Schedules for the 2006 and 2007 football seasons have been finalized for the University of Missouri, as announced today by the Department of Athletics.

In 2006, Mizzou will have the benefit of playing seven home games for the first time since 1987, and for only the fifth time in modern history.

Mizzou's 2006 schedule will feature non-conference home games against Murray State, Mississippi and Ohio, with a road game at New Mexico. Big 12 home games that year feature Colorado, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Kansas, with league road matchups taking place at Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Iowa State.

The 2007 schedule has a non-conference slate of foes including Illinois, Mississippi, Western Michigan and Illinois State. The Illinois game will be the first of MU's recently-announced four-year series between MU and Illinois to be played in St. Louis, Mo. Mizzou will travel to Ole Miss and have home games against Western Michigan and Illinois State, with Big 12 home games against Nebraska, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Texas A&M. League road games will be played at Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Kansas State.

"We're pleased to offer what we feel is a very competitive and attractive schedule for our football program and our fans," said Director of Athletics Mike Alden. "Being able to bring seven home games to Columbia was very important for us, and we're hopeful that our business community will benefit from that," he said.

One area business leader was enthusiastic about the news of the expanded home schedule for 2006.

"MU athletic programs bring tremendous recognition and revenue to Columbia's community, and the addition of one more game is a real plus to our merchants," said Don Laird, President of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. "Football games also bring a great entertainment option to our area that attract so many people to our city," he said.

Other seven-game home schedules for Mizzou occurred in 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1987.

The 2006 and 2007 schedules are as follows: