2024 Big South-OVC Football Preview

Zachary McKinnell, Timothy Rosario, Timothy Rosario | Jun 25, 2024

UT Martin Athletics

It was a successful first season for the Big South-OVC partnership as the institutions voted for the option to potentially extend the partnership through 2030. There are plenty of interesting storylines throughout the conference ahead of the 2024 season.

UT Martin is searching for its fourth consecutive conference championship, while the conference is also looking for the first win in the FCS Playoffs since the merger. Will Eastern Illinois take the next step into becoming a true national contender after an impressive 8-win season in 2023? There are also multiple sleeper teams that look primed to emerge as dark horse contenders for the conference title next season.

Below are FCS Football Central's official Big South-OVC predictions and a full preview of the Big South-OVC ahead of the 2024 college football season.

Key Players To Know:

Eastern Illinois RB MJ Flowers / Eastern Illinois Athletics

MJ Flowers (Eastern Illinois, RB)

Flowers made history last season as the first Eastern Illinois player to be named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award. He finished as the runner-up after rushing for 854 yards and eight touchdowns. He ranked second among FCS freshman with 1,046 all-purpose yards. Flowers rushed for over 200 yards in two games last season, including a career-high 272 yards against McNeese State. He also rushed for over 200 yards and four touchdowns in a huge win over Tennessee State in Week 11.

Jordan Gant (Tennessee State, RB)

Gant led the Tigers with 553 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, earning him Freshman All-American honors. He was the first Tennessee State running back to finish a season with double-digit rushing touchdowns since 2013. He rushed for a career-high 105 yards and two touchdowns against Kennesaw State. Gant is primed to lead Tennessee State's offense next season as the Tigers search for the first conference title since 1999.

Bryce Norman (SEMO, LB)

Norman has earned first-team All-Conference honors in back-to-back seasons for the Redhawks. He has led SEMO in total tackles for three consecutive seasons, including a career-high 119 tackles in 2022. The 6-foot, 215-pound senior made an immediate impact as he earned Freshman All-American honors in 2022, then followed it up with another All-American season in 2022. Norman is one of the most experienced linebackers in the nation and is a strong candidate to take home the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award next season.

Lindenwood WR Jeff Caldwell / Don Adams Jr. (Lindenwood Athletics)

Jeff Caldwell (Lindenwood, WR)

Caldwell exploded onto the scene last season, earning first-team All-Conference honors as a sophomore. He had his breakout performance against Western Illinois, where he tied the program single-game record with four receiving touchdowns. He finished the season with 599 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, both of which led the Lions in 2023.

Oshae Baker (UT Martin, DB)

Over the past three seasons, Baker has established himself as one of the most versatile defensive backs in the conference. He earned first-team All-Conference honors last season after ranking fifth in the conference with 11 passes defended. He is a former Freshman All-American and has earned All-Conference honors in three consecutive seasons. Baker will look to finish his career as a four-time conference champion and could finish his career as one of the most accomplished defensive backs in program history.

Daniel Rickert (Tennessee Tech, DL)

After being limited to four games in 2022, Rickert led the Golden Eagles with 14.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season. He earned first-team All-Conference honors after finishing second in the conference in sacks and fourth in tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus ranked Rickert as the No. 5 defensive end in the FCS last season.

Notable Incoming Transfers:

Eastern Illinois DB Kaleb Lyons / Kaleb Lyons (@kaleblyons24)

Kaleb Lyons (Eastern Illinois, DB)

Eastern Illinois faced the task of replacing two All-Americans in the secondary this offseason. The Panthers made a splash by signing former Morehead State defensive back Kaleb Lyons, who is fresh off an All-American season for the Eagles. He earned AP FCS All-American honors after recording six interceptions and nine pass breakups.

Lyons will join a talented Eastern Illinois secondary, which led the Big South-OVC in scoring defense and interceptions last season. Over the past two seasons, Lyons has recorded 52 total tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, seven interceptions, and 13 pass breakups.

Keandre Booker (Tennessee State, LB)

Terrell Allen's departure left a massive hole at EDGE for the Tigers, but the addition of former SEMO linebacker Keandre Booker could help fill that role next season. Booker saw action in 40 career games over four seasons with the Redhawks. He recorded 92 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

Booker and Freshman All-American Eriq George are expected to step into important roles for the Tigers next season. Tennessee State's defense has ranked top three in the conference in back-to-back seasons and the addition of Booker could be the missing piece for another impressive season.

Jared Pedraza (SEMO, LB)

The Redhawks will enter next season with one of the most experienced linebacker duos in the nation, led by All-American Bryce Norman and transfer addition Jared Pedraza. Pedraza signed with SEMO after spending five seasons at Northwestern State, where he recorded over 200 tackles for the Demons.

Pedraza earned All-Conference honors in 2021 after recording 54 total tackles, six sacks, and 6.5 tackles for loss. He brings 39 games of experience to the linebacker unit and will help replace the production of Christian Fuhrman, who transferred to Northern Illinois.

Jeff Bowens (Gardner-Webb, CB)

Gardner-Webb only returns two defensive starters next season, which created a huge challenge for new head coach Cris Reisert this offseason. Former Illinois State defensive back Jeff Bowens is expected to step into a starting role for the Runnin' Bulldogs next season. In 31 career games, Bowens recorded 83 total tackles, three interceptions, and six pass breakups for the Redbirds.

Bowens posted the best coverage grade of his career last season, only allowing 26 receptions and two touchdowns. He allowed 50 or more receiving yards in only three games, including seven consecutive games with less than 35 yards allowed as the primary defender.

DJ Linkins (Tennessee Tech, WR)

Tennessee Tech entered this offseason with a massive question mark at wide receiver after losing three starters this offseason. The Golden Eagles added former New Hampshire wide receiver DJ Linkins, who brings 23 games of experience with the Wildcats. Linkins recorded a career-high 413 receiving yards last season after ranking second on the team with five receiving touchdowns in 2022.

At 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, Linkins can be a matchup nightmare on the outside and will be a massive target for returning quarterback Jordyn Potts. Tennessee Tech ranked last in offensive efficiency last season and adding explosive athletes, like Linkins, this offseason is the first major step forward for the Golden Eagles' offense.

Tobias Lafayette (Charleston Southern, DB)

One of the most overlooked transfer additions of the offseason was Charleston Southern signing former Hampden-Sydney defensive back Tobias Lafayette. Lafayette is a four-year starter at the Division III level, including an All-Conference season in 2021. He has recorded 103 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, and 24 pass breakups.

Lafayette is expected to step into a starting role for the Buccaneers next season. Charleston Southern struggled with consistency on the defensive side of the ball and adding Lafayette to an experienced secondary should offer an immediate upgrade next season.

Top Offense: UT Martin

UT Martin Athletics

UT Martin led the conference in scoring offense (31.7) and total offense (439.5) last season. The Skyhawks return eight starters and multiple key rotational players from an impressive unit, which is why the Skyhawks have the best offense in the conference entering the 2024 season.

Quarterback Kinkead Dent will lead the offense after throwing for 2,295 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2023. He will be surrounded by one of the best wide receiver cores in the conference, including All-Conference receiver DeVonte Tanksley. Tanksley led the team with 54 receptions for 698 receiving yards last season, while Zoe Roberts returns after leading the Skyhawks with six receiving touchdowns. Trevonte Rucker is another name to watch after posting 469 receiving yards in his first season with the Skyhawks.

The biggest question mark for UT Martin is running back after the departure of All-American Sam Franklin. Narkel LeFlore could be a breakout player after rushing for 380 yards and four touchdowns last season in a backup role. He posted a career-high 147 rushing yards and two touchdowns against SEMO last season, while also earning All-Conference honors as a return specialist. The Skyhawks return two All-Conference selections on the offensive line, which will be led by Drake Carroll and Vance Van Every.

Top Defense: Eastern Illinois

Eastern Illinois Athletics

The Panthers return 10 key contributors from a defense that led the Big South-OVC in scoring defense last season. The unit ranked No. 32 nationally in yards per play allowed and No. 16 in scoring defense, but the Panthers thrived by forcing turnovers. Eastern Illinois finished the season with 14 interceptions and 11 fumbles recovered. The Panthers forced 2.3 turnovers per game, which ranked secondary nationally.

The Panthers will be led by multiple All-Conference returners, including two-time All-Conference selection linebacker Elijawah Tolbert. Tolbert recorded 87 total tackles and seven tackles for loss in 2023. Defensive end Joel Barrows earned second-team All-Conference honors last season, totaling 32 tackles, four sacks, and three forced fumbles. Cornerback Nick Coates returns after not allowing a touchdown in 11 starts last season.

Defensive tackle Drake Van Hyfte will lead an experienced defensive line unit after totaling nine tackles for loss and five sacks. The Panthers also added a trio of transfers in the secondary, headlined by cornerback Kaleb Lyons from Morehead State. Former Houston cornerback Moses Alexander and Western Michigan safety Ryan Kilburg are expected to step into starting roles next season. Lyons recorded six interceptions and earned FCS All-American honors, while Alexander played in eight games for Houston in 2023. This Eastern Illinois defense has all of the pieces to be the best defense in the conference and one of the top defenses in all of the FCS.

FCS Football Central's Predicted Order Of Finish:

1. UT Martin
2. Eastern Illinois
3. SEMO
4. Tennessee State
5. Tennessee Tech
6. Lindenwood
T-7. Gardner-Webb
T-7. Charleston Southern
9. Western Illinois