It depends

by Greg, seemingly ranch, Thursday, May 17, 2012, 14:37 (5137 days ago) @ JN

I would put them on the schedule were they game 1. If they were game 2, I'd have to be careful that we had a relatively easy (UMass-level) game 1. Why? UW nonconference opponents in the Brentski era:

2012 - Northern Iowa, Oregon St., Utah St., UTEP
2011 - UNLV, Oregon St., Northern Illinois, South Dakota
2010 - UNLV, San Jose St., Arizona St., Austin Peay
2009 - Northern Illinois, Fresno St., Wofford, Hawai'i
2008 - Akron, Marshall, Fresno St., Cal Poly
2007 - Washington St., UNLV, THE Citadel, Tennessee
2006 - Bowling Green, San Diego State, Western Illinois, Buffalo

Not exactly murderers' rows. Now, per Wikipedia, Wisky has signed on to play Arizona St in 2013, Washington St. in 2014 and 2015, Virginia Tech in 2016 and 2017, and Washington in 2017 and 2018. Who wants to bet they try to play ND in 2014, 2015, 2016, and/or 2018? I know they won't play us in seasons when they already have two tough OOC opponents -- their recent history shows that is a non-starter. Two is their absolute max.

So we'd be best off getting them in game 1. But game 2 would be OK if we had a walkover ourselves in week 1.