Ohio Valley Conference

• OVC Football Report - September 21 (PDF)

This Week’s Schedule

Saturday, September 26
Shorter University at Southeast Missouri, 1:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
*#1 Jacksonville State at UT Martin, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Tennessee State at Florida A&M, 5:00 p.m.
*Austin Peay at #18 Eastern Kentucky, 5:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
*Tennessee Tech at Murray State, 6:00 p.m. (American Sports Network)

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This Week’s OVC Highlights/Storylines
The first Conference game of the season was played on Saturday as No. 1 ranked Jacksonville State topped Tennessee State 48-13 in front of a JSU Stadium record crowd of 23,413...JSU currently ranks third nationally in average home attendance while Tennessee State is fourth in that category...JSU has won 10 consecutive OVC games dating back to the end of the 2013 season...The Gamecocks were once again No. 1 in the STATS FCS Top 25 poll, increasing its first-place votes total to 93 (from 39 a week ago); they are only the fourth OVC team in the last 25 years (since 1990) to be ranked No. 1, joining Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee (both in 1990) and Tennessee State (1999)...Eastern Kentucky was the only other OVC team ranked this week coming in at No. 18 in the STATS poll and No. 21 in the FCS Coaches Poll; the Colonels had a open date on its schedule this past week and have won 13-straight games following an open date...Two OVC teams pushed a pair of nationally-ranked FCS foes from the Missouri Valley Conference only to come up just short; Southeast Missouri lost at No. 23 Indiana State on a failed two-point conversion with no time remaining while Eastern Illinois fell in overtime to No. 5 Illinois State on a field goal...Southeast QB Dante Vandeven was named STATS National Freshman of the Week after leading the Redhawks to 21 fourth quarter points in the near upset of ISU...Conference play begins for five teams this week with three OVC games on the schedule...The OVC Game of the Week on ESPN3 features No. 1 Jacksonville State at UT Martin...Another Conference game involves Tennessee Tech at Murray State in the first of six games on the American Sports Network (ASN) this year...The other OVC contest is Austin Peay at Eastern Kentucky (OVC Digital Network)...In non-conference action Southeast Missouri hosts Shorter and Tennessee State travels to Florida A&M.


adidas® OVC Players of the Week
 
OFFENSIVE
Krys Cates, WR • Jr., 6-3, 215 • Newport, Tenn. • Tennessee Tech
Cates caught seven passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee Tech came from behind to top Mercer 29-22 for its first victory of the season. The receptions, yards and touchdowns were all career-highs for the junior. On the second play of the game Cates caught a pass and raced 74 yards for a touchdown to give the Golden Eagles an early advantage. With his team trailing by one point with 1:47 to play he caught a touchdown pass from Jared Davis to give the team the lead for good; Cates also was the recipient of the ensuing two-point conversion play as Tech went ahead by the final margin. The 197 receiving yards are the seventh-most in the FCS this season. It marks the second time in three weeks that a TTU wide receiver has been named OVC Player of the Week (Brock McCoin earned honors the first week of the season).
 
Others Nominated: Devin Church, Eastern Illinois; Eli Jenkins, Jacksonville State; Jeremy Harness, Murray State; Tremane McCullough, Southeast Missouri.
 
DEFENSIVE
Seth McDonald, LB • Jr., 6-1, 230 • Sandwich, Ill. • Eastern Illinois
McDonald had 12 tackles (6 solo) and an interception as Eastern Illinois pushed No. 5 Illinois State to overtime before falling 34-31. With less than two minutes to play before halftime, the junior picked off a pass and raced 20 yards for a touchdown to cut the Redbirds advantage to three points. The game marked the third-straight this season that McDonald had double-digit tackles; he currently ranks fourth nationally in tackles/game (13.0). This marks the second time in three weeks McDonald has been named OVC Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Others Nominated: Joel McCandless, Jacksonville State; Toby Omli, Murray State; Roper Garrett, Southeast Missouri; Ezra Robinson, Tennessee State; Tra’Darius Goff, UT Martin.
 
SPECIALIST
Landon Stratton, P • R-Fr., 6-0, 180 • Russellville, Ky. • Murray State
Stratton punted five times for a 46.6 yards/punt average in Saturday’s loss at FBS opponent Western Michigan. Stratton connected on a season-high 55-yarder, which was one of two longer than 50 yards on the night. The redshirt freshman also had one punt downed inside the 20-yard line. For the season he is averaging 41.3 yards/punt.
 
Others Nominated: Hamish MacInnes, Jacksonville State; Austin Rowley, Tennessee State.
 
NEWCOMER
Dante Vandeven, QB• Fr., 6-2, 190 • Jackson, Mo. • Southeast Missouri
Vandeven entered Saturday’s game late in the third quarter and led Southeast Missouri to 21 fourth quarter points and a near road upset of No. 23 ranked Indiana State. He directed a 10-play drive that resulted in a touchdown with 9:29 to play to trim the margin to seven points. With 2:24 to go he led the Redhawks down the field on a 13-play drive that resulted in another touchdown. Southeast then went for two points and Vandeven hit Darrius Darden-Box for the conversion to give his team the lead. After ISU scored to retake the lead, Vandeven connected with Paul McRoberts for a 26-yard touchdown as the clock expired (that came one play after converting a 4th and 9 play to keep the drive alive); Southeast would go for two points and the win, but the pass sailed out of bounds. The true freshman finished the game 12-of-17 for 115 yards and a touchdown while also racking up 28 rushing yards.
 
Others Nominated: Devin Church, Eastern Illinois; Joel McCandless, Jacksonville State; Toby Omli, Murray State; Dante Vandeven, Southeast Missouri.

 
Notes From Around the Gridiron

OVC Teams in the Polls: Jacksonville State Remains No. 1 in STATS Top 25: After a road win over No. 8 Chattanooga (the only Top 10 road victory by any Division I team this season) and taking No. 6 FBS Auburn to overtime to start the season (becoming the first FCS team to ever take a ranked FBS squad to overtime), pollsters in the STATS media poll took notice and moved Jacksonville State to No. 1 in its polls on Sept. 14. The Gamecocks received 93 of 158 first-place votes (up from 39 first-place votes a week ago) to strengthen its lead over Coastal Carolina. Jacksonville State is the first OVC team to be ranked No. 1 nationally since Tennessee State was No. 1 in the final regular season poll of the 1999 season. It marks the first time Jacksonville State has ever been ranked No. 1 at any level of football (despite winning the Division II National Championship in 1992); the Gamecocks have been No. 2 several times including in the FCS Coaches poll last year and in the Sports Network poll lastly in 2010. JSU is No. 3 in the FCS Coaches Poll this week (picking up 3 of 26 first-place votes). The only other OVC team ranked this week is Eastern Kentucky who is No. 18 in the STATS poll and No. 21 in the FCS Coaches poll. Eight of nine current OVC teams have been ranked for at least one week over the past five years (2011-15).
 
OVC Teams as No. 1: Prior to Jacksonville State becoming No. 1 in the STATS poll on Sept. 14 it had been since the 1999 season that an OVC team had been No. 1. That year Tennessee State became the No. 1 team on Nov. 15 (when they were 10-0) and defeated Southeast Missouri the following week to remain No. 1 at the end of the regular season. Prior to the 1999 season you have to go back to the 1990 season to find an OVC team as No. 1 when both Middle Tennessee (3 weeks) and Eastern Kentucky (6 weeks) were ranked No. 1; over the final nine weeks of that season one of those two teams was the top-ranked team in the country. MTSU became No. 1 on Sept. 24 and was No. 1 until losing to No. 2 Eastern Kentucky 10-7 two weeks later. EKU would lose the final week of the regular season and MTSU would once again become No. 1.
 
Vandeven Named National Freshman of the Week (Sept. 21): Southeast Missouri State quarterback Dante Vandeven was named National Freshman of the Week by STATS after his play at No. 23 Indiana State. Vandeven entered the game late in the third quarter and led Southeast Missouri to 21 fourth quarter points and a near road upset of the Sycamores. He directed a 10-play drive that resulted in a touchdown with 9:29 to play to trim the margin to seven points. With 2:24 to go he led the Redhawks down the field on a 13-play drive that resulted in another touchdown. Southeast then went for two points and Vandeven hit Darrius Darden-Box for the conversion to give his team the lead. After ISU scored to retake the lead, Vandeven connected with Paul McRoberts for a 26-yard touchdown as the clock expired (that came one play after converting a 4th and 9 play to keep the drive alive); Southeast would go for two points and the win, but the pass sailed out of bounds. The true freshman finished the game 12-of-17 for 115 yards and a touchdown while also racking up 28 rushing yards.
 
Screws Named to AFCA Good Works Team: Jacksonville State’s Dalton Screws is one of just 22 student-athletes nationwide to have been named to the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team by Allstate Insurance and the American Football Coaches Association. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is comprised of athletes who have used their limited free time to perform inspirational acts of service. The two 11-member teams - one composed of players competing in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and a combined team representing the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Divisions II, III and the NAIA - honor players that embody the true spirit of “teamwork” and “giving back” through commendable acts of kindness and community service.
 
Jacksonville State Takes No. 6 Auburn to Overtime: Jacksonville State nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history on Sept. 12 when they took No. 6 ranked FBS foe Auburn to overtime before falling 27-20. The Gamecocks led Auburn 20-13 in the final minute of regulation before seeing the Tigers tie the game with 39 seconds left and eventually win in overtime.  Although they did not get the victory, JSU became the first FCS team to take a ranked FBS team to overtime; all-time only three FCS teams have ever defeated a AP ranked Top 25 FBS team (Appalachian State over No. 5 Michigan in 2007, James Madison over No. 13 Virginia Tech in 2010 and Eastern Washington over No. 25 Oregon State in 2013).
 
Jacksonville State in Latest Sagarin Power Rankings: In the latest Sagarin Power Rankings Jacksonville State is up to No. 75 out of 253 Division I teams (FBS and FCS) and the third-ranked among all FCS teams. The Gamecocks are currently ranked ahead of 55 FBS teams.
 
Jacksonville State Notched First Top 10 Road Victory of the Season: Jacksonville State was the first Division I team (FBS or FCS) to claim a Top 10 road victory this season, as the Gamecocks won at No. 8 Chattanooga on Sept. 5 to begin the season. No other Division I team claimed a Top 10 road win until Week 3.
 
OVC Teams Versus FBS Foes: OVC schools will play 12 total games against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) this season (they are 0-10 so far with two games remaining). Last season Eastern Kentucky knocked off Miami (Ohio) to snap an 18-game losing streak to FBS schools. It marked the fourth time in the last five years that an OVC team had knocked off at least one FBS opponent during the season (prior to that period the league had gone from 2004 through 2009 without a victory over an FBS team). OVC teams are 33-203-1 all-time against FBS opponents. So far this year five FCS teams (Fordham, Furman, North Dakota, Portland State, South Dakota State) have topped FBS opponents.
 
OVC in NCAA Statistical Leaders: In the latest set of NCAA FCS statistical leaders (Sept. 20), Murray State quarterback KD Humphries ranks second nationally in total passing yards (970), fourth in passing touchdowns (8), fifth in completions/game (27.0), sixth in passing yards/game (323.3) and eighth in total offense (336.0 yards/game). Eastern Illinois’ Devin Church is third in all-purpose yards (193.3 yards/game) while Jacksonville State’s Troymaine Pope is fourth in rushing yards/carry (7.98), fifth in total rushing yards (351) and eighth in rushing yards/game (117.0). JSU’s Josh Barge is fourth in receptions/game (9.0) while teammate Connor Rouleau is second in field goals made/game (2.0). Murray State’s Jeremy Harness is fourth in total receiving yards (375) and eighth in receiving yards/game (125.0) while Tennessee Tech’s Brock McCoin is sixth in total receiving yards (372) and 10th in receiving yards/game (124.0). Tennessee State’s Patrick Smith is ninth in punt returns (17.2 yards/return) while Southeast Missouri’s Alex Knight (seventh) and Eastern Kentucky’s Keith Wrzuszczak (seventh) are both ranked in punting. EIU’s Seth McDonald is fourth in tackles (13.0/game) while EKU’s Noah Spence is second in forced fumbles/game (1.0) and Tech’s Stephen Bush is seventh in that category (0.67/game). EKU’s Stanley Absanon is fifth in passes defended/game (2.0) while TSU’s Rodney Edwards is second in fumbles recovered (2). In the team rankings Jacksonville State ranks first in fourth down conversion defense (0.0%), seventh in passes intercepted (5) and eighth in each total defense (268.3 yards/game), rushing offense (269.3 yards/game) and time of possession (34:19). Southeast Missouri ranks first in fourth down conversion percentage (100%), second in tackles-for-loss/game (9.3), sixth in turnover margin (+1.67/game) and turnovers gained (9), seventh in fumbles recovered (4) and passes intercepted (5) and 10th in sacks (3.33/game). Tennessee State is second in fumbles recovered (5) while UT Martin if fourth in turnovers lost (1) and ninth in tackles-for-loss allowed (4.0/game). Murray State is 10th in passing offense (324.0 yards/game).
 
Attendance: In the latest set of NCAA attendance rankings Jacksonville State is third in average home attendance (23,413) while Tennessee State is fourth (22,455). Overall TSU has played in front of an average attendance of 31,418 in its three games (one home, one away, one neutral site) which is the top average among all FCS teams who have not played at a FBS opponent.
 
The FCS Playoffs: In 2010 the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff field expanded to 20 teams, up from 16 previously, and in 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 2015 NCAA Division I Football Championship will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 22. The 24-team field is comprised of 10 automatic bids and 14 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 sixth time in 2015, 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 9.
 
EKU’s Mobley on STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List: Eastern Kentucky senior running back Dy’Shawn Mobley is one of 22 players nationally named to the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List. STATS, the world’s leading sports technology, data and content company which purchased The Sports Network in February, will significantly expand its coverage of the FCS in 2015 and serve the FCS community with complete coverage through awards programs and a weekly Top 25 poll.  The FCS Offensive Player of the Year was formerly known as the Walter Payton Award. Mobley is one of 12 players on the list who were finalists for the Payton Award a season ago. He is also one of 12 running backs on the list. The STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List can undergo revision during the 2015 season. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on the winner following the regular season.
 
JSU’s Sigler and Hough on STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List: Two OVC football players are among the 22 total players named to the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List. The two selections are both from Jacksonville State and include senior defensive lineman Devaunte Sigler and senior defensive back Jermaine Hough. Jacksonville State was the only school with more than one player on the initial Watch List. STATS, the world’s leading sports technology, data and content company which purchased The Sports Network in February, will significantly expand its coverage of the FCS in 2015 and serve the FCS community with complete coverage through awards programs and a weekly Top 25 poll.  The FCS Defensive Player of the Year was formerly known as the Buck Buchanan Award. The STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List can undergo revision during the 2015 season. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on the winner following the regular season.
 
Three OVC Players on CFPA National Performer of the Year Watch List: Three OVC football players are among the 32 players nationally named to the 2015 FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy Watch List by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA). The three OVC players were Eastern Illinois senior quarterback Jalen Whitlow, Eastern Kentucky senior running back Dy’Shawn Mobley and Jacksonville State junior quarterback Eli Jenkins. The goal of the 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. The 2015 FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy is a 22-inch K-9 optic crystal trophy with 8-inch crystal football on top. All FCS players are eligible for the award. The award winner will be announced January 13, 2016.
 
OVC Game of the Week on ESPN3: For the third-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 three years in the league’s TV package. Four of the eight contests are “Wildcard Selections” which will be announced 12 days before the game, guaranteeing the top matchups will be broadcast.
            Sept. 19 - Tennessee State at Jacksonville State, 1:00 p.m. CT
            Sept. 26 - Jacksonville State at UT Martin, 2:00 p.m. CT
            Oct. 3 - UT Martin at Tennessee Tech, 6:00 p.m. CT
            Oct. 10 - Southeast Missouri at Eastern Illinois, 1:00 p.m. CT
            Oct. 31 - Wildcard Selection
            Nov. 7 - Wildcard Selection
            Nov. 14 - Wildcard Selection
            Nov. 21 - Wildcard Selection
 
OVC to Broadcast Six Games on the American Sports Network (ASN): Six OVC football games will be broadcast by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. on the American Sports Network (ASN) this season. The American Sports Network is an initiative of the Sinclair Networks Group, LLC, owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., which owns and operates programs and provides sales services to 162 television stations in 79 markets, reaching approximately 37.5 percent of U.S. television households. It includes FOX, ABC, CBS, MyTV, CW, NBC, Univision and Azteca affiliates. The exact stations each of the games will air will be announced at a later date.
            Sept. 26 - Tennessee Tech at Murray State, 6:00 p.m. CT
            Oct. 3 - Murray State at Southeast Missouri, 6:00 p.m. CT
            Oct. 10 - Tennessee State at UT Martin, 2:30 p.m. CT
            Oct. 17 - Eastern Illinois at Tennessee State, 6:00 p.m. CT
            Nov. 7 - Murray State at Tennessee State, 2:30 p.m. CT
            Nov. 21 - Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech, 2:30 p.m. CT
 
Sgt. York Trophy Sponsored by Delta Dental of Tennessee Begins Ninth Season: Beginning last season Delta Dental of Tennessee became 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). UT Martin claimed its second outright championship last year by going 3-0.
 
Tech’s McCoin Establishes OVC Record for Receiving Yards Against an FBS Opponent: Tennessee Tech sophomore Brock McCoin hauled in nine catches for 264 yards in the Golden Eagles season opener at Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) foe Houston. The 264 yards were the fourth-most in a game in OVC history while establishing the mark of most receiving yards ever against a FBS opponent.
 
Rouleau Named National Specialist of the Week (Sept. 8): Jacksonville State sophomore kicker Connor Rouleau was named National Specialist of the Week by College Sporting News following his performance in a win at No. 8 Chattanooga. Rouleau was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, connecting from 34, 35 and 32 yards as JSU came from behind to top UTC by a 23-20 margin.
 
Barge National Player of the Week by NCAA.com (Sept. 14): Jacksonville State wide receiver Josh Barge was National FCS Player of the Week by NCAA.com on Sept. 14 after his monster game in the near upset of No. 6 FBS Auburn. Barge had 14 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown as Jacksonville State nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history, falling 27-20 in overtime. The 14 catches, which helped JSU control the clock, were a school record, breaking the previous mark of 11 set in 1999. His touchdown came on an 11-yard reception in the second quarter that game the Gamecocks a 10-6 halftime advantage over the SEC preseason favorites.
 
TSU’s Ackerman-Carter Named STATS National Freshman of the Week (Sept. 14): Tennessee State redshirt freshman quarterback O’Shay Ackerman-Carter was named the STATS FCS Freshman of the Week on Sept. 14 following his team’s victory over Jackson State in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis. Ackerman-Carter completed 15-of-26 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns as TSU won 35-25. He threw his first touchdown on the second play of the game, a 64-yard strike to Patrick Smith. He later added a 10-yard touchdown right before halftime and added a 64-yard score to Chris Sanders-McCollum in the third quarter to give the Tigers a 35-12 lead.
 
McCrum Named Candidate for Fred Mitchell Award: Southeast Missouri junior Ryan McCrum is among 41 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II, III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) collegiate placekickers named to the 2015 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List. Individuals were nominated by their colleges for excellence on the football field and in the community. McCrum was one of 10 finalists for the Fred Mitchell Award last season. Of the 41 kickers, 25 led their team in scoring last season. The Watch List includes placekickers from more than 750 eligible colleges.
 
Academic Success: During the past academic year (2014-15) there was 132 OVC football student-athletes who were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll for having 3.25 grade point averages or higher. In addition 12 student-athletes were awarded the OVC 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 and that award went to Jacksonville State, who claimed the 2014 OVC Championship on the field.
 
Four OVC Student-Athletes Nominees for AFCA Good Works Team: Four OVC football student-athletes have been announced as nominees for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. The announcement was made by Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The four OVC nominees are Eastern Kentucky’s Avery Pitt, Jacksonville State’s Dalton Screws, Southeast Missouri’s Paul McRoberts and UT Martin’s Taino Fears-Perez. The four are among an all-time high 197 total nominees across all levels of college football.  For 24 years, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has recognized college football players from across the country who exemplifies a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism. Since its inception in 1992, the award highlights the “good” taking place off the football field. The select group of student-athletes nominated for this award by their respective colleges and universities are able to balance academics and athletics while remaining committed to helping others and bettering their communities. In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and the AFCA, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.
 
A Look at the Coaches: Eight of the nine OVC coaches from last season returned to their respective teams in 2015 with Murray State’s Mitch Stewart being the only new coach, although he has been an assistant coach with the program for the past five seasons. Two OVC coaches, Jacksonville State’s John Grass and Tennessee State’s Rod Reed, are currently coaching at their alma mater. The longest tenured coach in the league is UT Martin’s Jason Simpson who enters his 10th season with the Skyhawks in 2015.
 
Preseason Forecasts: For the second-straight year Jacksonville State has been picked the preseason favorite in the OVC football race in a vote of league head coaches and sports information directors. The Gamecocks, who have also been picked preseason favorites in 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2014, picked up 16 of the 18 first-place votes to top the 2015 poll. The Gamecocks totaled 128 total points to out-distance Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky in the vote. Eastern Illinois finished second in the poll with 107 total points while Eastern Kentucky picked up the other two first-place votes and finished third with 106 points. UT Martin was tabbed fourth (78 points) and followed by Tennessee State (66), Southeast Missouri (63), Tennessee Tech (45), Murray State (38) and Austin Peay (17).
 
EKU’s Mobley, JSU’s Sigler Headline Preseason All-OVC Team: Eastern Kentucky senior running back Dy’Shawn Mobley was named the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Jacksonville State senior defensive lineman Devaunte Sigler was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors. Jacksonville State led the way with 12 total Preseason All-OVC selections. Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri had four picks apiece, Murray State had three selections and Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech had one player each on the squad. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last year (13 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included 10 players who were second-team picks in 2014. Of the 29 total selections, 21 were seniors, seven were juniors and there was one sophomore.
 
NFL Connections: As of September 8, there are 16 former Ohio Valley Conference players on NFL rosters (7 active, 6 practice squad, 3 on IR). Those players include former Eastern Illinois standout quarterbacks Tony Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo, both of who won the Walter Payton Award for being the top offensive player in the subdivision, and Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a former First Round Draft pick who was a starter for the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII and who has been a Pro Bowl selection. Six of the nine current OVC football schools have at least one player in the NFL.
 
Let’s Get It Started: The 68th season of Ohio Valley Conference football got underway on Thursday, September 3. The OVC is made up of nine football-playing schools in 2015. 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 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 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 2015-16 marks the 10th 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 36 OVC football games will be available on the OVCDN this season.