WAC announces television schedule for football

DENVER -The Western Athletic Conference today announced an eight-game ESPN/ESPN2 football television schedule for 2005 highlighted by a season-opening game between defending national champion Southern California and Hawai’i on September 3.

      The opener is one of three games on the schedule that features a WAC/Pacific-10 matchup.  Others include Washington State at Nevada on Sept. 9 and California at New Mexico State on Sept. 23.

      Also included in the schedule is a Thursday night game on November 10 between three-time defending WAC champion Boise State and MPC Computers Bowl champion Fresno State in a game expected to play a significant role in the 2005 conference race.  The Broncos have won 35 of their last 37 games while Fresno State is bringing a six-game winning streak into the 2005 season.  Both teams finished last season in the top 25 and are expected to begin this year in the polls.

      Other matchups include the Big Ten’s Wisconsin at Hawai’i on Nov. 25, and a pair of WAC/Mid-American Conference matchups with Bowling Green at Boise State and Toledo at Fresno State.  Louisiana Tech will close out the schedule with a Dec. 2 game at Fresno State.

      “Once again, we are thrilled that ESPN will be showing some of the marquee games in the WAC,” said WAC Commissioner Karl Benson.  “We are expecting another exciting season in 2005 and are pleased that the nation will have several chances to see the electrifying brand of football played in the WAC.”

      Six of the WAC’s nine teams will make at least one appearance in 2005.  Additional television games are expected to be added to the ESPN schedule in the upcoming months.

2005 WAC-ESPN Football Schedule

Date        Game                                          Time (Local)         Network

Sept. 3     Southern California at Hawai’i         TBA                     ESPN or ESPN2

Sept. 9     Washington State at Nevada          TBA                     ESPN or ESPN2

Sept. 21   Bowling Green at Boise State        6:00 p.m. (MT)      ESPN2

Sept. 23   California at New Mexico State       8:00 p.m. (MT)      ESPN

Sept. 27   Toledo at Fresno State                  6:00 p.m. (PT)      ESPN2

Nov. 10    Boise State at Fresno State           5:00 p.m. (PT)      ESPN

Nov. 25    Wisconsin at Hawai’i                     4:00 p.m. (HT)      ESPN2

Dec. 2      Louisiana Tech at Fresno State      6:00 p.m. (PT)      ESPN2