Lindenwood’s Darrin Fugitt runs away from two Eastern Illinois defenders during last Saturday’s Big South-OVC football game at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles. (Photo courtesy: Lindenwood Athletics)

DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer

It was the first full day of Big South-OVC Football Association play last Saturday with all 10 conference teams in action. Charleston Southern, Eastern Illinois, Gardner-Webb, Robert Morris, and Tennessee-Martin picked up wins. There are now three teams with just one loss in league play with two weeks to play in the regular season.

STANDINGS

SchoolConf.Overall
UT MartinTennessee-Martin4-17-2
Gardner-WebbGardner-Webb3-15-4
Southeast MissouriSoutheast Missouri3-14-5
Eastern IllinoisEastern Illinois2-26-3
Tennessee StateTennessee State2-26-3
BryantBryant2-24-5
Charleston SouthernCharleston Southern2-24-5
Robert MorrisRobert Morris1-33-6
Tennessee TechTennessee Tech1-33-6
LindenwoodLindenwood1-43-6

EASTERN ILLINOIS 16, LINDENWOOD 10 | BOX SCORE
Eastern Illinois defense had three interceptions including one by NiJhay Burt with five seconds left in the game as the Panthers locked up their first winning season since the 2017 season with a 16-10 win at Lindenwood. Pierce Holley passed for 245 yards with Thomas, Mirza and DeAirious Smith all catching five passes for EIU as the Panthers are now 6-3 overall, 2-2 in the Big South-OVC.

ROBERT MORRIS 21, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 20 | BOX SCORE
The RMU football team picked up its first conference victory of the season, downing Southeast Missouri State 21-20 on Saturday afternoon. The Colonials improved to 3-6 overall, with a 1-3 mark in Big South-OVC play. In the 3rd quarter, SEMO took a 20-14 lead with just over eight minutes to go. The following RMU drive started at their own 22-yard line as the offense marched 78 yards on 13 plays resulting in a Colonials touchdown that put them ahead for good. RMU quarterback Anthony Chiccitt threw for 65 yards on the game-winning drive, including the scoring play which was a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chaese Jackson.

#18 UT MARTIN 44, TENNESSEE TECH 41 | BOX SCORE
Trailing by 14 points with under nine minutes to play in regulation, the University of Tennessee at Martin football squad rallied for a 44-41 overtime triumph at Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech today. The UT Martin defense shut down a potential game-winning Golden Eagles drive to send the game into overtime. The Skyhawks won the coin toss and elected to play defense first, only yielding a 47-yard field goal. Roberts, who hung tough for a nine-yard catch up the middle on 3rd-and-6 earlier in overtime, came through with another clutch play. Facing 3rd-and-7 from the Tennessee Tech 9-yard line, the junior from Perry, Fla. made another acrobatic snag – hauling in a tipped pass from a Golden Eagle defender while reaching behind him on his way down to the ground for his second score of the day.

GARDNER-WEBB 45, BRYANT 44 (OT) | BOX SCORE
Gardner-Webb stormed back in the fourth quarter to knock off Bryant 45-44 in overtime. Bryant took possession first in overtime, and Eckhaus fired an eight-yard pass to Konor Lathrop to give Bryant a 44-38 lead. The Bulldogs elected to go for two, and McRainey knocked down the pass to keep it a six-point game. On the first play of Gardner-Webb’s possession, Jayden Brown rushed up the middle 21 yards to get the Runnin’ Bulldogs down to the three-yard line. English found AJ Johnson in the endzone to tie the game, and Billingsley’s extra point gave Gardner-Webb the 45-44 victory.

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 35, TENNESSEE STATE 21 | BOX SCORE
Charleston Southern scored the final 14 points to knock off Tennessee State on Saturday, snapping a two-game losing streak. TJ Ruff scored a pair of touchdowns including a 25-yarder with 2:16 to play to ice the game.

Week 12 – Big South OVC Football Schedule – Saturday, November 11, 2023

AwayHomeTimeLocationLinks
Charleston SouthernCharleston SouthernRobert MorrisRobert Morris11:00 A.M. Moon Township, Pa. (Conf.)TV: ESPN+ Stats
Tennessee StateTennessee StateEastern Illinois Eastern Illinois12:00 P.M. Charleston, Ill. (Conf.)TV: ESPN+ Stats
BryantBryantLindenwoodLindenwood1:00 P.M. St. Charles, Mo. (Conf.)TV: ESPN+ Stats
Gardner-WebbGardner-WebbTennessee TechTennessee Tech1:30 P.M. Cookeville, Tenn. (Conf.)TV: ESPN+ Stats
Southeast MissouriSoutheast MissouriUT MartinTennessee-Martin2:00 P.M.Martin, Tenn. (Conf.)TV: ESPN+ Stats