It's for sure - 2008 schedule includes Mizzou

~ Southeast Missouri State will play in Columbia on Sept. 6, 2008.

While the 2007 Southeast Missouri State football season opener is still more than two months away, athletic director Don Kaverman has already finalized the Redhawks' 2008 schedule.

And, as has been rumored for some time, it does feature the University of Missouri.

Kaverman said Wednesday that Southeast and MU will square off Sept. 6, 2008, in Columbia, Mo.

Southeast will receive $250,000 from MU. The money, after team expenses for the trip, goes to the university's general athletic department revenue.

"We've been talking to them well over a year," Kaverman said. "From a fan's standpoint, I think it's just a natural. We'd like to maybe play them every other year."

Since 2000, Division I-AA Southeast has played at least one Division I-A opponent every season in order to provide a financial boost to the university's athletic department.

This year, the Redhawks' Division I-A foe is Cincinnati, which will pay Southeast $250,000 for the season-opening game Aug. 30.

Arkansas paid Southeast a school-record $300,000 last season, and Southeast already has a signed contract to visit Cincinnati for $275,000 in 2009.

"There are limited revenue opportunities at our level. When you have an opportunity to generate $250,000 or $300,000 with one game, that's a lot of money for an athletic department like ours," Kaverman said. "Games like these, especially against Missouri, where our team can stay off an airplane and our fans can get there relatively easy, are what we're looking for from a Division I-A opponent."

Since moving up to Division I-AA in 1991, Southeast is 1-11 against Division I-A teams, the lone win coming in 2002 against Middle Tennessee State.

Southeast lost 63-7 at Arkansas last season.

Other nonconference games for Southeast in 2008 will be at home against Division II Southwest Baptist and Missouri State, and on the road against Indiana State.

The 2008 schedule will also feature the Redhawks playing all eight OVC opponents, since that is one of the years in which schools are allowed to play 12 games.

This year's 11-game schedule will feature, in addition to Cincinnati, nonconference opponents Southwest Baptist in the home opener Sept. 8, Indiana State at home Sept. 15 and Missouri State on the road Nov. 10.

The Redhawks will play only seven of nine OVC opponents this season, missing Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech. Starting in 2008, the OVC will be down to nine teams for football as Samford leaves the league.