BOILING SPRINGS — In the 2024 Big South-OVC Football Association preseason poll, UT Martin emerges as the favorite with five first-place votes and 61 points. Having won or shared three consecutive conference championships, the Skyhawks are positioned at the top. Gardner-Webb, last year's co-champion, follows closely behind in fifth place with 40 points. The season kicks off with Southeast Missouri facing North Alabama in the FCS Kickoff Classic on August 24, with other teams like Eastern Illinois and Gardner-Webb starting their campaigns shortly after. The competition promises to be intense, culminating in an eight-game round-robin schedule and an automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs for the Association champion.
Players to Watch
Quarterback
Zolten Osborne (So.), Charleston Southern
Pierce Holley (Grad.), Eastern Illinois
Ren Hefley (Grad.), Gardner-Webb
Paxton DeLaurent (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Draylen Ellis (Grad.), Tennessee State
Dylan Laible (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Kinkead Dent (Grad), UT Martin
Nate Lamb (Sr.), Western Illinois
Running Back
Autavius Ison (So.), Charleston Southern
MJ Flowers (So.), Eastern Illinois
Carson Gresock (So.), Gardner-Webb
Robert Giaimo (Jr.), Lindenwood
Jordan Gant (R-So.), Tennessee State
Obie Sanni (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin
Torrance Famer Jr. (Sr.), Western Illinois
Wide Receiver
Noah Jennings (So.), Charleston Southern
Eli Mirza (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Jordan Bly (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Jeff Caldwell (Jr.), Lindenwood
Jalal Dean (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
DeVonte Tanksley (Grad.), UT Martin
Demari Davis (Jr.), Western Illinois
Tight End
Landon Sauers (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Anthony Manaves (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Cole Schnieder (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Danny Joiner (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
Jason Hoath Jr. (So.), Tennessee State
Hunter Barnhart (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Brandon Lanier (Jr.), Western Illinois
Offensive Line
Ronnie Hayes II (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Sebastian Pares (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
CJ Dawson (So.), Gardner-Webb
Ethan Johnson (Jr.), Lindenwood
Zack Gieg (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Connor Meadows (R-So.), Tennessee State
Logan Weedman (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Drake Carroll (Grad.), UT Martin
Isaiah Foote (Jr.), Western Illinois
All-Purpose
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Edward Sayeed (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Kyron Cumby (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin
Placekicker
Jay Billingsley (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
DC Pippin (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
James Lowery (R-Sr.), Tennessee State
Hayden Olsen (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Christiaan Masucci (Grad.), Western Illinois
Defensive Line
Joshua Hill (Sr.), Charleston Southern
Joel Barrows (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Ayden Bell (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Kobe McClendon (Jr.), Lindenwood
Steven Lewis (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Eriq George (So.), Tennessee State
Daniel Rickert (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Charles Perkins (So.), UT Martin
Tre Henry (Sr.), Western Illinois
Linebacker
Tylan Hollis (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Elijawah Tolbert (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Trevor Moffitt (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Ethan Stuhlsatz (Jr.), Lindenwood
Bryce Norman (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Ahmad Nelson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Aaron Swafford (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Jaylon Sharpe (Grad.), UT Martin
Juan DelaCruz (Sr.), Western Illinois
Defensive Back
Trayson Fowler (Grad.), Charleston Southern
Kaleb Lyons (Jr.), Eastern Illinois
Raequan Ousley (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Joedrick Lewis (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Jalen McClendon (R-Jr.), Tennessee State
Tim Coutras (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Oshae Baker (Sr.), UT Martin
Willie Jones (So.), Western Illinois
Punter
Nick Bigelow (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Jacob Horvath (So.), Eastern Illinois
Jackson Foster (Sr.), Tennessee State
Spencer Ashby (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Jared Campbell (Sr.), Western Illinois
Kick Return Specialist
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Mark Aitken (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Anthony Lowe (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin
Punt Return Specialist
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Jordan Bly (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Oshae Baker (Sr.), UT Martin
Long Snapper
Noah Summers (R-So.) Charleston Southern
Jack Valente (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Jamie Wilson (R-Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Carson Buchanan (Sr.), Tennessee State
Turner McLaughlin (Fr.), Tennessee Tech
Colton Peoples (Jr.), UT Martin
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