No. 6 Tennessee Tech Hosts UT Martin on Senior Day, Looking for Outright OVC-Big South Title
No. 6 Tennessee Tech (10-1, 7-0) hosts UT Martin (6-5, 6-1), looking to win the OVC-Big South Title outright for the first time since 1975, on Senior Day. The program will celebrate its seniors during its final regular-season game at Tucker Stadium at 12 p.m. CT Saturday.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
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7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
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0 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
Team Stats
UT Martin
| Game Statistics | UT Martin | Tennessee Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 155 | 270 |
| Rushing Yards | 97 | 76 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of Poss. | 34:42 | 25:18 |
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – No. 6 Tennessee Tech (10-1, 7-0) hosts UT Martin (6-5, 6-1), looking to win the OVC-Big South Title outright for the first time since 1975. The program will celebrate its seniors before its final regular-season game at Tucker Stadium at 12 p.m. CT Saturday.
The Golden Eagles are the first team in the OVC-Big South to start 7-0 in Association games during the league's existence. Tennessee Tech began the season 10-0 for the first time in program history, before dropping a contest on the road against Kentucky last week. TTU has a 15-game winning streak against non-FBS foes dating back to last season. Tech leads the all-time series against UT Martin 23-21-2 dating back to the first matchup in 1926. TTU has a chance to clinch an outright OVC-Big South Championship for the first time, with a win over UT Martin on Senior Day.
The Golden Eagles are the first team in OVC-Big South Association history to achieve seven conference wins, as the squad is 7-0 in conference play for the first time.
The Golden Eagles are seeking their second consecutive win over UT Martin on Saturday, and a victory would secure the first-ever 8-0 conference season in Association history. Tech has scored in 33 of 44 quarters, with the following by-quarter scoring breakdown: 118-41 (1st); 144-68 (2nd); 101-37 (3rd); 99-42 (4th).
Tennessee Tech is second in FCS in scoring offense (42.0 points per game) and fourth in rushing defense (74.2 yards allowed). Since the 2023 season, Tennessee Tech is 7-3 in November regular-season games. Included in this timeframe is one loss to UT Martin, as well as last week's defeat at FBS Kentucky.
Tennessee Tech vs. UT Martin | Game Notes
QB Kekoa Visperas is tied for ninth in FCS with 23 touchdown passes this season, the most in a single season in program history. The offensive line has been outstanding in protection, surrendering 17 sacks, which is the lowest in the conference.
The Golden Eagles have been strong defensively, leading the OVC-Big South in sacks (40), interceptions (10), and fifth in the conference in fumbles recovered (6). Tech is third in the nation in rush defense, allowing just 74.2 yards per game on the ground.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Matchup: No. 6 Tennessee Tech (10-1, 7-0) vs. UT Martin (6-5, 6-1)
Date & Time: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 12 p.m. CT
Venue: Tucker Stadium
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Live Video ($): ESPN+ | Dylan Vazzano (PxP) and Sam Brooks (Analyst)
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle | Noah McKay (PxP), Justin Matheney (Analyst), and Jacob Vinson (Sideline)
BY THE NUMBERS
- 2nd – No. 2 scoring offense in the nation (42.0)
- 3rd – No. 4 rushing defense in the nation (74.2 ypg)
- 8th – No. 8 total defense in the nation, allowing 296.3 yards per game.
- 5th – Stats Perform Top 25 rankings are the highest in FCS/DI AA program history.
- 7-0 – Tech is the first team to start conference play 7-0 in OVC-Big South existence.
- 7th – Picked 7th in the second FCS Playoff Committee Rankings (11/5).
- 9th – No. 9 rushing offense in the nation, averaging 212.5 yards per game.
- 10 - This is the second 10-win season in program history (2025, 1952)
- 60 – Scored more than 60 points in three games this season (65, 72, 66)
- 72 – Points scored against Davidson marks the most points scored by Tech in the modern era (since 1928).
SERIES HISTORY: This is the 47th all-time meeting between Tennessee Tech and UT Martin, dating back to 1926. Tech holds a slim lead in the series 23-21-2 and is looking to win its second consecutive game over UT Martin. This is a battle for the Sergeant York trophy, which UT Martin has won 11 times. Tennessee Tech has won at least a share of the trophy five times dating back to its debut season in 2007. Tech is 1-0 in the series with a victory over Tennessee State (W, 35-8) back on Sept 27. UT Martin also earned a victory over Tennessee State on Nov. 8 (W, 26-7) to move to 1-0 in the trophy standings. This matchup will decide whether Tech wins the OVC-Big South Association outright for the first time since 1975 or shares the title in back-to-back seasons and three times since 2011.
LAST GAME: No. 5 Tennessee Tech took a step out of FCS play and dropped a result at Kentucky 42-10 Saturday. The Golden Eagles (10-1, 7-0) played a physical brand of football against SEC and FBS foe Kentucky (5-5, 2-5) for only the second time in program history, falling 42-10 on Saturday. Tech's 15-game winning streak is snapped; it was the longest in program history. TTU is still undefeated over its last 15 games against non-FBS opponents. Quarterback Kekoa Visperas completed 13-of-21 pass attempts for 112 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Visperas also led the Golden Eagles in rushing with 44 yards on six carries, averaging 7.3 yards per carry and a long of 21 yards. Wide Receiver Maury Sullivan had an impressive game, reeling in six catches for 63 yards, including a highlight reel grab on the sidelines when he toe-tapped his way in-bounds. Tight End Brian Courtney reeled in the Golden Eagles' only TD reception and finished with two catches for 20 yards with that one touchdown. The Golden Eagles rushed for 143 yards and passed for 121 yards for 264 total yards and one TD, averaging 4.3 yards per play. Tech's offensive line allowed only one sack and gave the offense time to march down the field on multiple occasions. Tech averaged 8.6 yards per pass completion and gained 15 first downs. Kentucky outgained TTU 468 to 264 in total offense, with 207 on the ground and 261 through the air. Defensively, linebacker Theron Gaines and Aaron Swafford tied for the team lead with seven tackles; Jalin Shephard and Greg Turner III tied for second with six tackles. The defense made one sack. It marks the first loss in 15 games for the Golden Eagles, dating back to last season, and drops the team to 10-1 on the year with a big matchup against UT Martin (6-5, 6-1) at home, which could decide whether Tech will take home the outright OVC-Big South Title or share it with the Skyhawks.
SENIOR DAY: The Golden Eagles will be celebrating Torin Baker (RB), Gavin Bryson (DB), Tim Coutras (DB), Brian Courtney (TE), Alex Delk (OL), Wes Delk (OL), Theron Gaines (LB), Gabriel Hecht (OL), Tre' Holloway (WR), Chima Iwuagwu (DL), Q'Daryius Jennings (RB), Tremel Jones (WR), Isaac Knowles (WR), Maurice LaPierre (DL), Jeremy Mendez (DL), Ty Moss (DB), Chinonso Opara (OL), Griffin Patterson (TE), Quintell Quinn (RB), Jalin Shephard (DB), Nason Simmons (OL), Andrew Smith (DB), Aaron Swafford (LB), Christian Thomas (OL), Kekoa Visperas (QB), Wyatt Watson (WR), Logan Weedman (OL), Jace Wilson (QB), Stefon Young-Rolle (DL), Tyler Wagner (OL), and Richard Bryant (WR).
LOOKING TO WIN THE OVC-BIG SOUTH: The Golden Eagles are looking to win the OVC-Big South Association outright title for the first time since 1975. Tech has clinched at least a share of the conference crown with Saturday's opponent UT Martin. TTU is looking for its second straight win in the series after taking last year's contest 10-9 on the road. The Golden Eagles can clinch the Sergeant York Trophy for the second straight year with a win over UT Martin. With the Sergeant York Trophy being created by OVC, this could be the final winner in the all-time series.
LEADERS OF THE OVC: Below is a list of OVC-Big South Association leaders in key statistical categories for Tennessee Tech.
OVC-Big South Passing Yards Leaders (Top 5)
Pos. Player Yards Team
1 Nate Glantz 2,463 Lindenwood
2 Kekoa Visperas 2,216 Tennessee Tech
3 Zolten Osborne 2,071 Charleston Southern
4 Jax Leatherwood 1,969 Southeast Missouri
OVC-Big South Scoring Leaders
Pos Player Points Team
1 Dom LeBlanc 82 Tennessee Tech
2 Carson Gresock 78 Gardner-Webb
3 Charles Viorel 78 Gardner-Webb
4 Justin Keller 71 Southeast Missouri
5 Cade Hechter 67 UT Martin
OVC-Big South Total Offense Leaders (Top 5)
Pos Player Yards Team
1 Nate Glantz 2,463 Lindenwood
2 Kekoa Visperas 2,216 Tennessee Tech
3 Jase Bauer 2,310 UT Martin
4 Zolten Osborne 2,057 Charleston Southern
OVC-Big South All-Purpose Yards Leaders (Top 5)
Pos Player Yards (Avg.) Team
1 Markell Holman 1,222 Western Illinois
2 Anthony Lowe 1,205 Gardner-Webb
3 Quasean Holmes 1,167 Gardner-Webb
4 Cole Ruble 829 Southeast Missouri
5 Tre' Holloway 822 Tennessee Tech
FCS PLAYOFF SELECTION COMMITTEE RANKINGS: The 2025 FCS playoffs will be here in no time, with just 18 days until the postseason bracket is revealed. It's time for a look at how the Division I Football Championship Committee has evaluated the action so far as it reveals its second in-season top-10 rankings. The rankings were announced shortly after 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 5, on ESPN2's "College Football Live" broadcast. The committee used results of games played through Nov. 1, and these in-season rankings serve as a snapshot as to where the committee has teams ranked heading into the final three weeks of the regular season. The committee's top-10 rankings give insight into which teams are in contention for the first round byes given to the eight seeded teams in the FCS playoff bracket. Like last year, teams are seeded Nos. 9-16 will also be seeded, increasing the importance of the last two teams ranked in the committee's rankings. Click or tap here for more on this year's FCS Championship.
Here are the top 10 rankings below, along with a breakdown of each team.
Rank School Record (As of 11/1/25)
1 North Dakota 9-0
2 Montana State 7-2
3 Montana 9-0
4 Lehigh 9-0
5 Tarleton State 9-1
6 South Dakota State 7-2
7 Tennessee Tech 9-0
8 Monmouth 8-1
9 Harvard 7-0
10 UC Davis 6-2
GOLDEN MILESTONES: Tech had its longest winning streak in program history (15 games) snapped at the hands of Kentucky last Saturday. It was the longest active winning streak in football, leading to national rankings for the program. TTU enters Saturday's game ranked No. 6 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and No. 8 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
Program Rankings All-Time
College Division Era (1958-1974)
1960: UPI (10/6, No. 14; 10/27, No. 20; 11/17, No. 19)
1963: UPI (10/2, No. 13; 10/9, No. 11)
1971: AP (9/22, No. 20) UPI (11/3, No. 19)
1972: UPI (Preseason, No. 21; 9/13, No. 11; 9/27, No. 18; 10/25, No. 16; 11/1, No. 11; 11/8, No. 8; 11/15, No. 8; 11/22, No. 8
Division II Era (1975-1977)
1976: AP (10/20, No. 9; 10/27, No. 6)
1977: AP (9/21, No. 10; 9/28, No. 7; 10/5, No. 11; 10/12, No. 9; 10/19, No. 7; 10/26, No. 6; 11/2, T-No. 3; 11/9, No. 7)
Division I-AA (1978-2005)
1990: 1-AA (10/16, No. 18; 10/23, No. 18)
1993: 1-AA (11/17, No. 24; 11/24, No. 22; 12/1, No. 22)
1994: TSN (Preseason, No. 18; 9/7, No. 16; 9/14, No. 18; 9/21, No. 16; 9/28, No. 11; 10/5, No. 20)
1999: TSN (10/26, No. 23)
2000: TSN (11/14, No. 24; 11/21, No. 22; Final, No. 22)
2001: TSN (11/20, No. 23; 11/27, No. 23; Final, No. 23)
Football Championship Subdivision (2006-present)
2011: TSN (10/3, No. 23; 10/10, No. 19; 10/24, No. 25; 10/31, No. 20; 11/14, No. 23) | FCS Coaches (10/3, No. 23; 10/10, No. 19; 10/17, No. 23; 10/24, No. 19; 10/31, No. 15; 11/7, No. 20; 11/14, No. 21; 11/21, No. 20) 2020-21 | STATS Perform (2/22, No. 23)
2025: Stats Perform (9/6; No. 17, 9/13; No. 15; 9/27; No. 13, 10/6; No. 10, 10/13; No. 8, 10/18; No. 9; 10/25, No. 9; 11/3, No. 5; 11/8, No. 5) | AFCA Coaches Poll (9/6; No. 20, 9/13; No. 16, 9/27; No. 11, 10/6; No. 7, 10/13; No. 8, 10/18; No. 8; 10/25; No. 8; 11/3, No. 5; 11/8, No. 6) | FCS Playoff Committee (10/15; No. 10); (11/5; No. 7)
SCOARING EAGLES: The Tennessee Tech offense has scored more points than any team in program history through 10 games (452 points). The Golden Eagles have scored over 60 points three times in five games played this season, and 35-plus points in seven of 10 games played.
Scoring Offense National Leaders (Top 5)
Rk Team PPG
1 Tarleton State 45.2
2 Montana 42.0
Tennessee Tech 42.0
4 Mercer 41.7
5 Monmouth 41.5
THE SERGEANT YORK TROPHY: The Golden Eagles began 1-0 in this year's Sr. York Trophy series with a 35-8 win over Tennessee State (9/27). This year marks the 19th year of the Sgt. York Championship presented by Delta Dental of Tennessee. The trophy (founded in 2007 by the Nashville Sports Council and OVC) goes to the winner of the season football series between the three OVC football-playing schools located in the state of Tennessee (Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, and UT Martin). The award is only the second traveling trophy that involves more than two teams in college sports; the other is the Commander in Chief's Trophy, which has been contested between Air Force, Army, and Navy annually since 1972. The award is named in honor of Alvin C. York, the most noted Soldier of World War I. As a corporal in the 2nd battalion, 328th Infantry, in the Battle of the Meuse River-Argonne (Oct. 8, 1918), York and seven other soldiers captured 132 prisoners, was promoted to sergeant and received the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Croix de Guerre, the French Legion of Honor, the Croce di Guerra of Italy and the War Medal of Montenegro. Upon his return to the United States in 1919, he was bestowed the Congressional Medal of Honor. The trophy goes to the team with the best record against the other schools (in case of a tie there will be co-champions and the actual trophy will be retained by the defending champion if they are involved in the tie or if the defending champion is not involved in the tie it will go to the institution that has gone the most seasons without winning the trophy).
THE SERGEANT YORK TROPHY WINNERS
2007 - Tennessee State*, Austin Peay
2008 - Tennessee State
2009 - Tennessee Tech
2010 - UT Martin
2011 - Tennessee State*, Tennessee Tech
2012 - Tennessee State*, UT Martin
2013 - Tennessee State
2014 - UT Martin
2015 - UT Martin
2016 - UT Martin*, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State
2017 - Austin Peay
2018 - Austin Peay*, Tennessee State, UT Martin
2019 - Austin Peay*, Tennessee State, UT Martin
2020-21 - Tennessee Tech*, UT Martin
2021 - UT Martin 2022 - UT Martin
2023 - UT Martin
2024 - Tennessee Tech *Took home the trophy due to winning the tiebreaker
OVC-BIG SOUTH PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Tennessee Tech has earned six OVC-Big South Player of the Week honors, with Kekoa Visperas taking home Offensive Player of the Week in Week 3 and Week 6 and most recently, linebacker Theron Gaines made a season high 11 tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the 21-9 win over Eastern Illinois to secure back-to-back Defensive Player of the Week honors for Tech.
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Tennessee Tech's OVC-Big South Players of the Week |
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Week |
Player |
Honor |
Date & Opponent |
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1 |
Special Teams Player of the Week |
8/30 vs. Cumberland |
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2 |
Defensive Player of the Week |
9/6 vs. Chattanooga |
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3 |
Offensive Player of the Week |
9/13 vs. Davidson |
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6 |
Offensive Player of the Week |
10/4 vs. Western Illinois |
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10 11 |
Co-Defensive Player of the Week Defensive Player of the Week |
11/1 vs. Gardner-Webb 11/8 at Eastern Illinois |
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POINT SCORERS: Tech has scored more than 40 points five times this season, with a high of 72 against Davidson. That production has led to the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation (47.9 ppg).
Points Opponents Date Game
72 Davidson Sept. 13 3
66 Western Illinois Oct. 4 5
65 Cumberland Aug. 30 1
45 Chattanooga Sept. 6 2
42 SEMO Oct. 25 8
2024 vs. 2025: The Golden Eagles have taken a large step forward in major statistical categories from 2024 to 2025.
|
Category |
2024 |
vs. |
2025 |
|
Total Offense |
87th (327.5) |
|
19th (433.9) |
|
Rushing Offense |
41st (165.3) |
|
9th (212.5) |
|
Passing Offense |
103rd (162.3) |
|
48th (221.4) |
|
Scoring Offense |
70th (24.0) |
|
t-2nd (42.0) |
|
Total Defense |
30th (330.4) |
|
8th (296.3) |
|
Scoring Defense |
26th (21.8) |
|
15th (17.7) |
|
Rush Defense |
2nd (82.9) |
|
4th (74.2) |
|
Pass Defense |
105th (247.5) |
|
71st (222.1) |
|
Red Zone Offense |
39th (84.8) |
|
19th (89.4) |
|
Red Zone Defense |
t-55th (81.3) |
|
66th (82.8) |
AIR RAID: QB Kekoa Visperas has thrown 23 touchdown passes, which is tied for the 9th-most touchdown passes in the nation at the FCS level, a mark that is first in program history during a single season. Vispera threw one touchdown pass against Kentucky, further extending his lead in the program's single-season touchdown passes record.
Single Season Program Pass TD Standings
TD Name Year
23 Kekoa Visperas 2025
21 Bailey Fisher 2019
19 Grant Swallows 2001
19 Jeremiah Oatsvall 2022
18 Mike Jones 1993
Michael Birdsong 2016
Tre Lamb 2012
Tre Lamb 2011
Lee Sweeney 2006
Passing TD National Leaders (Top 10)
Rank Name TD Team
1 Taron Dickens 35 Western Carolina
2 Braden Atkinson 33 Mercer
3 Eddie Lee Marburger 29 UTRGV
4 Tommy Rittenhouse 28 Illinois State
5 Derek Robertson 27 Monmouth
6 Keali'i Ah Yat 24 Montana
Collin Hurst 24 Presbyterian
Tyler Riddell 24 Duquesne
9 Jerry Kraminski 23 North Dakota
Kekoa Visperas 23 Tennessee Tech
