The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's
cost-containment measures kick into another gear in football in
2011 when each conference team is forced to schedule one WIAC
opponent twice.
This week alone, WIAC teams are scheduled to play teams from South
Dakota, Texas, Ohio, among more local opponents, with games against
teams from Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky yet to come this season.
Games have already been played against teams from Oregon, Tennessee
and Michigan, contests which were home games but have been played
on the road in the past or will be in the future.
Although the cost-containment plan covers sports conference-wide,
football is singled out for extra attention because of the number
of student-athletes on the roster as well as the difficulties WIAC
schools have faced in finding non-conference opponents willing to
schedule them.
"While showing some signs of improvement, the economy has not
experienced a sustainable period of recovery and growth resulting
in a great deal of uncertainty with respect to the impact the
current economic conditions may have on the next biennial state
budget. Consequently, we are left with little choice but to
continue to impose the restrictions as outlined in the plan through
the upcoming academic year," said WIAC Commissioner Gary
Karner.
Joel Badzinski of The La Crosse Tribune is reporting the
2011 rematch pairings are as follows:
UW-Eau Claire vs. UW-River Falls
UW-La Crosse vs. UW-Whitewater
UW-Oshkosh vs. UW-Stout
UW-Platteville vs. UW-Stevens Point
One of the two meetings between each of these teams in 2011 will
count in the conference standings, while the other will be a
non-conference game.
WIAC rematch pairings announced
Sep 10, 2010