American college football conference
TheOVC–Big South Football Association is an association of football members of theBig South Conference andOhio Valley Conference (OVC). The OVC–Big South covers the AmericanMidwest andSouth with member institutions located inIllinois ,Missouri ,North Carolina ,South Carolina , andTennessee .
Big South Conference [ edit ] In the 2021–22 season, theBig South Conference was made up of nine football-playing members including full membersCampbell University ,Charleston Southern University ,Gardner-Webb University ,Hampton University , andNorth Carolina A&T State University , and associate membersKennesaw State University ,Monmouth University ,University of North Alabama , andRobert Morris University . The following changes occurred dwindling the football membership from nine members in 2021 to four members by 2023, dropping below the minimum of six members required for an automatic bid for theNCAA Division I FCS Playoffs .
On January 29, 2021, theASUN Conference announced its intent of sponsoring football in theFootball Championship Subdivision (FCS) for the 2022. The new league lead to the departure ofKennesaw State University andUniversity of North Alabama after the 2021 season.[ 1] On January 25, 2022, the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA; since renamed theCoastal Athletic Association ) announced thatHampton University andMonmouth University would join that conference on July 1, 2022. Both also joinedCAA Football , the CAA's legally separate football league, at that time.[ 2] On February 22, 2022, the CAA also announced thatNorth Carolina A&T State University would be leaving the Big South, joining CAA Football on July 1, 2023.[ 3] On March 29, 2022,Bryant University announced as a new football-only member effective with the 2022 season.[ 4] On August 3, 2022,Campbell University announced that it would join the multi-sports CAA and CAA Football in 2023 as well.[ 5] Ohio Valley Conference [ edit ] TheOhio Valley Conference also dropped below the number of eligible teams required for an automatic bid for theNCAA Division I FCS Playoffs between the 2021 and 2023 seasons. In the 2021 season, the OVC includedAustin Peay University ,Eastern Illinois University ,Murray State University ,Southeast Missouri State University ,University of Tennessee, Martin ,Tennessee State University , andTennessee Tech University . The following changes occurred to lower eligible football-playing members from seven to five by 2023.
On September 17, 2021,Austin Peay State University left for theASUN Conference , which ultimately launched its own football league in 2022.[ 6] On January 7, 2022,Murray State University announced its intent to leave the OVC, left for theMissouri Valley Conference andMissouri Valley Football Conference .[ 7] football team would remain in the OVC in the 2022 season, ensuring that the OVC would retain its automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in that season and giving the league more time to add new football members.[ 8] [ 9] On February 23, 2022, the OVC addedLindenwood University , transitioning from D-II. Lindenwood will not be eligible for the postseason until the 2026–27 season, therefore it will not count towards the football membership for the automatic qualifying bid for the FCS playoffs until then.[ 10] On February 22, the conference announced its intent to combine its football membership with theOhio Valley Conference beginning in 2023.[ 11] Bryant University ,Charleston Southern University ,Gardner-Webb University , andRobert Morris University from the Big South, andEastern Illinois University ,Lindenwood University ,Southeast Missouri State University ,University of Tennessee, Martin ,Tennessee State University , andTennessee Tech University from the Ohio Valley.[ 12] [ 13]
On May 12, 2023, the OVC addedWestern Illinois University from theSummit League . Western Illinois previously housed its football program in theMissouri Valley Football Conference , and it was announced that the Leathernecks would play out the 2023 season in the MVFC before joining its other sports and competing under the Big South-OVC banner for 2024 and beyond.[ 14]
On August 10, 2023, prior to the start of the association's inaugural season, Bryant announced it would depart from the association to joinCAA Football in 2024.[ 15] Northeast Conference as an associate member for football in 2024.[ 16]
OVC–Big South Football
230km
Charleston Southern
Western Illinois
UT Martin
TN Tech
TN State
Gardner–Webb
Southeast Missouri
Lindenwood
Eastern Illinois
Location of OVC–Big South members:
– current member
– departing member
Team Location Nickname Stadium Capacity Joined Current Charleston Southern University North Charleston, South Carolina Buccaneers Buccaneer Field 4,000 2023 Big South Eastern Illinois University Charleston, Illinois Panthers O'Brien Field 10,000 2023 Ohio Valley (OVC) Gardner–Webb University Boiling Springs, North Carolina Runnin' Bulldogs Ernest W. Spangler Stadium 7,800 2023 Big South Lindenwood University [ a] St. Charles, Missouri Lions Hunter Stadium 7,450 2023 Ohio Valley (OVC) Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, Missouri Redhawks Houck Stadium 11,015 2023 Ohio Valley (OVC) Tennessee State University Nashville, Tennessee Tigers Nissan Stadium 68,000 2023 Ohio Valley (OVC) Tennessee Technological University [ b] Cookeville, Tennessee Golden Eagles Tucker Stadium 16,500 2023 Ohio Valley (OVC) University of Tennessee at Martin Martin, Tennessee Skyhawks Graham Stadium 7,500 2023 Ohio Valley (OVC) Western Illinois University Macomb, Illinois Leathernecks Hanson Field 16,368 2024 Ohio Valley (OVC)
Notes ^ Lindenwood is transitioning from Division II and will not be eligible for postseason play until 2026. ^ Tennessee Tech announced it will join theSouthern Conference on July 1, 2026. ^a b Bryant and Robert Morris were football-only members of the Big South prior to the merger. Membership timeline [ edit ] Full members Other conference
^ "ASUN Conference Announces Three New Institutions; Adds Football as 20th Sport" (Press release). ASUN Conference. January 29, 2021. Archived fromthe original on January 29, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 29, 2021 .^ " . Colonial Athletic Association. Jan 25, 2022. RetrievedFeb 23, 2022 .^ "CAA Welcomes North Carolina A&T as Newest Member of the Conference" . Colonial Athletic Association. Feb 22, 2022. RetrievedFeb 23, 2022 .^ "Big South Adds Bryant University as Associate Football Member" (Press release). Big South Conference. March 29, 2022. RetrievedMarch 30, 2022 .^ "Campbell University Accepts Invitation To Join The CAA In 2023" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. August 3, 2022. RetrievedAugust 4, 2022 .^ "ASUN Conference Welcomes Austin Peay State University as its Newest Member" (Press release). ASUN Conference. September 17, 2021. Archived fromthe original on November 15, 2022. RetrievedDecember 31, 2022 .^ "Murray State University Joins The Missouri Valley Conference" (Press release). Murray State Racers. January 7, 2022. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2022 .^ Wright, John (January 10, 2022)."Murray State accepts MVC invitation" .Murray Ledger & Times . Murray, KY. RetrievedJanuary 11, 2022 . ^ "Murray State Football To Join Missouri Valley Football Conference July of 2023" (Press release). Missouri Valley Football Conference. April 4, 2022. Archived fromthe original on April 4, 2022. RetrievedApril 6, 2022 .^ "Lindenwood University to Join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022-23" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. February 23, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 23, 2022 .^ "Big South Conference and OVC Announce Football Agreement" OVCSports.com . Retrieved 2022-02-22.^ "Big South and Ohio Valley Announce 2023 Football Conference Schedule" (Press release). Big South Conference. December 13, 2022. RetrievedDecember 30, 2022 .^ "Big South-OVC Football Association Presidents and Chancellors Enter into New Enhanced Agreement" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. June 12, 2024. RetrievedJune 12, 2024 .^ "Leatherneck Athletics Moving to Ohio Valley Conference for All Sports" (Press release). Western Illinois University. May 12, 2023. RetrievedMay 12, 2023 .^ "CAA Football Welcomes Bryant University As Its Newest Member In 2024" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. August 10, 2023. RetrievedAugust 10, 2023 .^ "Return Engagement: Robert Morris Rejoins NEC As Football Associate Member" .northeastconference.org . Retrieved2023-11-28 .
Teams Championships & awards Seasons Related links
Teams Championships & awards Related links
Current conferences Previous conferences
