Two college football rivalry games will be taking place Saturday, Oct. 11 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., but they will not be Kansas vs. Missouri or Pittsburg State vs. Northwest Missouri State like in years past.

The Heart of America Athletic Conference has teamed up with the Kansas City Chiefs to host the inaugural NAIA Gridiron Challenge, which will feature MidAmerica Nazarene vs. Missouri Valley at 3 p.m. followed by Baker vs. Benedictine at 7 p.m.

Baker, Benedictine and Missouri Valley finished in a three-way tie for a HAAC Championship last year and qualified for the NAIA playoffs.

“I think it’s an unbelievable experience for our players, coaches, football program and school just to get that national exposure as well as local Kansas City exposure,” Baker head coach Mike Grossner said. “With a doubleheader, there are four great football programs going at it.”

Grossner believes that the initial plan was for just Baker and Benedictine to play each other at Arrowhead, but it was turned into a doubleheader since MNU and Missouri Valley were scheduled to play the same weekend.

“It was one of those things where why not bring those two in to this matchup and get more publicity as well as financially,” Grossner said. “The Chiefs, for them to reach out and give up this opportunity, you also have to bring the fans in. They don’t want to lose money.”

While Grossner’s players are excited for the mid-season marquee matchup, Baker defensive end Andre Jolly said the team can’t afford to look past anyone on its schedule, that includes a season opener against rival Ottawa University and a playoff rematch with Sterling College.

“I just don’t want to get distracted from our ultimate goal, which is winning a HAAC championship, competing for a national championship,” Jolly said. “We’ve got to focus and take it one game at a time.”

Tickets to each game will be available to the general public starting at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Arrowhead Stadium Ticket Office and ticketmaster.com. The athletic departments of all four schools will also be selling tickets.