Indians cash in on Div. I-A opponents

For the fourth straight year, Southeast Missouri State University's athletic department will cash in through its football team hitting the road to play NCAA Division I-A competition.

Southeast played one Division I-A team in each of coach Tim Billings' first two years with the program and last season faced two I-A squads.

This year the I-AA Indians will again take on two teams from football's highest division, beginning Thursday when they visit Ohio University. On Sept. 13, Southeast plays at Arkansas State.

Ohio will pay Southeast $110,000 while Arkansas State is paying out $75,000. The $185,000, minus travel expenses, goes into general athletic department revenue to support overall department operations.

"It's become a necessity, from a budget standpoint, to generate revenue in this fashion," Southeast athletic director Don Kaverman said. "The reality we find ourselves in, we have to go out and play games for money."

Southeast's men's basketball team generally plays two "money" games annually -- this season trips to Arkansas and DePaul will bring in about $90,000 minus expenses -- but football has the capacity to generate the most revenue in that area.

"It's something that's really a help to our athletic department," Kaverman said. "Most of the other Ohio Valley Conference schools do the same thing."

Last year, Eastern Michigan paid Southeast $125,000 and needed a late touchdown to survive 35-32 while Middle Tennessee State paid out $60,000 -- and the Indians came away with a 24-14 upset victory.

In 2001, Eastern Michigan paid Southeast $100,000 and also needed a late touchdown to prevail 16-12. In 2000, Billings' first season at Southeast, powerhouse Marshall paid out $120,000 and pounded the Indians 63-7.

According to Kaverman, Southeast's scheduling plans include at least one I-A opponent annually, but Kaverman said playing two I-A games will only happen in years when Southeast has a 12-game schedule, as was the case last season and is again this year. Most college football teams are allowed to play 12 games only in years when there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date in August to the last playing date in November.

Next season, the Indians have an 11-game schedule, so only one I-A squad will be included, although that opponent has not yet been determined. Southeast will play I-A Kent in 2005.

Billings said he doesn't mind helping out the athletic department financially but ideally would prefer to never play more than one I-A team per season.

"I don't mind it. We want to do all we can to help the university," Billings said. "But I would just like to get one game against a higher quality I-A program that's close by and would pay as much or more as playing two of those games."

Kaverman said the school will in the future try to schedule games against teams from high-profile conferences that would likely pay out $200,000 or more.

"We'll look into it, if we can get a real good windfall by doing that," Kaverman said.

Playing I-A teams like the Indians have the last two years and will face this season affords upset possibilities that would virtually be impossible against programs from major conferences, which is something Kaverman likes. Ohio, 4-8 last year, and Arkansas State (6-7) are both ranked toward the bottom among the nation's 117 Division I-A squads.

"We schedule these games in such a way that, even though we schedule them for money, we still have a chance to win," Kaverman said. "We showed that last year when we went to Middle Tennessee, beat them and collected the check. And we should have beaten Eastern Michigan the last two years."

Still, Billings knows that in most cases, playing a I-A opponent guarantees a loss -- that's why those are commonly referred to as "guarantee" games.

"I feel we can compete with those teams, and we're going to try and win," Billings said. "But realistically...the OVC has had one win over a I-A team since 1995 and that was ours last year. That pretty well tells the story."

Two other OVC teams are playing a pair of I-A opponents this year: Eastern Kentucky (Bowling Green, Central Michigan) and Tennessee Tech (Memphis, Northern Illinois).

Facing one I-A squad are Eastern Illinois (Missouri); Jacksonville State (Kansas); Murray State (Kentucky); Samford (San Diego State); and Tennessee-Martin (Arkansas State).

Only Tennessee State among the nine-team OVC does not have a I-A game this season.

Tomco on Payton list

Southeast quarterback Jack Tomco has been announced by The Sports Network as one of the initial 16 candidates for the Walter Payton Award, which is given annually to the top player in I-AA football.

Tomco established nine Southeast records last season when he passed for 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Still, Billings has not said for certain that Tomco will start the season opener. He is competing with Jeromy McDowell and junior-college transfer Andrew Goodenough. Billings said he will announce his starter on game day.

"All three of our quarterbacks have had a great fall camp and our other starters on offense don't seem to know who is in at a given time," Billings said.

Among the other candidates for the Payton Award are running backs Muhammad Abdulqaadir of Southern Illinois and Andre Raymond of Eastern Illinois.

The list of the 16 finalists for the Payton Award can change on a weekly basis depending on injuries and performances by eligible players.