by Thomas Corhern
Ohio Valley Conference champions. Saying those words in addition to Tennessee Tech football is still so unbelievable, even two days later.
But how unbelievable would the words "Division I national champions" sound?
That's the challenge now ahead of the team.
In this 20-team field stands the 20 best teams in the Football Championship Subdivision. Five games potentially separate the Golden Eagles from raising the OVC championship trophy to hoisting the NCAA Division I championship trophy in January at Frisco, Texas.
Tech has done so many unbelievable things this season, so how would this scenario be any different?
History has been against Tech's side all season long. Only eight wins at Eastern Kentucky in school history? Not a problem. Tech took care of business.
A Jacksonville State team that was still sore about last year's score? Meh. Tech came through in the clutch.
And the biggest one -- the 36-year gap between OVC championship. No biggie.
So once again, history is against Tech's side. The OVC has lost its last 16 appearances in the tournament. The last OVC win in the FCS playoffs came in 2000 with Western Kentucky picking up a victory.
It's not going to be easy, though.
It would be simple to dismiss Central Arkansas because they've only been a Division I team since 2006. Five years.
A lot can happen in five years.
The Bears finished second in the Southland Conference, just behind Sam Houston State and lost to them and Football Bowl Subdivision teams Louisiana Tech (in overtime) and Arkansas State. Louisiana Tech leads the Western Athletic Conference standings, while Arkansas State has clinched a share of the Sun Belt Conference title.
The Bears aren't a slouch team by any means.
But getting to host them this weekend will be a big help.
The challenge there, though, is asking people to give up part of their holiday weekend to support the team. It seems like it could be a little much to ask, but, at the same time, this doesn't happen often.
Heck, for the Golden Eagles, this is their first trip to the playoffs.
It's new territory.
Tech's already done the unbelievable this season.
Maybe they can do it again.
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