OAC and HCAC announce crossover football scheduling agreement for 2025
The Heartland Collegiate and Ohio Athletic Conferences have announced a crossover football scheduling agreement for the 2025 season. This alliance will see members of both conferences fill mid- and late-season scheduling vacancies with opponents from the other league.
"The OAC football coaches are excited about the 2025 scheduling alliance and about the potential for similar arrangements in future years," said OAC Commissioner, Sarah Otey. "Between this agreement and the recent announcement of the Opendorse Bowl Series, which also includes these two conferences, I am enthusiastic about the future of OAC football and about the possibilities all OAC sports from this and future regional partnerships."
This scheduling alliance allows each conference to avoid that late season byes that would typically be necessary in conferences with an odd number of football-playing institutions. The opportunity for creative scheduling across the two leagues provides short-term regional membership stability and presents an opportunity for further dialogue between the two historic conferences as they consider how to enhance the student-athlete experience in each league.
Jay Jones, Commissioner of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference added, "While this 2025 football scheduling opportunity gives us a clean solution to a short-term issue, it also provides both leagues a chance to work towards a strategic future that serves our student-athletes in a positive way. While nothing is determined beyond 2025, I am excited about the matchups on the gridiron, and I am excited that we have a chance for more dialogue."
Ohio Athletic Conference football-playing institutions include Baldwin Wallace University, Capital University, Heidelberg University, Marietta College, University of Mount Union, Muskingum University, Ohio Northern University, Otterbein University and Wilmington College.
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football-playing institutions include Anderson University (Indiana), Bluffton University (Ohio), Franklin College (Indiana), Hanover College (Indiana), Manchester University (Indiana), Mount St. Joseph University (Ohio) and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, Ind.).
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