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The final month of the 2025 season gets underway on Saturday and features a battle for first-place, with Gardner-Webb traveling to Tennessee Tech. GWU is one of two teams (UT Martin being the other) with one Association loss, while TTU sits on top of the standings, undefeated on the season. UTM will look to keep pace with the winner of that game at Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri hosts Charleston Southern and Tennessee State entertains Lindenwood.
Saturday, November 1
Gardner-Webb at #8/9 Tennessee Tech, 12:00pm CT (ESPN+)
Charleston Southern at Southeast Missouri, 1:00pm CT (ESPN+)
UT Martin at Eastern Illinois, 2:00pm CT (ESPN+)
Lindenwood at Tennessee State, 3:30pm CT (ESPN+)
Open Date: Western Illinois
Gardner-Webb (5-3, 3-1) at #8/9 Tennessee Tech (8-0, 5-0)
Saturday, November 1 - 12:00pm CT
All-Time Series: TTU leads 3-2
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4ocqD3R
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/4qwLQGW
Noteworthy: The Runnin’ Bulldogs are seeking their first six-win season since 2023 (7) ... GWU is 2-1 against nationally-ranked opponents during the regular-season since 2023 ... The Runnin’ Bulldogs’ 48 points in the win at Lindenwood were their most-ever in an OVC-Big South conference clash, and the most points in a league game since scoring 48 against Bryant on Oct. 29, 2022. For the second time this season, GWU had two 100-yard rushers in the same game, as
CARSON GRESOCK (119) and
QUASEAN HOLMES (111) surpassed the century mark against the Lions. Gardner-Webb finished with 245 net rushing yards last week, its third Association game this season above 200 on the ground. QB
COLE PENNINGTON was 18-of-21 passing for 252 yards and a score. Holmes finished with 177 all-purpose yards.
The Golden Eagles are looking to become the first-ever team to start 6-0 in Association games during the league’s existence ... Tech defeated Gardner-Webb last season on Sept. 28 (W, 52-21 on the road) ... Tennessee Tech is 8-0 for the third time in program history (1952, 1977, 2025), and its best start since 1977 (8-0) ... TTU’s 13-straight wins is the longest winning streak in program history ... The Golden Eagles are 5-0 in conference play for the first time ever ... Dating back to last season, TTU has held its last 12 opponents to less than 100 net rushing yards -- an Association consecutive record ... Tech has scored in 26 of 32 quarters, with the following by-quarter scoring breakdown: 101-20 (1st); 130-44 (2nd); 98-30 (3rd); 75-29 (4th).
Charleston Southern (3-6, 2-3) at Southeast Missouri (3-5, 2-2)
Saturday, November 1 - 1:00pm CT
All-Time Series: SEMO leads 1-0
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4qKiuoW
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/4nojXOE
Noteworthy: The Buccaneers have won back-to-back games for the first time since 2023 (Sept. 30-Oct. 4), and are seeking their first 3-game win streak since winning the final four games of 2019 ... The Buccaneers rallied from a 16-3 deficit to defeat Eastern Illinois, 17-16, and sealed the win with block of the potential 35-yard winning field goal with :10 remaining. QB
ZOLTEN OSBORNE was 26-of-38 passing for 280 yards and a touchdown.
MALIK McKINZIE made 13 tackles (nine solo) plus 3.5 TFL in the victory ...
RASHAWN CUNNINGHAM has caught a touchdown in three-straight games, and has tallied 11 catches for 181 yards and four TDs in that span ... Osborne has thrown for 542 yards and five touchdowns during CSU’s two-game win streak.
The Redhawks are looking to avoid dropping back-to-back Association games for the ?rst time since 2023 ... SEMO carries a 6-game home win streak in Association games into Saturday’s contest ... In the last three games, the Redhawk defense has allowed 300.3 offensive yards -- including 299 last week to league-leading Tennessee Tech, a season-low for the Golden Eagles. QB
JAX LEATHERWOOD returned to the lineup and was 27-of-38 passing for 278 yards and a score against TTU.
KALVIN GILBERT caught 10 passes for 120 yards, followed by
CAM PEDRO (6-68),
JOBE BRYANT (5-59) and
PAYTON BROWN (5-55) ... SEMO has scored in double-figures in 31 consecutive games.
UT Martin (3-5, 3-1) at Eastern Illinois (3-5, 2-3)
Saturday, November 1 - 2:00pm CT
All-Time Series: Series tied 15-15
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4o8x07X
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/2oWwWzR
Noteworthy: The Skyhawks are looking to avoid back-to-back road losses in Association games for the first time ... UTM has won the last six meetings over EIU, averaging 32.8 points during that win streak ... In Week 8 against Gardner-Webb,
JaMICHAEL McGOY set a program record with his 37th career pass break-up. He is two shy of the school record for passes defended with 43, trailing former teammate
OSHAE BAKER ... With the road victory at GWU, head coach
JASON SIMPSON has now tallied a road win at every member of the OVC-Big South Football Association ... In its three Association wins this year, UTM is averaging 34.4 points while allowing 16.0 points ... RB
JOHN GENTRY has rushed for 194 yards in the last two games (5.88 average yards per rush on 33 carries in that span) ... QB
JASE BAUER has six rushing touchdowns this season -- all of which have come in the last four contests ... UTM is 15-1 against conference foes at home since 2020.
The Panthers are looking to avoid their first four-game losing skid since dropping six-straight last season ... EIU last defeated UT Martin in 2018 (W, 21-24 in overtime at home) ... P
MASON MILLER averaged 53.7 yards on his three punts at Charleston Southern, the fourth-highest single-game clip in Association history, based on 3-4 punts. He averaged 53.8 yards at Southeast Missouri the previous game. RB
CHARLES KELLOM’s 71 rushing yards at CSU was his most in a contest since gaining 74 at Western Illinois in Week 5 ... QB
COLE LaCRUE leads the Panthers with seven rushing touchdowns, which is second in the OVC-Big South Association and is one shy of the Association single-season record for most rush TDs by a quarterback (8 -
NATHAN LAMB of Western Illinois in 2024).
Lindenwood (3-5, 2-2) at Tennessee State (2-6, 0-4)
Saturday, November 1 - 3:30pm CT
All-Time Series: TSU leads 2-0
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/3JyxlSv
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3b4F8CT
Noteworthy: The Lions are looking to avoid dropping three-straight games for the ?rst time since last season (started 0-3) ... Lindenwood scored exactly 20 points in each of its two meetings with Tennessee State ... RB
STEVE HALL posted his first 100-yard rushing game of the season with 105 last week against Gardner-Webb.
JARED RHODES finished with 59 as the Lions had an Association-game season-best 165 net rushing yards. QB
NATE GLANTZ connected with
DARRIN FUGITT on a 7-yard TD strike, which was Glantz’s eighth TD pass in the last three games -- he had five touchdown passes in the ?rst ?ve contests ... Lindenwood is averaging 31.67 points in its three wins, compared to 14.8 points in its five losses (74 total points, including 26 total in two FBS defeats).
The Tigers are playing their seventh of eight home games this season on Saturday ... TSU went 3-1 in November regular-season games last year ... K
FREDDY PEREZ was the second Association placekicker this season to make two field goals from 40+ yards in a game last week (48, 41), and finished with 10 of the Tigers’ 16 points against Western Illinois.
CONNOR RUTH caught a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game.
ZACK SIMMONS-BROWN led TSU with a season-high 98 rushing yards, which included a long of 48, as the Tigers gained 164 yards on the ground -- their most in an Association game this season ... In his last four games, QB
BYRON McNAIR is 67-of-101 passing ( =66.3 percent) for 741 yards.
OPEN DATE