By David Boyce

Northwest Missouri’s season-opener at Abilene Christian would make the Bearcats ineligible for most big-time NCAA Division I conferences.

Unlike so many teams in BCS conferences that begin their season against inferior competition, Northwest Missouri is facing an opponent that could play in the NCAA Division II championship.

A year ago the Bearcats won 45-36 at Abilene Christian in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Both schools are expected to be major players again in the road to Florence, Ala., home of the Division II championship game.

Northwest Missouri enters the game ranked second in Division II and Abilene Christian is fifth. Kickoff is 7 p.m. Thursday at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, Texas. The game will be televised on CBS College Sports Network.

“We want to be the best so there is no better way than to start off the season against one of the best teams in the nation,” Northwest Missouri senior wide receiver Abe Qaoud said.

“It’s very special to play on television. We have a bunch of players whose families can’t come to the game. Anytime your family and friends can watch you on television it’s a great thing.”

The last thing the Bearcats want is to be embarrassed on national television. But there is always that chance facing another talented team.

A year ago Northwest Missouri opened the season at home against Abilene Christian and lost 44-27.

“We learned we needed a lot more work,” Qaoud said. “They came here and handed it to us.

“Anytime you have a loss like that you really got to take a gut check and look yourself in the mirror and see what you need to fix and see what is going on with your team. We approached things differently and it benefitted us throughout the year.”

Despite starting last season 0-1, Northwest Missouri coach Mel Tjeerdsma had qualms about facing such a difficult opponent in the opener. It’s something he’s tried to do every year.

“I always think it is a good idea until a month before the season starts and then I wonder why in the world we schedule teams like that,” Tjeerdsma said. “But, you know, it has always worked out for us.

“In the past we’ve played Nebraska-Omaha a number of times before they were in our conference. We would both be ranked and they were tough games, but they were good non-conference games.

“I think it is good for your team. You learn a lot about yourself when you play a good opponent.”

Northwest Missouri’s young defense last season quickly realized how much more they needed to do to play at a championship level.

It took a few more games, but by the fourth week the defense clicked with the first of two straight shutouts.

“We like to start off the season and find out what we are made of,” senior defensive end Sean Paddock said. “Playing a tough team early either catapults you ahead or gives everybody, especially your newer guys, a reality check that there is work that needs to be done.”

Because of what happened last season, the Bearcats expect Abilene Christian to come out with extremely high intensity.

Paddock wouldn’t call Abilene Christian a rivalry, but plenty of pride is at stake. The Wildcats certainly didn’t like that Northwest Missouri came into their home and ended their championship dream on Nov. 29.

“Anytime you have two teams that truly expect to be in the playoffs and make a run at the championship, tempers always flare up,” Paddock said. “Nobody wants to lose. It’s like you got a battle of egos.

“We anticipate they are approaching this game a lot like we did our playoff game last year. We knocked them off at their home. They did the same to us last year.

It’s kind of the rubber match. We are going to be on their turf. We are going to try to go down there and beat them again.”

Paddock, Qaoud and Tjeerdsma all said the Bearcats have had a good training camp.

“We look pretty good,” said Paddock about the defense. “Guys are flying around and competing and that’s always good to see. We have a lot of guys back. We can really focus on getting better at a lot of different things.”

Junior quarterback Blake Bolles will make his first start, but he saw action in all 15 games last year. Qaoud said the offense has confidence in Bolles because of the way he approaches practice.

“Blake has always worked hard,” Qaoud said. “That’s a good thing for us. We know our quarterback is a hard worker, a leader. I’m excited to see what he can do in a full game.”

The Bearcats are ready for game time.

“The biggest thing is I’m ready to hit someone else,” Qaoud said. “You see green and white out here all day.

“We are ready to hit somebody else and show off the 2009 Bearcats. It’s a new team, a new year. We have our own identity. We are going to go out there and give it all we got.”

Fun Facts: Northwest Missouri will be playing in its ninth nationally televised game in the last five years…Coach Mel Tjeerdsma has 27 wins against top 10 opponents in the last 12 years…Northwest Missouri’s 15 seniors have posted a 39-5 record in the last three seasons…Northwest Missouri has won 31 of its last 33 regular-season games.

The college experience: With portable DVD players and iPhones that can do so many things beyond the actual act of calling another person, today’s student-athletes have plenty of toys to keep them occupied on long road trips. Still, the casual conversation that pops up between teammates probably remains the most entertaining and memorable moments on a road trip. Athletes are natural comedians, poking fun at themselves, teammates and opponents.

The Bearcats will have plenty of time to talk on the 11-hour ride from Maryville to Abilene, Texas. Northwest Missouri split the trip in half going to Abilene, leaving on Tuesday and stopping in Edmond, Okla., and spending the night. They completed the trip Wednesday afternoon and had a walk-through practice Wednesday night. Once the game is over, the Bearcats will spend the next 12 hours on a bus back to Maryville.

Memorable quote: Qaoud talking about the road trip.

“The obvious answer is no I’m not looking forward to the bus trip. Last year we got to fly down there. That was a lot more convenient. We are going to look at this as an opportunity to bond with each other more and build up our chemistry. Me, being a senior, this is my last trip so I’m not going to complain about anything. I feel a lot of the guys feel the same way. But with that being said I’m not looking forward to the long drive.”

On Thursday: Game coverage of Central Missouri’s season-opening football game.