Preseason poll reveals Skyhawks as favorites
The Ohio Valley Conference released its 2026 preseason football poll on Thursday, and the results paint a clear picture of expectations. UT Martin was selected as the favorite, capturing six of the eight first‑place votes and accumulating 47 points, a margin that underscores the coaches’ confidence in the Skyhawks’ recent resurgence.
That confidence is rooted in a stretch of dominance that has seen the program claim or share four of the last five OVC championships and notch playoff victories in 2021 and 2024. Adding to the narrative, head coach Jason Simpson is entering his 21st season at the helm, a tenure that now stands on the cusp of a historic milestone — he needs just three more conference wins to climb to second place on the league’s all‑time wins list.
A familiar face leading the charge
The poll’s release coincides with a symbolic shift for the conference. After three successful years of partnership with the Big South, the OVC is reasserting its identity as the primary home for football, a move the league says reflects its ongoing evolution and commitment to providing a streamlined, unified environment for its member programs.
Looking ahead to the August kickoff
The 2026 campaign is slated to open on Thursday, August 27, with five games on the schedule, including a conference showdown in which Lindenwood will host Charleston Southern. That early test will give fans a first glimpse of how the newly aligned slate of schools will compete.
Among the eight institutions set to compete in OVC football next season are Charleston Southern University, Eastern Illinois University, Gardner‑Webb University, Lindenwood University, Southeast Missouri State University, Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee at Martin, and Western Illinois University. Each program brings a distinct story, but all share the ambition of capitalizing on the momentum generated by the preseason rankings.