The Lindenwood University football team announced its 2011 schedule on Tuesday. The schedule is highlighted by two games against NCAA Division I Football Championship Series programs.

The Lions will open the season on Sept. 3 at Northern Colorado. The Bears, a member of the Big Sky Conference, were 3-8 last season. Four of those losses, however, were by seven points or less, including a last minute loss to the eventual NCAA FCS National Champions, Eastern Washington.

Lindenwood's other Division I contest will be on Oct. 1 when it travels to South Dakota, a member of the Great West Conference. The Coyotes made headlines last season when they upset Big 10 Minnesota by a 41-38 score. South Dakota finished the year with a 4-7 record. Like Northern Colorado, the Coyotes lost several close contests, with three setbacks coming by five points or less.

Lindenwood will play five NCAA Division II programs in 2011. One of those games is against Texas A&M-Kingsville, which went 10-1 last season and was ranked fourth in the final national poll. The Lions will also face Central Oklahoma, a future conference opponent when both teams enter the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) in 2012. Other Division II opponents are Saint Joseph's, Missouri S&T, and Tarleton State.

Rounding out the schedule are four NAIA opponents. Lindenwood will face former Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) rivals Graceland and Culver-Stockton. The Lions will also take on Azusa Pacific, a participant in last year's NAIA Football Championship Series, and Kansas Wesleyan.

Lindenwood will have five home games, starting with its home opener on Sept. 10 against Graceland. The Lions will host Saint Joseph's the following week. In October, Lindenwood will be home for three straight weekends. It will hosts Kansas Wesleyan on Oct. 15 for Homecoming. That is followed by games against Azusa Pacific and Culver-Stockton.

Lindenwood is in the transition to becoming a NCAA member and will be in the second year of its candidacy next school year. The Lions will join the MIAA in 2012 and will play a full conference schedule that year.

In its final season in the NAIA, Lindenwood went 9-1 in the regular season before being upset in the first round of the NAIA Football Championship Series. The Lions were ranked ninth in the postseason national poll that was released earlier this week. 

complete schedule can be found here