BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Building upon a legacy that spans nearly 80 years and includes national championship teams, All-Americans, National Players of the Year and NFL draft picks, the Ohio Valley Conference announced today that its football-playing members will once again compete under the OVC name and logo beginning with the 2026 season.
 
The return to the OVC identity follows three successful years of partnership with the Big South Conference under the names Big South-OVC Football Association (2023, 2024) and OVC-Big South Football Association (2025). The move reflects the league's continued evolution and its commitment to providing a unified, streamlined home for its football programs.

The decision underscores both the Conference's deep heritage in the sport and its commitment to shaping a modern, future-focused identity. It also strengthens national recognition for the league and its student-athletes while reinforcing long-term stability for all eight football-playing members, including two institutions from the Big South.
 
"The return to a unified OVC football identity represents more than a rebrand—it signifies a reset, a refocus, and the start of an exciting new direction for our league," said OVC Commissioner Matt Wilson. "Over the last three seasons, our association has provided the competitive foundation we needed. Now, with the eight programs in the association aligned under one brand, we have the clarity, momentum, and shared purpose to elevate what OVC football can be for years to come."
 
"The rebranding reflects an evolution in identity, not a change in partnership," said Charleston Southern University President B. Keith Faulkner. "As a founding member of the Association, we are proud of the strong foundation established over the last three seasons and are grateful for the shared commitment shown by every institution involved. With the eight programs moving forward together under one identity, we believe this structure will strengthen our brand and elevate the experience for our student-athletes."
 
"Our partnership with the Big South remains incredibly powerful," said Dr. Jay Gatrell, President of Eastern Illinois University. "Moving forward under the OVC name simplifies our brand, strengthens our competitive edge, and builds a foundation for future growth. We deeply value the ongoing commitment of our Big South partners, and this rebranded framework unites all eight teams under a single, shared vision."
 
Throughout the offseason, the OVC will introduce updated branding elements and digital assets as part of this renewed identity initiative and to highlight a new era of OVC football. The league will also host an in-person Media Day in Nashville on July 16–17.

In February 2022, the Ohio Valley Conference and the Big South Conference announced the creation of an association of its football member institutions, which began in the 2023 football season. In creating the association, presidents from each of the multisport conferences pointed to the similarities of the OVC and the Big South, with their complementary geographies and intercollegiate athletic philosophies, as key to making this association possible.
 
Schools who will play OVC football in 2026 are Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC), Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, IL), Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, NC), Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO), Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO), Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN), University of Tennessee at Martin (Martin, TN) and Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL).