- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,228,727
- Reaction score
- 59
Tennessee State football was picked to finish last for the second straight season in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll by the league's coaches.
The prediction came at the OVC football media day on July 17. Tennessee Martin, which finished second in 2025, was voted the favorite.
TSU is headed into its second season under coach Reggie Barlow, who replaced former Tennessee Titan, Eddie George, in 2025. The Tigers went 2-10 overall and 0-8 in the OVC in 2025. It marked the first time TSU failed to win a conference game.
TSU COACHES SIGN NO CONFIDENCE LETTER: TSU coaches sign vote of no confidence letter against AD Mikki Allen
TSU's wins came against North Carolina A&T, 24-21, and Howard, 24-7. The Tigers ended the season on a five-game losing streak.
UT Martin was 6-6 overall and 6-2 in the OVC in 2025. The Skyhawks, who received six of the eight first-place votes, have won or shared four of the past five OVC Championships (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and have won FCS playoff games in 2021 and 2024.
Tennessee Tech, which won the OVC in 2025 and earned the league's automatic FCS playoff bid, left after the 2025 season to join the Southern Conference.
Southeast Missouri picked up one first-place vote, was picked second, and Lindenwood, which had the other first-place vote, was picked third. Gardner-Webb was fourth (30), followed by Charleston Southern, Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois.
The 2026 season marks a return to the OVC identity for the football brand after going by the Big South/OVC Association the last three seasons. The OVC and Big South merged ahead of the 2023 season.
The Ohio Valley Conference football coaches predicted the league's order of finish on July 17 at the OVC football media day at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Nashville.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee State football picked to finish last in the OVC after coaches poll
Continue reading...
The prediction came at the OVC football media day on July 17. Tennessee Martin, which finished second in 2025, was voted the favorite.
TSU is headed into its second season under coach Reggie Barlow, who replaced former Tennessee Titan, Eddie George, in 2025. The Tigers went 2-10 overall and 0-8 in the OVC in 2025. It marked the first time TSU failed to win a conference game.
TSU COACHES SIGN NO CONFIDENCE LETTER: TSU coaches sign vote of no confidence letter against AD Mikki Allen
TSU's wins came against North Carolina A&T, 24-21, and Howard, 24-7. The Tigers ended the season on a five-game losing streak.
UT Martin was 6-6 overall and 6-2 in the OVC in 2025. The Skyhawks, who received six of the eight first-place votes, have won or shared four of the past five OVC Championships (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and have won FCS playoff games in 2021 and 2024.
Tennessee Tech, which won the OVC in 2025 and earned the league's automatic FCS playoff bid, left after the 2025 season to join the Southern Conference.
Southeast Missouri picked up one first-place vote, was picked second, and Lindenwood, which had the other first-place vote, was picked third. Gardner-Webb was fourth (30), followed by Charleston Southern, Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois.
The 2026 season marks a return to the OVC identity for the football brand after going by the Big South/OVC Association the last three seasons. The OVC and Big South merged ahead of the 2023 season.
OVC football preseason predictions
The Ohio Valley Conference football coaches predicted the league's order of finish on July 17 at the OVC football media day at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Nashville.
- UT Martin
- Southeast Missouri
- Lindenwood
- Gardner-Webb
- Charleston Southern
- Western Illinois
- Eastern Illinois
- Tennessee State
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee State football picked to finish last in the OVC after coaches poll
Continue reading...
