The course has been set for Saluki football coach Nick Hill’s first season at the helm.

Saluki Athletics announced Monday the 11-game football schedule for next season, which includes six home games. 

Saluki opponents had a combined record of 60-70 last season, but four of those teams made the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. SIU hasn’t accomplished that feat in six seasons. 

Hill will make his head coaching debut Sept. 3 on the road against Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Fla.

The game be the first-ever matchup between the Conference USA’s Owls, who went 3-9 in 2015, and Salukis, who went 3-8.

After that, the Dawgs come home to host two rivalry games: Sept. 10 against Southeast Missouri State and Sept. 17 against Murray State during family weekend.

SIU’s bye week will come Week 4 — one week later than last year — before playing eight straight Missouri Valley Football Conference games to finish the season. 

The only MVFC team missing from the schedule is North Dakota State, which will be playing for its fifth straight national championship Jan. 9. 

Despite this break from the Bison, the Salukis have a rough start to the MVFC schedule, playing the No. 4, No. 3 and No. 2 finishers in the conference in consecutive weeks: Oct. 1 at Northern Iowa, Oct. 8 at home against South Dakota State and Oct. 15 at Illinois State.

Homecoming will be Oct. 22 against Indiana State.

SIU will wrap up the regular season by alternating home and away games at Missouri State on Oct. 29, South Dakota on Nov. 5, at Youngstown State on Nov. 12 and Western Illinois on Nov. 19. The Dawgs’ two MVFC wins last season came against Missouri State and Youngstown State.

Sean Carley can be reached at [email protected] or at 536-3304