By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

The contracts are signed. The plane tickets have been purchased and, you hope, the insurance premiums have been paid in full.

For this year the Western Athletic Conference embarks upon one of its more ambitious non-conference football schedules, 21 regular-season games against teams from Bowl Championship Series conferences — 16 of them on the road.

Trips to "The Swamp" at Florida, "Death Valley" at Louisiana State, not to mention Norman, Okla., the Coliseum for Southern California, Neyland Stadium at Tennessee ...

Of course, booking the big boys, while admirable and usually well-paying, is one thing. Actually beating some has proved to be something else. "Now," says WAC commissioner Karl Benson, "we need to beat some of those teams."

UH President Evan Dobelle has even said he could envision playing for a BCS berth — if the Warriors can find their way past the big boys and hold serve in the WAC.

That's a tall order considering the schools that make up the BCS's six member conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Southeastern and Pac-10) have had their way with those that comprise the WAC. Last year, the WAC was 4-20 against BCS members. Overall, for the past four years, it is 14-66.

But, if there is a splash to be made or reputation to be earned, this is the competition it will have to come against. Nothing opens eyes wider or quicker.

Recall two seasons ago when Fresno State beat, in succession, Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin, becoming the toast of college football.

Of course, the flip side is Texas-El Paso, which just plain got toasted last year in a 77-17 loss to Kentucky and a 68-0 burial at Oklahoma.

Now, the only time the Miners will stick their necks out against a BCS member will be Arizona before retreating to the safety of I-AA opponents Sam Houston State and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.