Steppin' up

For the first post with any content, let's take an early look at the OVC's scheduled matchups with I-A teams, shall we?

Sept. 2 - EKU @ Cincinnati, UT-Martin @ Ohio
Sept. 9 - Samford @ Georgia Tech
Sept. 23 - Tennessee State @ Vanderbilt
Oct. 14 - Jax State @ Mississippi State, SEMO @ Arkansas

EIU, Murray & T-Tech haven't published schedules yet. JSU's schedule, for that matter, is unofficial, but has been widely circulated.

3 SEC teams, an ACC, a Big East, and a MAC squad. Looks to me about as ambitious as any conference in the country, except for perhaps JSU's old friends in the Southland. Many of those Louisiana teams are playing multiple I-As (SELA & NW State each have 3!) to shore up their budgets in Hurricane Katrina's wake.