Bob Belvin has broadcast games across the OVC for over a decade, and served as host of league Media Day events. Each week this season he will share his thoughts and opinions on matchups and happenings around the OVC and FCS.
Halloween weekend brings a pivotal slate of Ohio Valley Conference action, with four conference matchups that could have a major impact on the race for the OVC championship. SEMO enters the weekend atop the standings, while several contenders are just one game back. Let’s go ahead and call it “Separation Saturday."
Game to Watch: All eyes on Western Illinois at Charleston Southern. Lots of curiosity surrounding how well Western handles success while on the road. They play three of their next four games on the road, against conference foes.
Eastern Illinois at UT Martin
2:00p CT, ESPN+ | Martin, Tenn.
UT Martin returns home looking to remain in the conference title hunt when the Skyhawks host Eastern Illinois. The Panthers have struggled offensively throughout the season, but rivalry and conference implications make this a dangerous matchup. UT Martin's rushing attack will be a key storyline as the Skyhawks attempt to bounce back and protect their home field. EIU HC Chris Wilkerson called UTM “the gold standard in the league” saying his defense must get off the field on third down, and on offense have third and manageable situations themselves. The Panthers were 3-13 on 3rd down against SEMO last week. SEMO was also 3-3 in red zone trips against his team. UTM Jason Simpson called his team’s execution last week as “poor”, adding we’ve “got to play better” and that injuries are no excuse for not executing. Further Simpson added he was “embarrassed” by his team’s performance.
Key Storyline: Can UT Martin keep pace with first-place SEMO, or can Eastern Illinois play spoiler?
Western Illinois at Charleston Southern
2:00pm ET, ESPN+ | Charleston, S.C.
This matchup features contrasting styles. Western Illinois has emerged as one of the OVC's most explosive offensive teams, while Charleston Southern enters with one of the league's stingiest defenses. The Leathernecks are coming to the East Coast after a major home win over UT Martin and will look to keep momentum rolling. Charleston Southern hopes to leverage home-field advantage and stay relevant in the conference standings. CSU Head Coach Gabe Gairdina on his defense ‘playing several guys and not having a lot of mental errors while still playing hard. On WIU QB Kennedy McGill, Gairdina succinctly added that “he is a pure dual threat guy.” WIU HC Joe Davis’s team has scored 85 points over the last two weeks, adding last week was the first game he has coached following the death of his mother Patricia Louise Davis adding she was “the best mom a coach could ever ask for, noting she never missed a game in 25 years.”
Key Storyline: Will Western Illinois' high-powered offense overcome CSU’s stingy defense?
Gardner-Webb at Southeast Missouri
1:00pm CT, ESPN+ | Cape Girardeau, Mo.
The first-place Redhawks put a three-game winning streak on the line as they welcome Gardner-Webb to Cape Girardeau. SEMO enters the weekend as the conference leader and controls its own destiny in the championship race. Gardner-Webb, meanwhile, is searching for a signature win that could reshape the OVC standings. GWU is coming off a bye after playing 8 straight weeks to begin the season. HC Pete Bennett commented on this week’s media call that SEMO provides “a real challenge for us this week” noting the play of SEMO QB Braylen Ragland and RB’s Kyhair Spain and Tyrell Reed Jr.
To Bennett’s point SEMO HC Tom added “when you run the ball consistently things calm way down and you stay out of really bad situations.” Expect SEMO to try and duplicate the balance in the running game they’ve enjoyed in the early seasons.
Key Storyline: Can SEMO strengthen its grip on first place and extend its conference lead by rushing the football similar to previous conference contests.
Tennessee State at Lindenwood
1:00pm CT, ESPN+ | St. Charles, Mo.
Lindenwood looks to continue its strong conference play when the Lions host Tennessee State. The Tigers have shown flashes throughout the season but need a late-season surge to climb the standings. Lindenwood, meanwhile, remains firmly in contention and cannot afford a stumble with several teams still battling near the top of the league table. Lindenwood HC Jed Stugart addressed his team this week reminding them that “an undisciplined team will look at last years win over TSU and think the same result should happen again in this Saturday’s matchup.” On this week’s Media Call TSU HC Reggie Barlow lamented his teams inability to run the ball consistently, noting turnovers too, (including a pick six last week) have cost the Tigers dearly. He also added changes in his team’s practice format have been included in this weeks preparation.
Key Storyline: Can Lindenwood protect the home turf and continue to add to TSU’s offensive woes.