The schools that make up the league from 2022:
Little Rock (AR)
UT-Martin (TN)
Tenn State (TN)
Tenn Tech (TN)
SIU-Edwardsville (IL)
SMSU (MO)
Eastern Illinois (IL)
Morehead State (KY)

5 of these schools have football so they need one more football school at least.

Would Western Illinois give up the MVFC to join the OVC for all sports?
What about Chicago State?
UTA?
What would be the ultimate number of schools? 10? 11? 12?

The big advantage we (Chicago St) has is if we get the ball rolling on football. That could singlehandedly backdoor our way into the OVC or MEAC.

I've always felt the OVC would add USI no matter what. Their new arena is absolutely beautiful, and Evansville already hosts the OVC Tournament.

The league would sure have a heavy dose of Illinois if WIU and Chicago State join. I would think that would be positive for getting those schools to join in this age of shrinking travel budgets.

I’m sure Chicago State would take OVC membership in a heartbeat. The challenge would be to see if that would be reciprocated.

With every OVC defection, the less it makes sense for WIU. Giving up a spot in the MVFC to go to the OVC would be the FCS equivalent of going from a P5 league to a G5 league that just had a bunch of defections. What might have made sense on paper 5 years ago (or even 5 months ago) now doesn’t make any sense at all.

Lets not forget Grand Valley State. Adding Chicago State might be what would be work for travel partners.

(01-05-2022 09:06 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Lets not forget Grand Valley State. Adding Chicago State might be what would be work for travel partners.

Matt Brown listed Hillsdale College as well that currently plays D2 football.

Tenn Tech was previously rumored to be looking at the ASUN.

I just hope that the OVC has a good plan on how to deal with this. Murray State leaving was certainly not a surprise. As a LR fan, I couldn't imagine we would commit to the OVC without some assurances that they had a plan moving forward.

Here’s how I see it playing out—

Murray St is going to affiliate with the ASUN for football, giving them 6

UIC goes to the MVC

Horizon replaces UIC with Bellarmine

ASUN is down to 10—(5/5+1); they add 2 OVC football schools

OVC is effectively toast as a football conference.

The list of schools that I know are at least on the OVC hot board at the moment:

Western Illinois
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Grand Valley State
Hillsdale College
Lincoln Memorial
Southern Indiana
University of Indianapolis

It's possible there are others, but those are the ones I've heard from OVC ADs and central office personnel. Not totally sure how to handicap it all yet, honestly

(01-05-2022 10:21 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  The list of schools that I know are at least on the OVC hot board at the moment:

Western Illinois
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Grand Valley State
Hillsdale College
Lincoln Memorial
Southern Indiana
University of Indianapolis

It's possible there are others, but those are the ones I've heard from OVC ADs and central office personnel. Not totally sure how to handicap it all yet, honestly

I have a hard time seeing Arkansas Pine Bluff leaving the HBCU SWAC that has schools in Florida and Texas to join the OVC with schools mainly in Tennessee and Illinois.

(01-05-2022 10:21 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  The list of schools that I know are at least on the OVC hot board at the moment:

Western Illinois
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Grand Valley State
Hillsdale College
Lincoln Memorial
Southern Indiana
University of Indianapolis

It's possible there are others, but those are the ones I've heard from OVC ADs and central office personnel. Not totally sure how to handicap it all yet, honestly

Chicago State is not an option? If not, is the MEAC their most likely home?

(01-05-2022 09:06 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Lets not forget Grand Valley State. Adding Chicago State might be what would be work for travel partners.

You've been saying for months there's talk about Grand Valley State to the OVC but you never give the evidence. Where is that talk happening? Why would GVSU want to go to the OVC; the travel is bad. The closest OVC member is 324 miles, 2 members are well over 400 miles, all the other remaining members are over 500 miles, and Little Rock is 792 miles away. GVSU is in an almost all-Michigan conference and they will be adding 2 sports in 2023.

Now tell us what is your rationale for Grand Valley State going to D1 and the OVC.

(01-05-2022 09:10 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Matt Brown listed Hillsdale College as well that currently plays D2 football.

Tenn Tech was previously rumored to be looking at the ASUN.

I highly doubt Hillsdale College would be interested in moving to the OVC or even D1 at all. One of the top reasons they left the GLIAC for the GMAC was to be with like-minded small private schools. There's none of that in their area with football. The OVC will be all public schools when Belmont leaves and the Horizon has only 2 private schools.

(01-05-2022 10:21 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  The list of schools that I know are at least on the OVC hot board at the moment:

Western Illinois
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Grand Valley State
Hillsdale College
Lincoln Memorial
Southern Indiana
University of Indianapolis

It's possible there are others, but those are the ones I've heard from OVC ADs and central office personnel. Not totally sure how to handicap it all yet, honestly

Hillsdale just downgraded to the GMAC—now they want to go up to D1?

(01-05-2022 10:21 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  The list of schools that I know are at least on the OVC hot board at the moment:

Western Illinois
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Grand Valley State
Hillsdale College
Lincoln Memorial
Southern Indiana
University of Indianapolis

It's possible there are others, but those are the ones I've heard from OVC ADs and central office personnel. Not totally sure how to handicap it all yet, honestly

I think USI and GVSU could be great additions coming up from DII. For a 10th member I'd push for Indianapolis or WIU.

WIU ( geography, travel) would be smart to join the OVC in all but FB (keep in MVFC).

USI would be a good add.

The others listed have lots of questions.

OVC FB will die-- no need for GVSU.

(01-05-2022 10:25 PM)shizzle787 Wrote:  

(01-05-2022 10:21 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  The list of schools that I know are at least on the OVC hot board at the moment:

Western Illinois
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Grand Valley State
Hillsdale College
Lincoln Memorial
Southern Indiana
University of Indianapolis

It's possible there are others, but those are the ones I've heard from OVC ADs and central office personnel. Not totally sure how to handicap it all yet, honestly

Chicago State is not an option? If not, is the MEAC their most likely home?

The OVC is seriously looking at Hillsdale College??? FWIW, Hillsdale College is a lot like Pensacola Christian College to me. Both won't take any $$'s from the federal government. That is just how they operate. The OVC looking at Hillsdale College to me is like the A-Sun looking at Pensacola Christian College. Definitely interesting!!

(01-06-2022 03:48 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  WIU ( geography, travel) would be smart to join the OVC in all but FB (keep in MVFC).

USI would be a good add.

The others listed have lots of questions.

OVC FB will die-- no need for GVSU.

Without FB, the OVC dies unless they add soccer.

I'd think it more likely that Eastern Illinois goes to the Summit, than Western Illinois goes to the OVC.

(01-05-2022 10:33 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(01-05-2022 09:06 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Lets not forget Grand Valley State. Adding Chicago State might be what would be work for travel partners.

You've been saying for months there's talk about Grand Valley State to the OVC but you never give the evidence. Where is that talk happening? Why would GVSU want to go to the OVC; the travel is bad. The closest OVC member is 324 miles, 2 members are well over 400 miles, all the other remaining members are over 500 miles, and Little Rock is 792 miles away. GVSU is in an almost all-Michigan conference and they will be adding 2 sports in 2023.

Now tell us what is your rationale for Grand Valley State going to D1 and the OVC.

Props to David. He is right.

(01-05-2022 10:21 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  The list of schools that I know are at least on the OVC hot board at the moment:

Western Illinois
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Grand Valley State
Hillsdale College
Lincoln Memorial
Southern Indiana
University of Indianapolis

It's possible there are others, but those are the ones I've heard from OVC ADs and central office personnel. Not totally sure how to handicap it all yet, honestly

Around 2011-2013, a fair handful of ETSU fans wanted them to join the OVC instead of the SoCon. Some UTC fans wanted to leave the SoCon for the OVC, too. I guess they no longer feel that way.

Small contributions ...

WIU is the last remaining founding member from way back of what became the Summit League. The only reason they ever discussed the OVC was football, and IMO that's gone with being surrounded in the MVFC by MoST, IllSt, SIU, NIowa and (if they get in) MurraySt. They also just hired a new HC to rebuild the program.

Southern Indiana has not discussed starting up football. They are spending/have spent $60-70 million upgrading everything else (haven't checked in a while, but they had a really impressive plan for their bball stadium).