Robert Morris football hopes to receive big boost after Big South/Ohio Valley merger

Robert Morris football hopes to take a step forward in prestige, recruiting and championship possibilities after the Big South Conference, where it has been a member for nearly two years, announced an alliance with the Ohio Valley Conference.

The merger of the FCS conferences will begin with the 2023 NCAA Division I season.

The conferences said in a news release Tuesday that the agreement will “ensure access to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs.”

Football-playing schools will have games against all teams in their multi-sport conference and additional contests against schools from the other conference. Details of the structure and administration of the alliance are expected to be finalized, along with a schedule for the 2023 season, later this year. Robert Morris (4-6, 3-4) finished in a four-way tie for third place in the Big South last year, its first full season in the conference.

“Today’s announcement regarding the association of the football institutions of the Big South and the Ohio Valley Conference solidifies the ability for our student-athletes to compete for championships and access to the NCAA FCS Playoffs,” RMU athletic director Chris King said in a statement. “In today’s changing landscape across college athletics, I want to thank both the Big South and the OVC for the forward thinking to allow student-athletes from both conferences that opportunity. The alliance of these two conferences will continue to enhance recruiting as well as a focus on football excellence.”

“The merging of the Big South and Ohio Valley Conference is exciting for college football,” RMU football coach Bernard Clark Jr. said. “It provides our program with more opportunities to play high-quality teams as well as begin new rivalries. It’s also another step forward as we continue to build this program.”

Campbell University President J. Bradley Creed said the move has unanimous support of the CEOs of the football schools in the Big South.

“We look forward to enlarging and enlivening the field of competition for our teams,” he said.