OVC Football Previews - Week 4

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There are plenty of opportunities for big wins for OVC teams this week as three teams (Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and UT Martin) face nationally-ranked opponents. Western Illinois will travel to North Alabama while Gardner-Webb and Lindenwood challenge FBS schools and Charleston Southern and Tennessee State have open dates.

Saturday, September 26
Lindenwood at Eastern Michigan, 12:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
UT Martin at #13/11 Austin Peay, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Gardner-Webb at Marshall, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Western Illinois at North Alabama, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Eastern Illinois at #2/2 South Dakota State, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
#20/20 West Florida at Southeast Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

Lindenwood Lions (1-2) at Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-3)
Saturday, September 26 • 12:00 p.m. CT
Rynearson Stadium (30,200) • Ypsilanti, Mich.
Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/3Vlh60z
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/4izoS0x
Series Record: First meeting

Noteworthy: Lindenwood is playing its second-straight game against a FBS opponent, with this weekend's game sandwiched around a pair of open dates. The Lions are 0-4 all-time against FBS teams … Lindenwood ranks second in the OVC and 12th nationally in turnovers lost (2) … In its matchup with Missouri State, Elijah Roy caught a 32-yard touchdown, the first of his collegiate career. Roy is tied for the team lead with 10 catches through three contests … Eastern Michigan had a season-opening victory over Sacramento State before dropping its last three contests, the last two against Big Ten opponents. EMU quarterback Noah Kim has thrown for 713 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for two other scores this year.

UT Martin Skyhawks (1-3) at #13/11 Austin Peay Governors (3-1)
Saturday, September 26 • 1:00 p.m. CT
Fortera Stadium (10,000) • Clarksville, Tenn.
Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/3VpiBLc
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/4xZ6iU9
Series Record: UT Martin leads 41-27-2
Last Meeting: UT Martin won 17-16 (10/30/21)

Noteworthy: After a pair of games against FBS opponents, UT Martin is back in action against FCS teams, this time nationally-ranked Austin Peay. The two teams have played 70 previous times, last in the 2021 season when the Govs were members of the OVC … The Skyhawks are in the midst of a four-game road stretch – the program's longest since 1993 … Redshirt freshman QB Tate Surber was 17-of-29 for 177 passing yards and two touchdowns at Memphis. He has completed 65 percent of his passes this season … UT Martin has scored 49 of the team's 94 points this season in the fourth quarter … Austin Peay is playing its second OVC foe of the season, after opening the year with Gardner-Webb. The team is coming off a win over nationally-ranked West Florida in its UAC opener.

Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (1-3) at Marshall Thundering Herd (2-1)
Saturday, September 26 • 2:30 p.m. CT
Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,000) • Huntington, W.Va.
Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4Ajl7CZ
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/46V7BIh
Series Record: Marshall leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Marshall won 28-7 (10/1/22)

Noteworthy: For the third time ever Gardner-Webb and Marshall will meet on the gridiron. This is the second FBS game of the season for the Runnin' Bulldogs … Gardner-Webb QB Cole Pennington spent the 2022-24 seasons at Marshall, seeing action in seven games. He is the son of former Thundering Herd great Chad Pennington who passed for 14,098 yards and 123 touchdowns for Marshall … Pennington has a trio of 300+ yard passing games this season and his 1,185 passing yards is second nationally entering the week … Tre Yanez had his third double-digit tackle game of the season in last week's win over North Carolina Central (12). He ranks 10th nationally, averaging 10.8 tackles/game in 2026. He also ranks 13th nationally in tackles for loss/game (1.75) … Marshall has won two in a row since a season-opening loss to No. 18 Penn State. The Thundering Herd bested Middle Tennessee by two before defeating Missouri State 30-24.

Western Illinois Leathernecks (2-2) at North Alabama Lions (2-2)
Saturday, September 26 • 3:00 p.m. CT
Bank Independent Stadium (10,000) • Florence, Ala.
Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4yN2jKw
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/4rpl1FG
Series Record: North Alabama leads 1-0
Last Meeting: North Alabama won 26-17 (8/29/19)

Noteworthy: After three of its first four games at home, Western Illinois will travel to North Alabama for the second-ever meeting between the schools … The game will be the second played at Bank Independent Stadium, which opened last week with a 38-20 UNA win over Alcorn in front of 11,830 fans. It marked the first-ever football game on the UNA campus (the team previously played off-site) … Western Illinois scored 59 points in its win over Morehead State, the second time this season the team has 59 or more points in a game (the first for the program since the 2005 season) … Western Illinois leads the OVC and ranks 17th nationally in total offense (437.3 yards/game) while also ranking third nationally in passing defense (117.0 yards/game allowed) … UNA freshman Xavier Johnson was named the UAC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season after catching five passes for 86 yards; he leads all FCS players with 472 receiving yards this year.

Eastern Illinois Panthers (1-3) at #2/2 South Dakota State Jackrabbits (3-1)
Saturday, September 26 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium (19,340) • Brookings, S.D.
Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4Al7AdW
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/4jcdOXl
Series Record: South Dakota State leads 1-0
Last Meeting: South Dakota State won 58-10 (11/24/12)

Noteworthy: For the first time since the 2012 FCS Playoffs, Eastern Illinois and South Dakota State will meet on the gridiron. That year the Jackrabbits won before eventually falling to eventual national champion North Dakota State in the next round … This week marks the second-straight contests for the Panthers against a Top 5 ranked FCS foe. EIU's last win against a Top 5 team came in the 2016 season (Illinois State) … EIU running back Charles Kellom is the only OVC back with multiple 100-plus rushing yard games this season. He ranks 23rd nationally in rushing yards (299) and is 15th in the FCS in average yards per carry (6.5) … Kicker Drew Schiller made both of his field goal attempts (41, 21) against Illinois State; he is 11-of-11 on PAT's this season … The only blemish on South Dakota State's resume this year is a 34-18 defeat to FBS foe Northwestern. RB Josiah Johnson was named National Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 238 yards and two scores against No. 9 ranked Youngstown State.

#20/20 West Florida Argonauts (2-1) at Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (2-2)
Saturday, September 26 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Houck Stadium (8,000) • Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4jfhJTe
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3UTaUwO
Series Record: First meeting

Noteworthy: Southeast Missouri plays its second-straight home game, hosting nationally-ranked West Florida in the first-ever matchup between the teams … SEMO has 12 wins against ranked FCS opponents during Tom Matukewicz's tenure, the last coming in the 2024 season (No. 7 Southern Illinois) … SEMO improved to 2-1 against FCS teams on the season by besting Central Arkansas 27-9. The Redhawks forced two interceptions and limited the Bears to just 4.1 yards per play in the win. … Khylen Harris-Norman returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown; that tied the longest kick return in program history … Payton Brown had two touchdowns in the win over UCA; it marked his second and third scores of the season … West Florida is in its first year of FCS football and has only been a program since 2016. In that time the team won the 2019 NCAA Division II National Championship and has an 83-31 all-time record. The Argos have started the season with three games against nationally-ranked teams (SIU, UCA and APSU).

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OVC Football Previews - Week 4

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