The Western Athletic Conference is preparing to move ahead with its 2007 football schedule without waiting for the University of Hawai'i, if necessary.

Conference athletic directors are scheduled to review a proposed schedule Wednesday in Las Cruces, N.M., site of the WAC Basketball Tournament, commissioner Karl Benson confirmed yesterday.

"We hope to be able to provide them (WAC members) with a complete schedule," Benson said.

UH has yet to announce three of its 13 games although Division I-AA Charleston Southern is believed to have been booked for a September date at Aloha Stadium.

The only other WAC schools with openings, Idaho and Nevada, are preparing to announce finalized schedules this week, people familiar with those programs said. And, even if they don't finalize, the WAC could work around the one date, Sept. 22, both teams are using.

Hangups with the Mid-American Conference that had delayed the scheduling process for several weeks have been taken care of, leaving UH as the last major roadblock to a full schedule, conference officials said.

The Warriors had four possible dates — two in September, one each in October and November — in which to accommodate teams. The WAC has held them "open" for the past month waiting for UH, Benson said.

But increasingly the conference, its members and cable partner want to complete their schedules. Some schools have gone so far as to announce their non-conference schedules.

Both ESPN and the WAC are especially concerned about the availability of UH's Nov. 24 opening, since it would provide an ideal date to match the Warriors and five-time defending conference champion Boise State in a televised Thanksgiving weekend showdown. The WAC has held off on that date while UH has shopped for non-conference opponents.

The WAC office and ESPN have been attempting to help UH finalize its schedule, officials said.

A potential top 10 team was lost as a possibility last week when Wisconsin announced an Oct. 20 game with Northern Illinois. UH also has an Oct. 20 opening and had talked to the Badgers concerning a game — home or away.

In previous weeks, UH had been involved in discussions with Michigan and Nebraska about possible games, but both have filled their schedules.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.