Western Kentucky has added the Auburn Tigers to its 2022 schedule, set to be played at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., the program announced Tuesday.

The game, set for Sept. 24, 2022, will be a single game between the two teams who last played in 2005.

WKU will receive $1.9 million for playing the game, the most it’s ever been paid by an opponent.

There have been just two games between the schools in program history, the other coming in 2003. The Hilltoppers are 0-2 against Auburn and have not played since WKU’s move up to the FBS level.

“It is great for WKU to add an opponent of Auburn’s caliber and tradition to our future non-conference football schedule,” athletic director Todd Stewart said in a news release. “The goal of our football program in scheduling is to play appealing regional opponents that enable our fans to travel to the game and see us compete against the best competition in the country.

“Traveling to play a prominent Auburn program in a fantastic setting will be exciting for everyone associated with our program.”

With the addition of the Tigers in 2022, the Hilltoppers have at least one game scheduled against an opponent from the Southeastern Conference, Big Ten Conference or Atlantic Coast Conference each of the next six years.

Since 2012, WKU has picked up three victories over SEC opponents. WKU also has future non-conference games scheduled with Illinois, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Louisville and Indiana and now has three of four non-conference games scheduled for the 2022 season.

The Hilltoppers enter the 2017 season under first year head coach Mike Sanford as reigning back-to-back Conference USA champions and return the C-USA Newcomer of the Year in quarterback Mike White as well as 10 starters. WKU opens spring practices on March 23 and the 2017 season at home on Sept. 2 against Eastern Kentucky.

Future WKU nonconference schedule:

2017

Sept. 2 – Eastern Kentucky

Sept. 9 – at Illinois

Sept. 23 – Ball State

Nov. 4 – at Vanderbilt

2018

Sept. 1 – at Wisconsin

Sept. 8 – Maine

Sept. 15 – at Louisville

Sept. 22 – at Ball State

2019

Aug. 31 – Central Arkansas

Sept. 7 – at Indiana

Sept. 14 – Louisville (Nashville – Nissan Stadium)

Oct. 12 – Army

2020

Sept. 5 – Chattanooga

Sept. 12 – at Indiana

Sept. 26 – at Louisville

2021

Sept. 11 – at Army

Sept. 25 – Indiana

2022

Sept. 3 – at Hawaii

Sept. 10 – Austin Peay

Sept. 24 – at Auburn

2023

Sept. 2 – South Florida

2024

Aug. 31 – at South Florida{&end}