St. Joseph, Mo. ? Baker University will open its football season tonight against NCAA Division II powerhouse Missouri Western.

Kickoff will be 6 p.m. at Spratt Stadium on the MWU campus.

“We look forward to the challenge of playing Missouri Western,” fourth-year Baker coach Mike Grossner said. “It will be a good test for us to gauge where we are as a team.”

Missouri Western is coming off a 9-3 season, but the Griffons were picked to finish fifth in the MIAA preseason coaches poll. The NAIA-affiliated Wildcats won two of their last three games in 2006 to finish with a 4-6 record.

Baker is led by sophomore quarterback Mack Brown, who completed 138 of 265 passes for 1,348 yards as a freshman. He threw eight touchdown passes and was intercepted nine times.