During the coming semester, APSU’s football team will play the first four games of the year against teams outside of their conference. The first four teams include University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, University of Tennessee Chattanooga and Ohio University.
Playing these teams will allow APSU to gain a little extra funding and have the opportunity to play teams outside of their normal schedule.
Brad Kirtley, who works as a sports information provider for APSU, said, “The athletics director and the head coach work in conjunction in scheduling these football games.”
Kirtley also said, “the Chattanooga game is part of a four-game series we have with them over the next four years—there are no guarantee[d] dollars involved with that contest.”
They are expected to perform on the same level as other teams .
According to last year’s Ohio Valley Conference standings, Southeastern Missouri is the only college in the conference that spent less money with their athletics budget than APSU and was able to play more competitively, as Southeastern Missouri placed third and APSU placed seventh.
The Governors play outside of their conference for a few games every year in order to gain extra funding so that they may buy equipment and other necessities that help them to stay updated and best support the athletes.
“There are eight OVC teams and you play each once,” Kirtley said. “The NCAA permits schools at our level, [Football Championship Subdivision], to play 11 games – sometimes 12 – in a season.”
According to Kirtley, the estimated total income gained from playing outside of APSU’s conference will be about $1 million , a good portion of which will go toward stadium reconstruction. APSU has set aside $6 million for renovation, some of which has come through donations.
The stadium itself will cost a total of $16.9 million and is slated to be done in stages, the first of which will begin after the last home game this November. Tim Hurst, the assistant vice president for finance, said the entire process will be quick and most of the reconstruction should be done by the first home game of next year.
The first football game of the season starts at University of Tennessee on Saturday, Aug. 31.
