FIRST ROUND PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER. 30, 2024
TIME WATCH SERIES
#10/11 Illinois State at #16/16 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
11:00am CT ESPN+
ISU leads series, 8-3
Winner plays at No. 5 seed UC Davis in Second Round on Dec. 7
#20/23 UT MARTIN at #19/24 New Hampshire
12:00pm CT ESPN+
1st meeting Winner plays at No. 1 seed Montana State in Second Round on Dec. 7
#19/21 TENNESSEE STATE at #13/13 Montana
9:15pm CT ESPN2
1st meeting
Winner plays at No. 3 seed South Dakota State in Second Round on Dec. 7
2-MINUTE OFFENSE
OPENING KICKOFF:
For the first time in the two-year history of the Big South-OVC Football Association, three members have advanced to the FCS Playoffs. SEMO emerged from the four-way tie for first-place with the automatic bid, while UT Martin and Tennessee State earned at-large berths. Southeast Missouri is the first Association member to host a Playoff game.
1st DOWN: Southeast Missouri picked up its first conference championship since 2022, and its fourth overall (2010, 2019, 2022 and 2024). The Redhawks are making their fifth FCS Playoff appearance and are 1-4 all-time in the postseason. SEMO’s last playoff foe was Montana in 2022 (L, 34-24), while its last playoff victory was in 2018 (W, 28-14 over Stony Brook). Southeast Missouri is facing Illinois State in the postseason for the second time, as the squads went head-to-head in 2019.
2nd DOWN: UT Martin picked up its fourth-straight conference championship and fifth overall (2006, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024). The Skyhawks are making their third FCS Playoff appearance and are 1-2 all-time in the postseason. UTM’s last playoff foe was Montana State in 2021 (L, 26-7), while its last playoff victory was that same year vs. Missouri State (W, 32-31).
3rd DOWN: Tennessee State picked up its first conference championship since 1999 and third overall (1998, 1999 and 2024). The Tigers are making their seventh FCS Playoff appearance and are 3-6 all-time in the postseason. TSU’s last playoff foe was Eastern Illinois in 2013 (L, 51-10), while its last playoff victory was that same year vs. Butler (W, 31-0).
4th DOWN: Tennessee Tech picked up its first conference title since 2011, and 11th overall (1952, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1975, 2011 and 2024).
SLANT ROUTES
* CHARLESTON SOUTHERN: The Buccaneers concluded the season against an FBS opponent for the first time since 2021 … CSU suffered five losses this year by one possession for a combined total of 16 points (3.2 average).
* EASTERN ILLINOIS: The Panthers concluded the season with two wins in their fi al four games … Eastern Illinois finished third in the Big South-OVC in passing offense at 266.17.
* GARDNER-WEBB: The Runnin’ Bulldogs concluded the season on the road for the fi st time since the 2021 campaign … GWU suffered five losses this year by one possession for a combined total of 18 points (3.6 average).
* LINDENWOOD: In the season finale, the Lions nearly knocked off their second nationally-ranked foe … Lindenwood finished with a .500 conference record for the first time as an FCS program.
* SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: The Redhawks are seeking their first-ever 10-win season … SEMO last reached the Second Round of the FCS Playoffs in 2018.
* TENNESSEE STATE: The Tigers have won nine games for the first time since 2013 when TSU was 10-4 and finished 6-2 in conference action … Tennessee State last reached the Second Round of the FCS Playoffs in 2013.
* TENNESSEE TECH: The Golden Eagles concluded the season with their first 5-game win streak since winning 5-straight across the 2000 (4) and 2001 (1) seasons … TTU’s seven victories this year were its most since finishing 7-4 in 2011 as OVC Co-Champions.
* UT MARTIN: The Skyhawks won their regular-season finale for the first time since 2022 … UTM last reached the Second Round of the FCS Playoffs in 2021, which was at Montana State.
* WESTERN ILLINOIS: The Leathernecks posted their most overall wins and conference victories since 2018 when WIU finished 5-6 overall and 4-4 in Missouri Valley games.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK – NOV. 23
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Matthew Henry, Western Illinois, WR • 6-1, 175, Jr. • Miami, Fla.
Henry had six catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the Leathernecks’ 45-28 victory over GardnerWebb. The junior had catches of 34, 17 (touchdown), 32, 33, 10 and 38 yards and was part of a 46-yard lateral that he took for a touchdown. His 210 receiving yards are the ninth-most by a FCS player this season. Henry leads the Big South-OVC in receiving yards (1,179), which is now third all-time in WIU single season history.
Others Nominated: Tyler Ridell (Gardner-Webb), Jeff Caldwell (Lindenwood), Draylen Ellis (Tennessee State;), Jalen Mitchell (Tennessee Tech), Kinkead Dent (UT Martin)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Peyton Bradford, Western Illinois, DE • 6-2, 245, Sr. • Oakdale, Calif.
Bradford had 3.0 sacks (tied for the third-most by an Association player this season) as Western Illinois capped its season with a 45-28 victory over Gardner-Webb. He also added six total tackles (4 solo) and a quarterback hurry. His biggest play came early in the fourth quarter after WIU moved ahead with a 35-28 lead; three plays later he forced a fumble that the Leathernecks recovered and scored three plays later to push the advantage to 14.
Others Nominated: Anthony Shockey (Eastern Illinois), Raquon Hartley (Gardner-Webb), Jayden Patrick (Lindenwood), Keandre Booker (Tennessee State), Kalvyn Crummie (Tennessee Tech), Tevin Shipp (UT Martin)
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK Dom LeBlanc, Tennessee Tech, K • 6-0, 170, Fr. • Dawsonville, Ga. LeBlanc accounted for 11 points as Tennessee Tech topped Eastern Illinois 23-6 to earn a share of the Big South-OVC Championship, its first regular season crown since 2011. The freshman made 3-of-4 field goals (46, 20, 22) and 2-of-2 PATs. His 46-yarder in the first quarter was a season-long. LeBlanc also averaged 54.5 yards on six total kickoffs.
Others Nominated: Jacob Horvath (Eastern Illinois), Logan Seibert (Lindenwood)
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK Sanders Ellis, Tennessee State, LB • 6-2, 225, Fr. • Nashville, Tenn.
Ellis earned his fifth Freshman of the Week honor of the season after tallying eight tackles (7 solo) and two pass breakups as Tennessee State knocked off No. 11/12 Southeast Missouri to claim a share of the Big South-OVC regular season championship (its first league title since 1999). The linebacker had 0.5 tackles for loss as he helped the Tigers defense limit SEMO to just 308 yards of total offense. Ellis is averaging 6.0 tackles/game, which ranks 11th in the Association, while his 0.96 tackles for loss/game is seventh. Among freshmen, he ranks sixth nationally in tackles.
Others Nominated: Isaiah Houi (Eastern Illinois), Dom LeBlanc (Tennessee Tech)
CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK
THREE-POINT STANCE
The Big South-OVC is one of five FCS conferences with three teams in the 2024 Playoffs, as Southeast Missouri, UT Martin and Tennessee State will represent the league in the postseason. Meanwhile, all three schools are nationally-ranked for the second-straight week — but it is the first time three members appeared in both National Top 25 rankings. Overall, the conference had multiple squads rated in the national polls seven times this season, and a total of 11 times in the two-year history of the Association.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
The Association’s First Round Playoff opponents hail from the Missouri Valley Football Conference (Illinois State), Coastal Athletic Association (New Hampshire) and Big Sky Conference (Montana). In its young existence, the Big South-OVC is 6-8 all-time vs. the MVFC — including 1-3 against Illinois State and is 1-3 against CAA squads. The Big South-OVC will face its first-ever foe from the Big Sky. The Association is seeking its first FCS Playoff win, as the league’s inaugural FCS representative in 2023 (Gardner-Webb) lost in the First Round at SoCon member Mercer.
NATIONAL BAROMETER
The Association completed the regular-season 12-10 ( =54.5 percent) against non-conference FCS opponents, which included two wins among six contests against nationally-ranked foes. Charleston Southern earned the league’s first victory of the season against a Top 25 squad when the Buccaneers defeated then-No. 15/16 Furman, 24-20, in Week 2. Two weeks later, SEMO downed then-No. 7/7 Southern Illinois for the Association’s first-ever triumph over a Top 10 program. In 2023, the Association was 20-15 against out-of-conference foes in the regular-season.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Saturday’s FCS Playoff First Round will mark the third, fourth and fifth time in Big South-OVC history that ranked Association members will play ranked non-conference foes. Back in Week 4, SEMO recorded the Association’s first-ever win featuring a ranked Big South-OVC team against a ranked non-conference opponent, as the then-No. 21/21 Redhawks won at then-No. 7/7 Southern Illinois, 38-21. It was just the second-ever head-to-head match-up of a ranked Big South-OVC squad against a ranked out-of-conference foe, as the first was between the same two squads last season.
TENNESSEE RIVER
Tennessee State’s four 40-point games this season are its most times scoring 40+ points in a campaign since five times in 2001. The 2024 Tigers have scored 40 points each month of the season — with the first three times being the same exact point total — 41 vs. Mississippi Valley State on Aug. 31; 41 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 14, and 41 vs. Eastern Illinois on Oct. 12. TSU scored a season-high 45 points in Week 11 at Western Illinois.
THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN
In the 36 Association-conference games played in 2024, the home team won 23 times ( =63.89 winning percentage), while the overall average margin of victory was 13.19 points. Sixteen contests — or 44.44 percent — were one possession decisions. The 36 games had a combined point total of 1,959, for a per game average of 54.42 points. Last season, the 30 Big South-OVC Association-conference games were decided by 16.10 points and averaged 48.83 combined points (1,465 point scored).
UT MARTIN SKIES PAST KENNESAW STATE FOR ASSOCIATION’S FIRST FBS VICTORY
UT Martin pulled off the Association’s first-ever FBS victory in Week 5, as the Skyhawks downed Kennesaw State, 24-13, for the program’s second all-time win over an FBS foe. The league was close to scoring another three FBS triumphs earlier this season, as Tennessee Tech (7 points) and Gardner-Webb (7 and 1 point) suffered one possession losses to Bowl Subdivision opponents back in September.
THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS
UT Martin has established a Big South-OVC Association single-season record with four interception return touchdowns this season, as well as records for most interceptions (18) and INT return yards (319). Skyhawks LB TEVIN SHIPP owns two of those four pick-6’s, which ties the Association record as well. Meanwhile, Big South-OVC Association members have combined for 16 defensive touchdowns through the regular-season (11 interception returns and 5 fumble returns). Last year, the 10-team Association membership combined for 19 defensive TDs (12 INT, 6 FUM).
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION…
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN – The Buccaneers suffered through the first 0-8 conference season in program history … CSU also suffered five single-possession defeats — four of which were Association games, and fell in those games by a combined 16 points (3.2 average) … In the Bucs’ season-finale loss at Florida State, KALEB JACKSON was 22-of-32 passing for 218 yards and a touchdown, as he connected with LANDON SAUERS on a 7-yard pass play that closed out the game’s scoring. DAVION WILLIAMS totaled eight tackles along with 2.5 TFL to finish the season with 10.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage
EASTERN ILLINOIS – RB JAY PEARSON scored the Panthers’ lone touchdown in the season-finale defeat at Tennessee Tech, as his 2-yard rush into the end zone capped his 69-yard effort for the day. He had a long rush of 59 yards in the contest. QB PIERCE HOLLEY left the game with an injury but was still 14-of-20 for 129 yards. He finished the year with 3,125 passing yards to rank third in the Association and eighth in FCS. COOPER WILLMAN caught nine passes for 86 yards, and ANTHONY SHOCKEY led the defense with 11 stops.
GARDNER-WEBB – The Runnin’ Bulldogs lost for the first time this season scoring at least 28 points and allowed their most offensive yards in the season-finale at Western Illinois. The game was tied at 28-28 until WIU scored three times in the final quarter. QB TYLER RIDELL was 23-of-35 passing for 234 yards and three scores, with RB QUASEAN HOLMES catching six balls for 56 yards and two touchdowns.
LINDENWOOD – Lindenwood suffered its third Association loss by one possession in the season-finale against UT Martin. JARED RHODES’ 13-yard touchdown run with :32 remaining forced overtime. QB NATE GLANTZ was 28-of46 passing for 348 yards and a touchdown and led the Lions with 42 rushing yards. WR JEFF CALDWELL had eight receptions for 99 yards, which included a 21-yard TD grab. He caught a touchdown in seven games this season.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI – The Redhawks rallied from a 21-0 first quarter deficit at Tennessee State to get within seven points at halftime before TSU pulled away from the victory. RB PAYTON BROWN scored twice in the season-finale, first on a 13-yard pass play and later on a 1-yard run. WR DORIAN ANDERSON was responsible for SEMO’s other scoring play, a 31-yard connection with QB PAXTON DeLAURENT. LB BRYCE NORMAN finished with 12 tackles for his league-leading sixth game with 10-plus tackles.
TENNESSEE STATE – The Tigers are 15-8 since the start of the 2023 season, and remains at No. 3 in both the HBCU Coaches Poll and Media Poll … In TSU’s 28-21 victory over Southeast Missouri, RB CJ EVANS recorded 217 all-purpose yards (8 rushing, 107 receiving, 88 kickoff return, 14 punt return). He caught a 56-yard touchdown pass to stretch his TD scoring streak to seven consecutive games … JADEN McGILL led the Tigers in rushing for the second-straight game and has 173 in his last two outings … QB DRAYLEN ELLIS threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns, his fourth-straight multi-TD pass game and seventh of the season. His 22 TD passes this season rank second in the Association. His 42-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter sealed the win against Southeast Missouri.
TENNESSEE TECH – Tennessee Tech won its fifth consecutive game with its 23-6 win over Eastern Illinois in the season-finale. During the 5-game win streak, the TTU defense permitted just 65 points (13.0 average), 1,194 offensive yards (238.8 average) and 332 net yards rushing (66.4 average) in that span. The Golden Eagles finished the 2024 campaign holding its last three opponents to less than 10 points (7-9-6) … In the win over EIU, JALEN MITCHELL rushed for 131 yards and K DOM LeBLANC made three fi eld goals (46, 20, 22). TTU finished with 10 stops behind the line of scrimmage … Tech finished the season as the Association leader in rushing defense with a conference-record 82.9 yards allowed, which ranks second in FCS.
UT MARTIN UT – TYLER DOSTIN’s 1-yard TD catch from KINKEAD DENT in overtime led the Skyhawks to the 33-26 victory over Lindenwood. Dent finished with 272 passing yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 64 yards … RB PATRICK SMITH scored his Association-leading 13th TD on a 22-yard run, which was his first trip to the end zone since Week 9 … UTM has won eight games for the second-straight year and sixth time under head coach JASON SIMPSON.
WESTERN ILLINOIS – QB NATHAN LAMB finished the regular-season as the Association leader in total offense at 306.17 yards per game, as well as second in passing yards with 3,332 … In the final six games of the year, the Leathernecks averaged 37.2 points and 515.0 yards of offense as the squad finished first overall in the conference in passing offense (Association-record 304.33), total offense (427.5 — the only team above 400 per game this season) and second in scoring offense (31.00).
