Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Alliance (FCS)
Overview: If you're looking for an "oddball" conference to follow in 2023, then the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Alliance is for you.
Thanks to the departures of North Carolina A&T (7-4 overall, 5-1 in the Big South Conference in 2022) and Campbell (5-6, 2-3) to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), respectively, the Big South's football membership to just four schools in Bryant University (Smithfield, Rhode Island), Robert Morris (Moon Township, Pennsylvania), Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, North Carolina), and Charleston Southern University (Charleston, South Carolina).
As a result, the Big South Conference formed that unlikely alliance with the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for a 10-team football circuit. Three schools from Tennessee (Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, and UT-Martin), as well as two schools from Missouri (Lindenwood and Southeast Missouri State), and one from Illinois (Eastern Illinois), will join the four Big South squads to compete for one automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
Of the 10 teams that will take the field this fall, three of them finished undefeated in conference play within their separate leagues last fall. Gardner-Webb finished 5-0 to win the Big South Conference crown, with the Runnin' Bulldogs knocking off Eastern Kentucky on the road for their first-ever FCS playoff win, before falling at William & Mary in the second round, to finish their 2022 season at 7-6 overall.
As for the OVC side of the equation in 2022, Southeast Missouri State shared their conference crown, with both teams also finishing unbeaten at 5-0 in league play. However, the Redhawks finished their season at 9-3 overall after losing at Montana in the first round of the FCS playoffs, while the Skyhawks had to settle for a final record of 7-4. Neither team played each other last year.
Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, expect an intense race for the Big South-OVC crown for what will likely be its lone season in this arrangement, as currently Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) members Western Illinois plans to join the latter side of the league in 2024.
In fact, don't be surprised if some of the other current MVFC members located east of the Mississippi River (Illinois State, Murray State, Southern Illinois, Youngstown State, et. al.) consider joining Western Illinois in the OVC in the seasons still to come.
2023 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2023 season. The link (s) will appear in each blog post when the team's schedule is submitted. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2022 Big South Conference Football Standings
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2023 season. The link (s) will appear in each blog post when the team's schedule is submitted. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2022 Big South Conference Football Standings
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