In order to fill a required 10-game schedule for the 2017 season, the UW Oshkosh football team will be facing a university from Florida to help fill its non-conference schedule — but with a catch.

UWO will be paying the University of Faith-Florida Glory Eagles $25,000 to travel up to play at Titan Stadium.

According to an email from Assistant Chancellor and Chief Communications Officer Jamie Ceman, in order for a team to become playoff-eligible in the ranks of Division III football, there must be a minimum of 10 games per season on the docket.

Ceman said finding teams willing to play out of conference has become more difficult, due to the recent success of the team.

“With the exciting success of the team—specifically going to the national championship this past year—it’s become increasingly more difficult to find teams willing to play us,” Ceman said. “Because of that, the 2017 season will be the first time the institution has had to pay for the expense of bringing in a team.”

Last year, the Titans opened the season with three non-conference opponents. They faced off against John Carroll University (Ohio), Finlandia University (Mich.) and Morthland College (Ill.), with the final two games against Finlandia and Morthland on the road.

In these three contests, Oshkosh scored 178 points and allowed only 21 total points, with 14 of those coming in the first game against John Carroll.

Figures outlining the team’s budget list that the team is funded in two areas, having both an operational and salary budget.

Operationally, the team has $75,872 to use for different facets, including equipment upgrades and traveling. This area of funding is allocated through student segregated fees, according to Ceman.

The other portion of the team’s budget funds salary, which totals $194,133 for the entirety of the coaching staff. Fundraising through banquets, apparel sales and spirit tent events ranges on average between $55,000 and $60,000 per year.

Ceman said although this is the first time the team has needed to pay another school to add it to its non-conference docket, it is becoming more common through the level of D-III football.

“In D-III football a team needs to play at least 10 games in their regular season to be considered to have had a rigorous enough schedule for postseason play,” Ceman said. “We have seven teams in our conference; therefore, [we] need to find three additional games to play each season.”