Omaha Athletics

The University of Nebraska at Omaha will play four conference home games as part of its first season in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2008. The Mavericks will host Northwest Missouri State, Emporia State, Missouri Western and Fort Hays State. UNO will play five of its nine league games on the road.

The 2008 schedule, for the time being, kicks off at home on Sept. 6 against in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney, which is now the longest continuous series on the UNO schedule. This will be the 27th straight year the teams have met. The Mavericks are still hoping to schedule a game on Aug. 30.

UNO will begin its first season of play in the MIAA at home on Sept. 13 against Emporia State. UNO has not met the Hornets in football since 1972.

The Mavericks will then meet Missouri Southern for the first time ever on Sept. 20 in Joplin.

Northwest Missouri State will visit UNO for the second year in a row, but for the first time as a league foe on Sept. 27. The Bearcats have been the NCAA II playoff runners-up the past three years and were ranked No. 2 after their 12-2 season.

UNO renews its rivalry with Truman State for the first time since 1984 in Kirksville, Mo., on Oct. 4.

The Mavericks will host Missouri Western for the first time in football on Oct. 11, which is Homecoming and is also a featured event for the school’s Centennial celebration. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

The Mavericks will play at Pittsburg State Oct. 18. UNO has played the Gorillas twice in post-season games in 2000 and 2001.

UNO will play at Central Missouri Oct. 25, meeting the Mules for the first time since 1998 in Warrensburg. UNO’s final home game will be Nov. 1 against Fort Hays State, a team the Mavericks have not faced since 1972.

UNO will play Washburn for the first time since 1973 to conclude the regular season schedule Nov. 8 in Topeka, Kan. The Ichabods were No. 21 in the final polls after an 8-4 season.

UNO has competed against several of the MIAA schools as a conference member in the past. Emporia State, Pittsburg State, Fort Hays State and UNO were all fellow-members of the old Central Intercollegiate Conference in the 1960s and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in the late 1960s and early ‘70s.

Southwest Baptist will not compete in football, but will remain a member of the MIAA in all other men’s and women’s sports.

The Mavericks finished last season at 10-1, posting their first undefeated regular season since 1954 before losing in the second round of the NCAA II playoffs. UNO captured its fourth-straight North Central Conference title, going 8-0 in the league’s final season. UNO was ranked No. 7 at the end of the season in the AFCA and D2Football.com polls.

2008 Maverick Schedule

Aug. 30, opponent TBA
Sept. 6, Nebraska-Kearney, tba
Sept. 13, Emporia State, tba
Sept. 20, at Missouri Southern, 6 p.m.
Sept. 27, Northwest Missouri State, tba
Oct. 4, at Truman State, tba
Oct. 11, Missouri Western, 1 p.m., Homecoming/Centennial Day
Oct. 18, at Pittsburg State, tba
Oct. 25, at Central Missouri, tba
Nov. 1, Fort Hays State, 1 p.m.
Nov. 8, at Washburn, 1 p.m.