The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's cost-containment measures kick into another gear in football in 2011 when each conference team is forced to schedule one WIAC opponent twice.

This week alone, WIAC teams are scheduled to play teams from South Dakota, Texas, Ohio, among more local opponents, with games against teams from Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky yet to come this season. Games have already been played against teams from Oregon, Tennessee and Michigan, contests which were home games but have been played on the road in the past or will be in the future.

Although the cost-containment plan covers sports conference-wide, football is singled out for extra attention because of the number of student-athletes on the roster as well as the difficulties WIAC schools have faced in finding non-conference opponents willing to schedule them.

"While showing some signs of improvement, the economy has not experienced a sustainable period of recovery and growth resulting in a great deal of uncertainty with respect to the impact the current economic conditions may have on the next biennial state budget. Consequently, we are left with little choice but to continue to impose the restrictions as outlined in the plan through the upcoming academic year," said WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Joel Badzinski of The La Crosse Tribune is reporting the 2011 rematch pairings are as follows:

UW-Eau Claire vs. UW-River Falls
UW-La Crosse vs. UW-Whitewater
UW-Oshkosh vs. UW-Stout
UW-Platteville vs. UW-Stevens Point

One of the two meetings between each of these teams in 2011 will count in the conference standings, while the other will be a non-conference game.