I would assume that we will get Rhode Island and UTSA at home either next year or the year after. (Was also UTSA's turn to be at home) I hope that applies to UTA also. Ft. Worth isn't exactly a neutral site.
The nature of h&h deals is that you do have to play them on the road at some point. That is why we have to play Lamar on the road. (they came to SM last year). We'll almost certainly have to play SHSU in Huntsville to pay them back.
Washinton State and Cal are both money games which are required by our budget. We also have two tournament games which are huge for recruiting. Counting Lamar, that's 5 unavoidable away games, a 6th that was due to be away if we continued the series (UTSA) and 2 new deals that might have had start on the road in order to make them work. (Rhode Island, UTA)
It sucks, but it is a reasonable explanation for why we're away 8 of 13. There might not have been a way around it without having to find different opponents that were willing to play us. As I mentioned before, the only way we can ensure a more balanced schedule every season is by giving up the money games and going revenue neutral... or by having donors step in to make us home game buyers (like the big boys).
I was told the SB did change the rule limiting teams to 2 non D1's this season and that was probably because of realignment.
Two of those opponents are necessary as "guarantee" games to offset probable losses in the two money games. (We can't afford to buy "guarantee" division 1 wins). I don't know if the 3rd game was simply because we could, or because we just couldn't find another mid-major to travel to us this year. I doubt we were going to give up any more home games just to get a better opponent.