A New Era for OVC Football
The Ohio Valley Conference announced that its eight football members will compete under the OVC name and logo starting with the 2026 season, concluding a three‑year collaboration with the Big South Conference that had been known as the Big South‑OVC Football Association (2023, 2024) and OVC‑Big South Football Association (2025).
Commissioner Matt Wilson said the move represents a reset, a refocus and a new direction for the league, emphasizing that a unified identity will strengthen national recognition and provide long‑term stability for the member institutions.
Charleston Southern University President B. Keith Faulkner described the rebranding as an evolution of the conference’s identity rather than a change in partnership, while Dr. Jay Gatrell, president of Eastern Illinois University, noted that operating under the OVC name simplifies the brand and enhances the league’s competitive edge.
As part of the initiative, the OVC will roll out updated branding elements and digital assets, and it will host an in‑person Media Day in Nashville on July 16‑17, giving stakeholders a first look at the new visual direction.
The eight institutions set to compete under the OVC banner in 2026 are Charleston Southern University, Eastern Illinois University, Gardner‑Webb University, Lindenwood University, Southeast Missouri State University, Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee at Martin and Western Illinois University, each poised to benefit from the renewed focus on heritage and future growth.