If the University of Hawai'i does not land a nonconference opponent for the Thanksgiving weekend, there is a chance the Warriors could play Boise State on national television Nov. 24 at Aloha Stadium.

Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson said that is one of the scenarios still in play as the WAC and its network partner, ESPN, put together their TV lineup for the fall.

ESPN submitted its preliminary "wish" list of games to the WAC Thursday, opening what Benson termed a "10-day window of discussion" about the schedule. Benson refused to disclose which UH games were on the list but said he believes the Warriors could "end up with several" TV dates.

Benson said, "Right now Hawai'i has asked us to keep that (Nov. 24) date open."

The last three seasons UH has played Boise State in September (2006) or October (2004 and '05). Its 2003 game was played Dec. 6 and shown on ESPN.

Because the Warriors and five-time defending conference champion Broncos are already being forecast as the top contenders for the WAC title in 2007, there has been speculation ESPN would like a late-season "showdown" game. The final weekend of the regular season was taken when UH announced Washington as its Dec. 1 opponent.

UH athletic director Herman Frazier said he expects to fill the Nov. 24 opening "probably before next weekend."

The Nov. 24 date came open when Michigan State withdrew from its 4-year-old commitment to play at Aloha Stadium.

Frazier said he has been trying to land another Big Ten team to fill that spot and had talked with Wisconsin, among others. "One of the Big Ten teams we were working on even had one of their associate (athletic directors) out here looking at the hotels," Frazier said. "At the end of the day, that's probably not gonna work."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.