (FBS and FCS), which is sixth among FCS teams.
Offensive Valley Conference: Despite the loss of some high profile offensive players around the league in 2013, the OVC is still producing offense in 2014. After four weeks the OVC ranks third among FCS conferences in total offense (averaging 390.50 yards per team/game).
OVC Teams in the Top 25: In the latest FCS Top 25 polls, Jacksonville State is now No. 8 in both the Sports Network and FCS Coaches Top 25 polls after its win over West Alabama last week. Eastern Kentucky jumped to No. 18 in the FCS Coaches poll and No. 19 in the Sports Network poll after improving to 4-0 with a victory at UT Martin. Tennessee State remained No. 20 in the FCS Coaches poll and dipped one spot to No. 21 in the Sports Network poll after a 10-7 win over Tennessee Tech. Southeast Missouri is receiving votes in both polls after its win over No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana. On Sept. 8 of this season there were four total OVC teams ranked in the Top 25 polls (Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State and Tennessee State); that marked the first time since the end of the 2002 season that four OVC teams were ranked in the FCS Top 25 polls at the same time.
OVC in the NCAA Statistical Leaders: In the latest set of NCAA statistical leaders (Sept. 21), Southeast Missouri’s
Paul McRoberts ranks first nationally in receiving touchdowns (6) while teammate
Ryan McCrum and Eastern Kentucky’s
Andrew Lloyd are tied for first nationally in field goal percentage (100%). EKU’s
Devin Borders is first nationally in blocked kicks (3), a category he also led the nation in during 2013. UT Martin quarterback
Jarod Neal is second in completion percentage (71.6%) and ninth in passing efficiency (162.7). EKU’s
Dy’Shawn Mobley is fourth in rushing yards/carry (8.64) and 11th in total rushing yards (475). Tennessee State’s
Tom Smith is sixth in rushing touchdowns (6) while Eastern Illinois’
Adam Drake is fourth in total receiving yards (424) and seventh in receptions/game (7.5). Southeast Missouri’s
Kyle Snyder is seventh in passing touchdowns (8) and points responsible for/game (15.0) and 12th in passing yards/completion (15.04) while Murray State’s
Janawski Davis is third in scoring (12.0 points/game) and fourth in receiving touchdowns (5). Tennessee Tech’s
Ladarius Vanlier is fifth in punt returns (19.3 yards/return). In the team rankings Tennessee State is first nationally in sacks/game (4.5), third down conversion defense (15.9%), fourth down conversion defense (0.0%) and time of possession (34:40), second in total defense (203.3 yards/game) and pass efficiency defense (66.56), third in passes intercepted (8), fourth in scoring defense (11.8 points/game), sixth in turnovers gained (12) and tackles-for-loss (9.5/game) and seventh in pass defense (123.8 yards/game) and rush defense (79.5 yards/game). Eastern Kentucky is second nationally in turnovers gained (13), third in red zone defense (50%), fourth in blocked kicks (3) and passes intercepted (7), fifth in blocked punts (1), sixth in rushing offense (280.8 yards/game) and fumbles recovered (6) and seventh in total offense (490.5 yards/game). Murray State ranks third in punt return yardage defense (-0.75 yards/return), fourth in punt returns (24.57 yards/return), seventh in sacks allowed/game (0.33) and tackles-for-loss allowed (3.67/game), ninth in blocked kicks (1) and 10th in turnovers lost (2).
Attendance: In the latest NCAA attendance rankings Jacksonville State ranks fourth nationally in averaging 18,912 fans while Eastern Kentucky ranks eighth with an average of 16,700.
Delta Dental of Tennessee to Sponsor Sgt. York Trophy: Beginning this season Delta Dental of Tennessee is the presenting sponsor of the Sgt. York Trophy. The trophy (founded in 2007 by the Nashville Sports Council and OVC) 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). The award is only the second traveling trophy that involves more than two teams in college sports; the other is the Commander in Chief’s Trophy which has been contested between Air Force, Army and Navy annually since 1972. The award is named in honor of Alvin C. York, the most noted Soldier of World War I. As a corporal in the 2nd battalion, 328th Infantry, in the Battle of the Meuse River-Argonne (Oct. 8, 1918), York and seven other soldiers captured 132 prisoners, was promoted to sergeant and received the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Croix de Guerre, the French Legion of Honor, the Croce di Guerra of Italy and the War Medal of Montenegro. Upon his return to the United States in 1919, he was bestowed the Congressional Medal of Honor. The trophy goes to the team with the best record against the other schools (in case of a tie there will be co-champions and the actual trophy will be retained by the defending champion if they are involved in the tie or if the defending champion is not involved in the tie it will go to the institution that has gone the most seasons without winning the trophy). Tennessee State won its fifth Sgt. York Championship in 2014. The trophy is presented at the Pepsi Celebration of Champions hosted by the Nashville Sports Council in the spring.
OVC Game of the Week on ESPN3: For the second-straight year the OVC is producing a “Game of the Week” package that will air on ESPN3 this fall. The eight-game schedule is one again in conjunction with WebStream Sports, an Indianapolis-based company which is a proven leader in video production, streaming video and content creation Kevin Ingram, host of “The Wake Up Zone” on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, will handle play-by-play duties while Bob Belvin, on-air talent and contributor at 100.7 FM/AM 540 (ESPN Clarksville), will provide analysis. The duo has worked together each of the past two years in the league’s TV package. The OVC Football Game of the Week package is part of an overall five-year agreement with ESPN which was announced last October. The deal runs through the completion of the 2017-18 season.
Sept. 20 - Eastern Kentucky at UT Martin, 12:00 p.m. CT
Oct. 4 - UT Martin at Jacksonville State, 3:00 p.m. CT
Oct. 11 - Jacksonville State at Tennessee State, 2:00 p.m. CT
Oct. 18 - Murray State at Austin Peay, 6:00 p.m. CT
Oct. 25 - Tennessee State at Eastern Illinois, 1:30 p.m. CT
Nov. 1 - Wildcard Selection
Nov. 8 - Southeast Missouri at Tennessee Tech, 1:30 p.m. CT
Nov. 15 - Eastern Illinois at Jacksonville State, 3:00 p.m. CT
The FCS Playoffs: In 2010 the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff field expanded to 20 teams, up from 16 previously, and last year (2013) the field increased to 24 for the first time. The expansion in 2010 to 20 teams was the first since the field grew from 12 to 16 teams in 1997. The field for the 2014 NCAA Division I Football Championship will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 23. The 24-team field is comprised of 11 automatic bids and 13 at-large berths. There are eight first round matchups (16 total teams), while eight (8) teams receive a bye into the second round. For the fifth time in 2014, the championship game will be played in Frisco, Texas at Toyota Stadium, a 23,500-seat multi-purpose stadium. The Southland Conference will serve as the host of the championship, which will be held on Saturday, January 10.
OVC Playoff Success in 2013: After going since 2000 without a postseason victory the OVC had a breakout season in 2013. For the first time in its history the League put three teams (Eastern Illinois, Jacksonville State and Tennessee State) in the playoffs and all three teams scored victories. TSU played first and snapped the OVC’s 19-game losing streak with a 31-0 win over Butler (only the second shutout ever by an OVC team in the playoffs). Jacksonville State would then defeat Samford, setting an OVC playoff record with 55 points in the victory. In the second round Eastern Illinois topped TSU while Jacksonville State bested McNeese State to each advance to the quarterfinals. It marked just the second time in OVC history that two OVC teams advanced to the quarterfinals in the same postseason (1991 being the other). The four total wins in the postseason was the most in one postseason by the OVC and the four wins came by an average margin of 33.5 points/game.
Running Backs James, Little on Walter Payton Award Watch List: Two OVC players were among the 20 players nationally named to the initial Walter Payton Award Watch List as announced by the Sports Network. The players were Jacksonville State senior running back
DaMarcus James and Eastern Illinois junior running back
Shepard Little. The Walter Payton Award was established in 1987 and is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player on the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The Sports Network will present the Heisman of the FCS for the 28th time on December 15 at the national awards banquet. Last season EIU quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo became the second OVC player to win the Walter Payton Award; overall the OVC had three of the 20 finalists for the award, the most of any FCS conference (Erik Lora finished seventh and Walter Powell was 17th a year ago). The Walter Payton Award Watch List can undergo revision during the 2014 season. Ballots will be sent to a national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season. The top three vote-getters will be invited to the presentation of the award.
Bell, Fitzpatrick on Preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List: Two OVC players were among the 20 players nationally named to the initial Buck Buchanan Award Watch List as announced by the Sports Network. The players were UT Martin senior linebacker
Tony Bell and Tennessee State senior defensive back
Daniel Fitzpatrick. The Buchanan Award, established in 1995, is presented annually to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). No player from the OVC has ever won the award. The Buchanan Award Watch List can undergo revision during the 2013 season. Ballots will be sent to a panel of about 175 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season. The winner will be invited to The Sports Network FCS Awards Presentation on Dec. 15.
EKU’s Absanon Named National Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 8): Eastern Kentucky junior defensive back
Stanley Absanon was named the National Defensive Player of the Week by the Sports Network and College Sporting News following his performance in the team’s win over FBS opponent Miami (Ohio). Early in the third quarter Absanon made a jarring hit in the end zone on a 3rd-and-4 play that prevented a RedHawk touchdown and saved four points (MU added a field goal instead). Three minutes later he picked off a pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 10. He would then seal the game by making an interception at midfield with less than one minute to play in the game. Absanon finished the game with two interceptions, six tackles and three pass breakups as EKU topped a FBS foe for the first time since the 1985 season.
EKU’s Absanon, JSU’s Landrum and TTU’s Vanlier Earn National Weekly Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 2: Eastern Kentucky defensive back
Stanley Absanon was named the National Defensive Player of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) following his performance in Week 2 of the 2014 season. Absanon had two interceptions in his team’s win over FBS Miami (Ohio). In addition to Absanon, Jacksonville State’s
Chris Landrum was named National Defensive Lineman of the Week while Tennessee Tech’s
Ladarius Vanlier was named National Punt Returner of the Week. In addition to the trio, two other OVC players earned honorable mention honors for the week. The goal of CFPA is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams.
Three Players Earn National Weekly Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 1: Murray State’s Janawski Davis and Shawn Samuels-Connell and Tennessee State’s De’Ante Saunders were named National Punt Returners of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) following their performance in Week 1 of the 2014 season.
A Look at the Coaches: Six of the nine OVC coaches from last season returned to their respective teams in 2014. The three new coaches to the league are at Eastern Illinois (
Kim Dameron), Jacksonville State (
John Grass) and Southeast Missouri (
Tom Matukewicz). Dameron comes to Charleston after most recently serving as the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech. Grass was elevated from Offensive Coordinator to head coach after helping JSU to the FCS Quarterfinals a season ago. Matukewicz is at Southeast Missouri after a stint at Toledo. Grass and Tennessee State’s
Rod Reed are the only two OVC coaches who are currently coaching at their alma mater. The longest tenured coach in the league is UT Martin’s
Jason Simpson who enters his ninth season with the Skyhawks in 2014.
Preseason Forecasts: Jacksonville State has been picked the preseason favorite in the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference football race both a vote of league head coaches and sports information directors and in the inaugural OVC media poll. In the coaches poll, the Gamecocks, who have also been picked preseason favorites in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2011, picked up 10 of the 18 first-place votes to top the poll. The Gamecocks totaled 118 total points to out-distance two-time defending champion Eastern Illinois in the vote. The Panthers picked up four first-place votes and 110 total points in being picked second. Tennessee State picked up the other four first-place votes and was third with 107 points. Eastern Kentucky was picked fourth (82 points) and was followed in the poll by UT Martin (79), Murray State (54), Tennessee Tech (48), Southeast Missouri State (34) and Austin Peay (16). In the media poll the pollsters gave JSU 9 of 14 first-place votes and 118 total points. Tennessee State picked up four first-place votes and 113 total points in being picked second. Eastern Illinois received the other first-place vote and was picked third (98 points). The poll was rounded out by Eastern Kentucky (79), UT Martin (77), Murray State (56), Tennessee Tech (44), Southeast Missouri State (29) and Austin Peay (16).
JSU’s James and TSU’s Fitzpatrick Headline Preseason All-OVC Team: Jacksonville State senior running back
DaMarcus James was named the 2014 OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Tennessee State senior defensive end
Anthony Bass was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors. Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State each had eight Preseason All-OVC selections to lead all teams. Tennessee State had six picks, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin had two apiece while Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri each had one. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last season (10 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included nine players who were second-team picks in 2013. Of the 28 total selections, 20 were seniors, six were juniors and two were sophomores.
NFL Connections: As of September 22, there are 19 former Ohio Valley Conference players on NFL rosters (10 active, 2 practice squad, 7 on IR). Those players include former Eastern Illinois standout Tony Romo, Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was a starter for the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, has been a Pro Bowl selection and is now with the New York Giants, and first-year quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo who won the Walter Payton Award in 2013 with Eastern Illinois and who is now the backup for Tom Brady in New England. Seven of the nine current OVC football schools have at least one player in the NFL.
Let’s Get It Started: The 67th season of Ohio Valley Conference football got underway on Thursday, August 28. The OVC is made up of nine football-playing schools in 2014. Since its beginning, 15 of the 18 total schools that have played football in the league have claimed at least one championship
I-AA No More: Although some people may accidentally 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. FCS is the only Division I football rank to host a NCAA-sponsored national championship (one of 89 championships the NCAA sponsors). The division formerly known as I-A was changed to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and those teams compete for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) national championship. Teams who play at the FCS level can offer a maximum of 63 scholarships (FBS teams can offer 85) and compete in a 24-team playoff at the end of the season to determine the national champion.
OVC Digital Network: The OVC launched the OVC Digital Network (OVCDN) in August 2012. The OVCDN is the exclusive home for live web streamed athletic contests involving OVC schools. Overall 2014-15 marks the ninth year the OVC has streamed live events. Starting with the re-branding of the streaming in 2012-13, events were offered free of charge and in an HD format and featured improved quality thanks to an investment in new equipment conference-wide. Fans also find it easier to log onto OVCDigitalNetwork.com and access the streams and can do so without any registration. The events are available on any computer, tablet or smart phone without needing any special downloads or apps thanks new streaming technology. Approximately 41 OVC football games will be available on the OVCDN this season.