If the Western Athletic Conference sends co-champion Nevada to the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, it is urging the game to match the Wolf Pack with a commensurate opponent Dec. 24 at Aloha Stadium.

An 8-3 Nevada team could be the first champion of either the WAC or Conference USA to appear in the 4-year-old bowl.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said: "It has always been my goal to get our champions the best possible opponent and I think an opportunity exists in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl to match up one of the top teams from Conference USA and provide Hawai'i fans with a high profile game between two teams that aren't just 6-5 records, but (have) seven or eight wins."

In addition to Central Florida (8-3) and Tulsa (7-4), the divisional champions who meet for the C-USA title Saturday in Orlando, Fla., the conference also has bowl-eligible teams in Texas-El Paso (8-3), Houston (6-5), Memphis (6-5) and Southern Mississippi (6-5).

Pete Derzis of ESPN Regional Television, which owns and operates the Hawai'i Bowl, has said throughout the process that, "I'm confident we'll be able to provide the fans of Hawai'i with two good teams and an attractive game on Christmas Eve."

Benson declined to say if the WAC might withhold Nevada without a favorable matchup but said, "I'm confident that we're going to be able to provide the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl with a co-champion and a team that has been one of the hottest teams in the second half of the year."

Hawai'i, which represented the WAC in three previous games, has gone as the second-, fourth- and fifth-place team.

WAC bowl agreements must be approved by the conference's bowl selection/placement committee, which has signed off on sending Fresno State (8-3) to the Liberty Bowl and Boise State (9-3) to the MPC Computers Bowl, but Monday put off its decision on Nevada. Louisiana Tech, which is 6-4 with a game Saturday against Fresno State, has not found a place yet.

In addition to the Hawai'i Bowl, Nevada is being looked at by the home state Las Vegas Bowl should the Pac-10 not be able to send a representative. The Motor City Bowl also has an opening.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.