While the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) aren’t known as HBCU conferences, they are conferences that have had HBCUs in them in recent years. Tennessee State University of the OVC is the only HBCU left in the group as Hampton and North Carolina A&T both left the Big South to become members of the Coastal Athletic Association. Last year, the Big South and the OVC joined together after losing schools to other conferences to create the nine-team Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association. Below is a press release announcing an extension of that partnership. See how the new agreement will affect the conferences only HBCU.
Courtesy of Big South-OVC
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. and CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After a successful first season of competition for the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Football Association, the Board of Presidents and Chancellors of the nine regionally-aligned member institutions have solidified their commitment to each other with a new enhanced agreement that will provide an opportunity to extend the original partnership through 2030 and beyond.
This agreement, which strengthens the structure between the FCS-committed institutions, is intended to provide all members access to the automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Playoffs, long-term stability, and a competitive league schedule. All teams will play eight Association games this season, renewing established rivalries and sparking new ones.
The original agreement, signed in February 2022, provided for Association play from 2023 through 2026. The new agreement, approved unanimously by all participating presidents and chancellors, now adds a “look-in” provision following the initial four-year term, which was to end after the 2026 season, for an additional four years, to provide institutions added membership certainty and stability.
The framework also allows for the potential introduction of additional member institutions to the Association.
“After the first successful season of our institutions playing together, it became evident we had developed a special and sustaining football model with a grouping of regionally-aligned institutions that share a similar commitment to the Football Championship Subdivision and that wanted to grow together,” said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. “We are delighted that our enhanced agreement will allow us to operate as one cohesive unit, provide long-term stability for our football programs, and plan for an exciting future of competitive success.”
“Now more than ever, innovative and meaningful partnerships are imperative,” added Big South Commissioner Sherika A. Montgomery. “The Association’s first season of competition displayed just that in creating a highly competitive football model. This enhanced partnership demonstrates our united commitment to continue the growth and advancement of the FCS. I am confident the reaffirmation of this agreement will continue to elevate football student—athlete experiences while strengthening brand exposure and recognition both regionally and nationally.”
The Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association currently includes nine schools: Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC), Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, IL), Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, NC), Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO), Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO), Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN), Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville, TN), University of Tennessee at Martin (Martin, TN) and Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL).
The agreement confirms that the OVC office will manage day-to-day football operations in consultation with Big South Conference leadership.
With a strengthened agreement in place, the Association portion of the 2024 season will kick off on Saturday, September 7 with 2023 co-champion UT Martin visiting Southeast Missouri. On September 28, co-champion Gardner-Webb will host Tennessee Tech in a matchup involving two new head coaches (GWU’s Cris Reisert and TTU’s Bobby Wilder).