(STATS) – There won’t be a shortage of Power-Five opponents when Ohio Valley Conference teams try to upset the FBS this year.
The OVC didn’t beat the upper level of Division I last year, but it has at least one FBS win in six of the last nine years.
As FCS programs seek to make their mark again this year, here’s a look at the games involving OVC teams:
The Matchups (9) – Eastern Illinois: Indiana (Sept. 7); Eastern Kentucky: Louisville (Sept. 7); Murray State: Georgia (Sept. 7) and Toledo (Sept. 14); Southeast Missouri: Missouri (Sept. 14); Tennessee State: Middle Tennessee State (Sept. 7); Tennessee Tech: Miami-Ohio (Sept. 7); UT Martin: Florida (Sept. 7) and Kentucky (Nov. 23)
Glamour Games – Murray State at Georgia (Sept. 7) and UT Martin at Florida (Sept. 7): Murray coach Mitch Stewart jokes how he wants to see if his brother, a Georgia graduate, will be dressed in blue and gold or red and black. UT Martin also drops into SEC country twice, going to The Swamp for a first-time meeting before later taking on Kentucky.
Upset Alert – Eastern Kentucky at Louisville (Sept. 7): Eastern Kentucky trails the Cardinals 18-8-1 in the all-time series, but it might be playing them at the right time. Coach Mark Elder has an experienced squad, while Louisville is coming off a 2-10 season. Former Appalachian State coach Scott Satterfield now leads the Cards.
Notable – Austin Peay and five-time defending OVC champ Jacksonville State are not playing FBS opponents this year. Austin Peay will face Cincinnati in 2020. … Eastern Illinois will play Indiana for the first time. New Panthers coach Adam Cushing spent the last 15 seasons in the Big Ten as a Northwestern assistant. … Tennessee State is taking on Middle Tennessee State for the first time since 1998. Middle holds a 10-8 series lead between schools separated by about 40 miles. … Going back further, Tennessee Tech last played Miami of Ohio in 1953. It will mark Tech’s 30th different FBS opponent since the Division I split in 1978. … Southeast Missouri has lost three all-time meetings with Missouri by a combined 106-6.
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