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May 23, 2008 12:38 PM

More on UW and LSU

Despite his ties to LSU, Washington acting athletic director Scott Woodward said he wasn't really trying to schedule a football game against the Tigers --- it just sort of happened.

"(We) had an opening and (they) had an opening and it just sort of fit,'' Woodward said.

The Huskies announced today that they have signed a deal to play a two-game home-and-home series with LSU, with the Tigers coming here to open the 2009 season on Sept. 5 and UW going there on Sept. 29, 2012.

UW needed another game after Nevada pulled out of a scheduled contest in 2009. Woodward said the Huskies called a number of schools, including some in the Big Ten and ACC.

Along the way, Woodward, who worked at LSU from 1999-2004, also talked with old friend Verge Ausberry, senior associate athletic director for the Tigers, and the two realized that each school might be able to help the other.

"We were looking for BCS schools,'' he said. "When you do home-and-homes you're looking for really good matchups, but this late in the game trying to get someone can be problematic. It just worked out they had a nice fit.''

UW hasn't played an SEC school in a regular-season game since visiting LSU in 1983, a 40-14 loss. The Huskies haven't hosted one since losing to Alabama and Bear Bryant in 1978, 20-17. UW last played an SEC school in any setting in 1989, beating Florida in the Freedom Bowl 34-7.

"It'll be fun for our fans to experience a different type of geographical and football culture,'' Woodward said.

Adding LSU will give the Huskies another pretty stout schedule in 2009 as UW will also play at Notre Dame while hosting Idaho in non-conference play.

Some have wondered if the Huskies shouldn't downgrade the schedule a bit while it is attempting to dig out of a four-year rut of losing seasons.

Woodward said that was discussed, but that ultimately the school wants to continue its philosophy of putting together the most attractive schedule it can each year. He said UW coach Tyrone Willingham shares that view.

"He likes to have competitive schedules for our fans and he likes the challenge,'' Woodward said.

There is also the chance that both LSU games will be nationally televised, possibly by ESPN, though no agreements are yet set.

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