Ohio Valley Conference (OVS) 2021 Conference Schedules Released

March 22, 2021 by ovcsports.com

The Ohio Valley Conference has announced its league football schedule for the 2021 season. The teams will play six conference games in a round-robin format as part of the official OVC schedule.

Furthermore, OVC Directors of Athletics agreed to schedule additional games against OVC opponents outside the structure of the Conference schedule as a way to play competitive games within the region. These designated matchups against OVC opponents will not count in the Conference standings.  The dates of these matchups will be announced by the individual member schools as part of their full schedule release.

In developing this scheduling option, the Directors of Athletics worked together to ensure the unique scheduling needs of each program was addressed.

“This scheduling effort epitomized the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that exists among the OVC members,” said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. “As a by-product of this effort, we believe we will enhance the sense of rivalry in the Conference and provide us with opportunities to showcase our outstanding level of competition.”

The 2021 campaign will mark the 74th football season for the OVC. Over the previous 73 years, 15 of 18 teams that have competed have claimed at least one league championship.

Other notable OVC football facts:

• Every current OVC team has been ranked in the Top 25 polls over the past five years.
• The OVC has placed multiple teams in the FCS Playoffs seven times in the past 10 years.
• OVC teams have 11 playoff wins since 2013, including four Quarterfinal appearances and one National Championship game appearance.
• Since 2013, the OVC has produced one Walter Payton Award Winner, two Buck Buchanan Award Winners, a Eddie Robinson Award Winner and a Deacon Jones Trophy winner. In addition, the league has had two Doris Robinson Award Winners, as the National Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
• The OVC has produced at least one NFL Draft Pick in 10 of the past 13 years.
• In January 2020, OVC alum Jimmy Garoppolo became just the eighth former FCS quarterback to start a Super Bowl, doing so with the San Francisco 49ers.

2021 OVC Football Conference Schedule

Saturday, September 25
Eastern Illinois at Tennessee Tech
Tennessee State at Southeast Missouri

Saturday, October 2
Southeast Missouri at Tennessee Tech

Saturday, October 9
Southeast Missouri at Austin Peay
Murray State at UT Martin

Saturday, October 16
UT Martin at Eastern Illinois
Tennessee Tech at Tennessee State

Saturday, October 23
Austin Peay at Murray State
Tennessee State at Eastern Illinois

Saturday, October 30
Austin Peay at UT Martin
Eastern Illinois at Southeast Missouri
Murray State at Tennessee State

Saturday, November 6
Eastern Illinois at Austin Peay
Tennessee Tech at Murray State
Tennessee State at UT Martin

Saturday, November 13
Austin Peay at Tennessee State
Southeast Missouri at Murray State
UT Martin at Tennessee Tech

Saturday, November 20
Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay
Murray State at Eastern Illinois
UT Martin at Southeast Missouri