The University of Northern Iowa isn’t scared of us, but Southern Illinois University doesn’t think it’s ready for Eastern’s football team.

The UNI Panthers are not afraid of the EIU Panthers. Next year’s scheduled home opener against UNI wasn’t canceled out of fear. However, Eastern’s second home game, the following week against the Salukis was canceled because Southern feels we’re out of their league right now.

For UNI it’s all about the money, for Southern it’s about starting over.

Northern Iowa, who defeated Eastern 49-43 at O’Brien Stadium during the first round of last year’s playoffs was not worried that we would conquer them this year.

Rick Hartzell, UNI’s athletic director said Thursday that Northern Iowa canceled their trip to Charleston for other reasons.

“Yeah, we had $225,000 worth of reason,” he said, explaining that UNI canceled it’s game with Eastern so it could play Division I-A opponent Oklahoma State. “That’s the only reason.”

Division I-AA football teams like UNI, Southern and Eastern get paid to travel to I-A schools like Oklahoma State. And as Hartzell mentioned, university budgets are tight right now due to a struggling economy. So it’s not unusual that athletic departments at Division I-AA schools are looking for extra cash.

However, UNI has to pay Eastern a cancellation fee of $20,000 for dropping the Sept. 7 meeting with the Panthers, but that still translates to a $205,000 net gain for Northern Iowa.

The Salukis also must pay the $20,000 cancellation fee, but Paul Kowalcyzk, Southern’s athletic director said Monday that the decision wasn’t monetarily based.

“Our two programs are at different levels right now,” Kowalcyzk said, pointing out that the Salukis went 1-10 last year, including a 49-21 loss to the Panthers.

“We’re at a situation where our program is at pretty much rock bottom right now,” he said. “It does go back to the fact that Eastern’s a power and they are going to have everyone back next year.”