The Southern Oregon athletic department announced today that the 2010 Southern Oregon football schedule will feature four home games and five games against NAIA opponents.

Southern Oregon, an NAIA Independent program, has struggled to field home games and NAIA games over the recent years and will play a large number of both of those in 2010, including all four home games when school is in session.

The Raiders will also not play an NCAA Division I program this Fall, after playing five in the last three years.

Southern Oregon will play NAIA programs Eastern Oregon, Simon Fraser, Menlo, Azusa Pacific and Northwestern Oklahoma.

SOU opens up the 2010 season at Eastern Oregon on August 28. After a week off, the Raiders travel to Simon Fraser (Sept. 11) and NCAA Division III Willamette (Sept. 18).

Southern Oregon will open up the home part of the schedule on Sept. 25 when they host Menlo. NCAA Division II Western Oregon will play at Raider Stadium on Oct. 2.

After an away game at NCAA Division II Central Washington on Oct. 9, the Raiders host NCAA Division III Mary Hardin-Baylor on Oct. 16 and Azusa Pacific on Oct. 30 for homecoming.

SOU wraps up the season Nov. 13 at Northwestern Oklahoma.

The five NAIA games are the most since the Raiders played five NAIA games in 2004.

Southern Oregon is 30-9 against NAIA teams since the start of the 2000 season and two of those setbacks have come in the NAIA National Playoffs. SOU has also out-scored NAIA opponents 1,321-649 during that stretch.