Schedule filled with challenges

If its recently released schedule is any indicator, Southeast Missouri State University's football team figures to face quite a challenge this season.

The Indians play only four of their 11 games at home, and they face a pair of Division I-A opponents along with I-AA playoff participant Southern Illinois in the first three weeks before beginning their eight-game Ohio Valley Conference schedule.

Southeast opens the season with three straight non-conference road games, including a Thursday night matchup with Southern Illinois on Sept. 2. The Indians follow with games at I-A Bowling Green and Central Michigan, both members of the Mid-American Conference.

Southern Illinois had one of its best seasons in school history last year at 10-2. Bowling Green was 11-3, beat Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl and ended up 23rd in both major national polls. Central Michigan was 3-9.

The Indians' first home game will be their OVC opener against Samford on Sept. 25, which will be part of family weekend. Other home contests are against Eastern Kentucky (Hall of Fame game) on Oct. 16, Tennessee-Martin (homecoming) on Oct. 30 and Tennessee Tech on Nov. 13.

"Our non-conference schedule has to be the toughest in school history," Southeast coach Tim Billings said. "We have our work cut out for us, but our players always look forward to playing against I-A teams and we have a great rivalry with SIU.

"We have only four home games but all should be great contests."