Bob Belvin has broadcast games across the Association for well over a decade, and served as host of league Media Day events. Each week this season he will share his thoughts matchups and happenings around the Association and FCS.
Welcome to November in college football. Let’s spare the cliches for now. Take a quick look at the standings in the OVC-Big South Association and that will help you fame the importance of this week’s contests.
Gardner-Webb at #8 Tennessee Tech (12:00pm CT, ESPN+)
The top two teams in the Association standings will go head-to-head when Gardner Webb travels to Tennessee Tech for Tech’s Homecoming. For Gardner-Webb, new QB1 Cole Pennington hit on 18 of 21 passes in the Lindenwood win. HC Chris Reisert noted some changes this past week that resulted “in Cole getting an opportunity to be more comfortable in our play calling.” GWU will face in Tech the nation’s top-ranked team against the rush, allowing 43 yards per game, while third in the nation in rushing yards per game at 244. Two more important stats leading into this game that jumps off the page: Tech converts on 48% of its third downs and scores 50 points a game (also first in the nation). Tech is good at football in 2025. But Gardner-Webb a'int bad themselves. Grand Marshal for the Homecoming Parade is Astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who was stranded in space for nine months. Captain Wilmore is good at patience and in service to our nation and a Tech alumnus too.
UT Martin at Eastern Illinois (2:00pm CT, ESPN+)
Surging UT Martin, coming off a bye week, travels to always challenging O’Brien Field Saturday to take on Eastern Illinois. The game marks a pivotal stretch for both teams in Association play. UT Martin has its running game improving with John Gentry averaging over five yards a carry while QB Jase Bauer has rushed for six touchdowns in the last four games. Eastern is sliding, losers of three-straight. The teams are in a dead heat in most statistical categories. Did UT Martin lose momentum in the bye week? Can Eastern Illinois stem the tide and win what, for them, needs to be a defensive struggle? If either team is going to make a run in the Association’s last month, they must win Saturday.
Charleston Southern at Southeast Missouri (1:00pm CT, ESPN+)
Another long road trip awaits Charleston Southern as they head to SEMO this Saturday. For SEMO, QB1 Jax Leatherwood will officially be the starter Saturday after returning in the second quarter in the Tennessee Tech loss last week throwing for 278 yards and a TD. SEMO’s defense showed up in a big way last week limiting top ranked Tech to just 299 yards of total offense. CSU got it done on defense too last week, but it took a David Portu block of EIU’s game-winning field goal attempt to seal the win. Of note in this game, SEMO plays 3 of their last 4 games at Houck Stadium, very important as they try to emerge from a cluster of two-win teams in the Association. The Redhawks play back-to-back long road games themselves following Saturdays game. First time for CSU in Cape Girardeau, second meeting ever between the schools, with SEMO winning the first last season.
Lindenwood at Tennessee State (3:30pm CT, ESPN+)
Lindenwood finds themselves on the road yet again, this week against disappointing Tennessee State in Nashville’s Nissan Stadium. Both teams find themselves coming off of losses and in the middle of the pack in The Association. So what gives? Maybe the passing game? TSU’s two QB’s on the season have thrown for a combined 1,300 yards and 7 touchdowns while Lindenwood’s Nate Glantz has thrown for 1818 yards and 18 TD’s. Lindenwood opponents have averaged nearly 450 yards per game, a hundred less than TSU has given up. For each team last week’s games provided a stark contrast: Lindenwood gave up 48 points on the road and TSU lost 17-16 on a last-minute field goal. Anyone’s guess how this one ends up.