The schedule sets UH up to be the spoiler in the WAC

About why ESPN wanted the Fresno State-BSU game to be set up for a Nov. 28 title game, WAC associate commissioner Jeff Hurd said:
"Every year ESPN looks over the games seeking the best possible and potentially most interesting matchups in the conferences it has contracts with. Sometimes they work out. Sometimes they don't. It is a long season and a lot of things can happen before the end of November." (HA)

HA Note: "The defending Western Athletic Conference champion University of Hawai'i football team has been cast in a spoiler role for 2008. The release of the WAC schedule yesterday sets the stage for what ESPN and the conference apparently hope will be a Nov. 28 championship showdown between Boise State and Fresno State on the blue carpet in Boise. Just as in 2007 when the final conference weekend was an artful pairing of UH and Boise State, the network hopes to have the conference race build to a title finish this year. UH's 39-27 victory over Boise State for the WAC title was seen in 2.65 million households, making it the biggest audience of any ESPN2 game and the largest of 14 Friday night games on the various ESPN properties. That came despite a 9 p.m. (Eastern) and 6 p.m. (Pacific) kickoff."

HA Note: "Last season's planning delivered what was termed the "biggest (football) game in WAC history," a showdown of then-unbeaten 10-0 UH and once-beaten Boise State with the WAC title and a Bowl Championship Series berth on the line. Preseason predictions have Boise State and Fresno State expected to battle for the WAC crown in 2008. Both return sizeable parts of their lineups and both host UH."

Aug. 30 — At Florida
Sept. 6 — Weber State
Sept. 13 — At Oregon State
Sept. 20 — Open
Sept. 27 — San Jose State
Oct. 4 — At Fresno State
Oct. 11 — Louisiana Tech
Oct. 17 — At Boise State (ESPN)
Oct. 25 — Nevada
Nov. 1 — At Utah State
Nov. 8 — At New Mexico State
Nov. 15 — Open
Nov. 22 — Idaho
Nov. 29 — Washington State
Dec. 6 — Cincinnati