It’s now safe to mark your calendars for the SIU football team’s 2007 season.

The Salukis’ fall schedule was released Wednesday, and SIU will be kicking off its season Aug. 30 playing host to Quincy.

The schedule ends on a tough note against Hampton, a team that finished last season with a 10-2 record and ranked No. 11 in the nation.

“It very may come down to that game whether we get into the national playoffs or not,” Saluki coach Jerry Kill said. “I think it’s very competitive and we’re going to have to step up.”

In addition to traveling to Hampton, Va., for the final game of the season, SIU will also play an out of conference road game at Southern Utah.

The Salukis also have a road game at Division I-A Northern Illinois scheduled for Sept. 8 – making for a total of six road games and five home games in the 2007 season.

“I wish we didn’t have to travel as far as we have to travel, going to Southern Utah and going to Hampton,” Kill said.

SIU will play against four teams this season that finished last season in the top 25. Those teams are Youngstown State (Oct. 6), Northern Iowa (Oct. 13), Illinois State (Nov. 10) and Hampton (Nov. 17).

The Salukis finished last season 9-4, making the playoffs and defeating Tennessee-Martin, 36-30, in the first round. SIU bowed out to Montana in the second round, losing 20-3.