The 2025 FCS football season is fast approaching, so we’re going inside each conference race. With Tennessee Tech a slight favorite one year after four teams shared the title, here’s our OVC-Big South Football Association preview.
Be sure to get a copy of the roster in the OVC-Big South Football Association.
All of them.
OVC-Big South coaching staffs went heavy on adding transfers this offseason following their own transfer and graduation losses.
Last season, the league title was split four ways between Southeast Missouri, the automatic qualifier to the FCS playoffs, Tennessee State and UT Martin, which also went to the postseason, plus Tennessee Tech, which did not receive an at-large bid.
TTU, though, is considered a slight favorite in a tight race this year.
And the Golden Eagles’ roster is full of transfer additions, of course.
Following is a preview of the upcoming OVC-Big South football season:
Predicted Order of Finish
*-FCS Playoff Qualifier; Ranking from Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
1. *Tennessee Tech (7-5, 6-2; Preseason No. 21) – The Golden Eagles were left on the playoff sideline despite winning their final five games in coach Bobby Wilder’s first season. They’ve only made one all-time playoff appearance (2011), but are favored to get back there. Their conference-leading defense features key returnees, including safety Tim Coutras, linebacker Aaron Swafford and defensive linemen Kanstin Books and Theron Gaines, and the offense gets a boost from key transfers, including quarterbacks Kekoa Visperas (Eastern Washington, the FCS’ 2024 leader with a 74.3 completion percentage) and Richie Munoz (Weber State, 34 TD passes the last two seasons), wide receiver Noah Robinson (Robert Morris, 127 career receptions) and offensive lineman Drew Wilder (Eastern Illinois, Bobby’s son).
Expected win-loss projections for OVC-Big South football teams in the 2025 regular season, according to Opta Analyst advanced data. (Graphic by Graham Bell)2. UT Martin (9-5, 6-2) – Only Holy Cross (six) has a longer active streak of conference titles won than UTM with four. Headlining the returnees are cornerback JaMichael McGoy Jr. (three interceptions, 18 pass breakups), the OVC-Big South preseason defensive player of the year, and OL Josiah Tingley, who’s coming off second-team all-conference honors. But a number of expected key contributors are transfers, including QB Jase Bauer (15 career TD passes at Central Michigan and Sam Houston), running back Armoni Goodwin (UAB), WR Phaizon Wilson (Akron), tight end Drake Martinez (Houston Christian) and LB Tah Mac Bright Banda (Lamar). Coach Jason Simpson’s team is the only one in the FCS that is facing three FBS opponents (Oklahoma State, UTEP and Missouri State).
3. Southeast Missouri (9-4, 6-2) – SEMO has four nine-win playoff seasons under coach Tom Matukewicz since 2018. While the Redhawks have their share of influential transfers, including QB Jax Leatherwood from the JUCO ranks to try to replace all-time passing leader Paxton DeLaurent, they boast familiar faces with the likes of WR Cam Pedro (84 receptions, 897 yards, four TDs), RBs Payton Brown and Brandon Epton Jr., OL Nasim Cairo and Rashad Turner, LB McCoy Casey and CB Justus Johnson. SEMO will face the other three defending champs in the first half of their conference schedule.
4. Lindenwood (5-7, 4-4) – The Lions are playoff-eligible for the first time in the FCS. No returning quarterback in the OVC-Big South comes close to Nate Glantz’s 2024 totals of 2,333 passing yards and 17 TD passes, and he added 297 yards and six scores on the ground. Also returning is the conference’s preseason offensive player of the year, RB Steve Hall (808 yards, five TDs, 7.3 yards per carry), but the Lions bring back only one starting offensive lineman, Gavin Hulet. Defensive back Jayden Patrick is coming off a banner season, which is something LB Devon Edwards should have with improved health.
5. Western Illinois (4-8, 3-5) – After ending a 27-game losing streak early last season, the Leathernecks got on track under first-year coach Joe Davis, posting a 3-2 home record in their four-win campaign. Quarterback Chris Irvin is expected to take over for breakout star Nathan Lamb, and he’ll quickly look to TE Brandon Lanier, who caught 28 passes, and WRs Demari Davis and Christian Anaya, who combined on 51 receptions. Linebacker Christian Pierce will anchor the team’s new-look defense.
6. Gardner-Webb (4-8, 3-5) – The Runnin’ Bulldogs stepped backward in coach Chris Reisert’s first season from their 2022 and ’23 playoff squads. He signed one of the larger transfer classes in the FBS, including QBs Cole Pennington (Marshall) and Nate Hampton (Liberty), with the new starter set to unite with RB Quasean Holmes (395 yards, four TDs) and WR Anthony Lowe (40 receptions, 523 yards, three TDs). D-linemen Antonio O’Berry and Robert Holz combined for 12.5 sacks and safety Wendell McClain had three interceptions.
7. Eastern Illinois (3-9, 2-6) – The inconsistent Panthers have gone from 2-9 in 2022 to 8-3 in 2023 to 3-9 last season. The end of a preseason quarterback competition brings an added bonus: The starter will team up with WR Cooper Willman (66 receptions, 955 yards, eight TDs), one of the conference’s top-returning skills position players. On defense, Drake Van Hyfte should get back on track up front after having an injury-plagued season, while LB Phoenix Porter (68 tackles) and S Tienne Fridge anchor the second and third units, respectively.
8. Tennessee State (9-4, 6-2) – Following TSU’s best season since 2013, coach Eddie George departed for Bowling Green. Reggie Barlow (Alabama State and Virginia State) has plenty of experience guiding an HBCU program; the problem for the Tigers is more the loss of most key players. Some of the returnees who seek to step into prominent roles are WR Delanie “Juice” Majors, TE Jason Hoath Jr., OL Anthony Smith, LB Sammy Taylor and DB Camani Cobbs. The first four games and eight overall are home at Nissan Stadium.
9. Charleston Southern (1-11, 0-8) – The Buccaneers’ lone win came out of conference against Furman. All-American Gilbert Brown had 23 punts of 50+ yards and is the Buccaneers’ top returnee, but the conference’s worst offense (season averages of 268 yards and 14.3 points) wants to see less of him this season. Quarterback Zolten Osborne will seek to emerge with the help of RB Tyson Greenwade (467 yards, three TDs) and WR Chris Rhone (35 receptions, 593 yards, four TDs). The defense boasts LB Steve Zayachkowsky (team-high 80 tackles) and S Champ Brantley.
How OVC-Big South Football Predicted the Race
Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin combined on a four-team share of the OVC-Big South title last year. The conference's 2025 preseason poll: pic.twitter.com/nhotPaRmJk
— FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) July 16, 2025Five Players to Watch
McCoy Casey, LB, Southeast Missouri – As a junior college transfer, Casey totaled 61 tackles, 11.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks and nine QB hurries. Tim Coutras, DB, Tennessee Tech (Buck Buchanan Award preseason nominee) – Disruption is Coutras’ calling card. He’s intercepted seven passes and forced three fumbles over the last two seasons. Steve Hall, RB, Lindenwood (Walter Payton Award preseason nominee) – The OVC-Big South preseason offensive player of the year is only a sophomore, his rookie campaign highlighted with 259 rushing yards and four TDs against Western Illinois. JaMichael McGoy Jr., DB, UT Martin (Buck Buchanan Award preseason nominee) – The conference’s preseason defensive player of the year had the second-most passes defended (21) in the FCS. Cooper Willman, WR, Eastern Illinois – In a breakout season, Willman’s program-record 291 receiving yards against Gardner-Webb were 47 more than any other FCS player had in a 2024 game.Must-See Matchups
OVC-Big South: UT Martin at Tennessee Tech (Nov. 22) – The OVC-Big South title and automatic playoff bid may come down to this matchup on the final Saturday of the regular season. Nonconference: Southern Illinois at Southeast Missouri (Sept. 20) – The road team in this 112-year-old rivalry used to cross the Mississippi River by boat. Now the road team has won the last four meetings of the “War for the Wheel.” FBS: UT Martin at Missouri State (Sept. 20) – UT Martin seeks an FBS win for the second consecutive season. They’ve split the last four meetings since 2021, with each game decided by seven or fewer points.OVC-Big South Football Fast Fact
The Ohio Valley Conference, which is home to seven of the nine teams in the OVC-Big South Football Association, is the host conference for the next two FCS championship games to be held at Vanderbilt University’s FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The 2025 title game will be played on Jan. 5, 2026.
(Here’s an index page to the 2025 FCS Conference Previews)
Graphic by Matt Sisneros.Top photo, from left, from UT Martin, Tennessee Tech and Lindenwood Athletics.
For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
OVC-Big South Football Predictions: Plenty of New-Look Rosters Fill Competitive Title Race Opta Analyst.
Hence then, the article about ovc big south football predictions plenty of new look rosters fill competitive title race was published today ( ) and is available on The Analyst ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( OVC-Big South Football Predictions: Plenty of New-Look Rosters Fill Competitive Title Race )
Also on site :