The conference Gardner-Webb competes in will have a new look in 2026, though little is changing on the field aside from logos and branding (and the reigning champ having left for the SoCon).
The eight-team football alliance between the Ohio Valley Conference and Big South Conference will now operate under the “Ohio Valley Conference” (OVC) name and logo. The partnership remains intact through 2030, but with six OVC schools and only two Big South members, league officials said a unified OVC identity better reflects the conference’s current makeup.
The football partnership began in 2023 as the Big South/OVC Football Association. Then the name changed to OVC/Big South. Starting this season, the Big South name and branding will disappear altogether.
“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,” OVC commissioner Matt Wilson said in a release. “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.”
Here is the OVC lineup for 2026:
- Charleston Southern (Big South)
- Eastern Illinois (OVC)
- Gardner-Webb (Big South)
- Lindenwood (OVC)
- Southeast Missouri State (OVC)
- Tennessee State (OVC)
- UT-Martin (OVC)
- Western Illinois (OVC)
Gardner-Webb has quietly been one of the league’s most successful programs since the partnership began.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs own a 13-9 conference record over the past three years, second only to UT Martin (17-5) among current members. The Bulldogs captured a share of the 2023 championship and advanced to the FCS playoffs as the association’s representative.
Last year’s football champion, Tennessee Tech, left the conference to join the Southern Conference for 2026.
The Big South began offering football in 2002. Notable former members include current FBS teams Liberty and Coastal Carolina as well as Elon, Campbell, Davidson and North Carolina A&T from our state.
The conference had as many as nine football playing schools at its height. Campbell, A&T and Hampton left for the CAA after the 2022 season, leaving the Big South without enough football-playing schools to earn an automatic berth into the FCS playoffs.
Why it matters: Nothing changes for Gardner-Webb’s schedule or playoff access in 2026, but the move is another sign of how conference realignment continues to reshape the FCS landscape.
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