2020 Schedule

[RSTuthill]

UNC being a 1 and done is disappointing. Good schedule though.

I know, but what are they gonna do on short notice? Can't really fault them for that.

 

[AndOne]

Is this a buy game for UNC? If not, wouldn't that potentially diminish the asking price for other future pay games? Clemson, USF, etc are paying a $1mm+ for their body bag games. If UNC doesn't have a return game, then they should be paying close to market rate.

 

[huskymedic]

Is this a buy game for UNC? If not, wouldn't that potentially diminish the asking price for other future pay games? Clemson, USF, etc are paying a $1mm+ for their body bag games. If UNC doesn't have a return game, then they should be paying close to market rate.

UNC is paying UConn $200K and UConn is using it to pay ODU $200k.

It is what is under the gun to get a schedule done.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I'm thinking a road trip to Ole Miss at the end of October next year sounds good. Maybe fly down Friday morning spend Friday afternoon and evening checking out the food and music on Beale St in Memphis and then catch the game on Saturday before flying back Sunday morning.

The following year, it will be an ugly game; but, seeing a game in Death Valley should be a lot of fun.

 

[TheDrifter75]

Is this a buy game for UNC? If not, wouldn't that potentially diminish the asking price for other future pay games? Clemson, USF, etc are paying a $1mm+ for their body bag games. If UNC doesn't have a return game, then they should be paying close to market rate.

I've no info on this but I wouldn't be surprised if the UNC ODU deal is similar to the Ole Miss MTSU contract.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I think we can cobble together TV using YES, SNY, NESN. Have you seen what those stations air once baseball ends?

 

[RSTuthill]

By whatever measurement you care to use, this was one helluva job by the Athletics and Legal Departments.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I think we can cobble together TV using YES, SNY, NESN. Have you seen what those stations air once baseball ends?

I was thinking that 7 home games might be to help get a deal. More content. TV is the next shoe to drop.

 

[noeynox]

I love it. To me there is no difference between MTSU/ODU & ECU/SMU. Just a bunch of initials that wouldn't be the difference between showing up to The Rent or watching at home. In future years i suspect we will see more p5 schools come here.

Charting our own path.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

ODU hosting Wake and UVA dayyyyyuuumm

 

[freescooter]

Is this a buy game for UNC? If not, wouldn't that potentially diminish the asking price for other future pay games? Clemson, USF, etc are paying a $1mm+ for their body bag games. If UNC doesn't have a return game, then they should be paying close to market rate.

Not a buy game in the usual sense. Basically Dave got UNC andODU to cancel their game and each play UCONN. Same as MTSU and Ole Miss in principal.

 

[freescooter]

Although the home schedule is weak, getting 3 regional opponents (Army, UMass, and even Maine) is a positive for some added local interest. Some of those 7 home games could actually be winnable.

And consider this: this year we played 2 P5 schools; next year we play 5.

Maybe we'll be all right after all.

Well that is sort of true except we also play multiple top 25 teams in Cinci, Navy and at the time UCF. Maybe we play 1 next year if UNC continues to grow. I think in a way this shows a lack of sophistication of CT football fans who would rather play Names than play quality opponent. 4-5 eh P5 opponents are really not better than 3-4 top 25 teams. My guess is Cindy, Memphis Navy and SMU would beat every P5 on next year’s schedule. From a UConn short term perspective I do think this is a good slate in that it gives us a chance to rebuild and reestablish our program. Long term not so sure.

 

[BugsyCT]

Well that is sort of true except we also play multiple top 25 teams in Cinci, Navy and at the time UCF. Maybe we play 1 next year if UNC continues to grow. I think in a way this shows a lack of sophistication of CT football fans who would rather play Names than play quality opponent. 4-5 eh P5 opponents are really not better than 3-4 top 25 teams. My guess is Cindy, Memphis Navy and SMU would beat every P5 on next year’s schedule. From a UConn short term perspective I do think this is a good slate in that it gives us a chance to rebuild and reestablish our program. Long term not so sure.

You’re right, but we are who we are and I’m trying to be optimistic about it. There’s always a chance we get a few more quality AAC teams on the schedule in upcoming years. And like you said, rebuilding the program in the short term is key. If it means weaker opponents on the slate for now, so be it.

 

[businesslawyer]

The other key to rebuilding the program -- folks need to show up. We will have a lot of home games against crappy teams. The downside is they are crappy teams. The upside is that they are games we should either be winning or at least having good games with the chance of winning. Recruits will not want to come to a program to play in a 40k seat stadium with 8000 people in it.

Bottom line: we can keep complaining about how awful things are (which they are and we do) or people can get their butts back in seats and help the program be more attractive to recruits. Actually, I'm fine continuing to complain if you get your butt back in a seat. But we are part of the problem, and we need to be part of the solution.

 

[Guapo]

Well that is sort of true except we also play multiple top 25 teams in Cinci, Navy and at the time UCF. Maybe we play 1 next year if UNC continues to grow. I think in a way this shows a lack of sophistication of CT football fans who would rather play Names than play quality opponent. 4-5 eh P5 opponents are really not better than 3-4 top 25 teams. My guess is Cindy, Memphis Navy and SMU would beat every P5 on next year’s schedule. From a UConn short term perspective I do think this is a good slate in that it gives us a chance to rebuild and reestablish our program. Long term not so sure.

Actually, wanting to play programs like UCF or Memphis because of recent success over schools like Maryland, UVA, Syracuse or UNC - schools with actual history - shows a lack of college football sophistication on your part

 

[businesslawyer]

Actually, wanting to play programs like UCF or Memphis because of recent success over schools like Maryland, UVA, Syracuse or UNC - schools with actual history - shows a lack of college football sophistication on your part

Would you mind explaining? Is your position that you don't want to see the best football you can see -- it's more important to play teams with history?

 

[Guapo]

Would you mind explaining? Is your position that you don't want to see the best football you can see -- it's more important to play teams with history?

Yes. If you were to poll SEC or Big 10 fan bases which schools they’d rather schedule OOC, UCF or Memphis vs “University of..” ACC schools; I guarantee you they’d say the ACC schools.

 

[businesslawyer]

Yes. If you were to poll SEC or Big 10 fan bases which schools they’d rather schedule OOC, UCF or Memphis vs “University of..” ACC schools; I guarantee you they’d say the ACC schools.

O.K. I understand your position. I would argue that's not sophistication -- that's an arrogance to not accept the reality of the present. But tomato, tomatoe.

 

[Guapo]

O.K. I understand your position. I would argue that's not sophistication -- that's an arrogance to not accept the reality of the present. But tomato, tomatoe.

Maybe a little bit of arrogance and definitely not X’s and O’s sophistication. But, college football is all about the tradition, pageantry and history. Those schools bring that, the other schools don’t. It shows a sophistication in understanding what college football is all about.

This isn’t the NFL.

 

[businesslawyer]

Maybe a little bit of arrogance and definitely not X’s and O’s sophistication. But, college football is all about the tradition, pageantry and history. Those schools bring that, the other schools don’t. It shows a sophistication in understanding what college football is all about.

This isn’t the NFL.

As I said, I get your point but don't hide a perfectly reasonable position as if it were fact. You are pretending that college football isn't about football. I would argue -- as many do -- that of course it is. All the other ancillary stuff is important, but ultimately it's about football.

 

[Hornet22]

The other key to rebuilding the program -- folks need to show up. We will have a lot of home games against crappy teams. The downside is they are crappy teams. The upside is that they are games we should either be winning or at least having good games with the chance of winning. Recruits will not want to come to a program to play in a 40k seat stadium with 8000 people in it.

Bottom line: we can keep complaining about how awful things are (which they are and we do) or people can get their butts back in seats and help the program be more attractive to recruits. Actually, I'm fine continuing to complain if you get your butt back in a seat. But we are part of the problem, and we need to be part of the solution.

Thank you sir! So true

 

[Guapo]

As I said, I get your point but don't hide a perfectly reasonable position as if it were fact. You are pretending that college football isn't about football. I would argue -- as many do -- that of course it is. All the other ancillary stuff is important, but ultimately it's about football.

The proof is in the pudding: people care about, and show up for, games against UVA-type teams and don’t show up for games against Memphis.

That pattern would be repeated at just about every big time college football school.

 

[TheDrifter75]

Yes. If you were to poll SEC or Big 10 fan bases which schools they’d rather schedule OOC, UCF or Memphis vs “University of..” ACC schools; I guarantee you they’d say the ACC schools.

I agree many of the fans would choose the ACC school in this example. The reason however, in my opinion and experience, is to avoid embarrassment. Several years ago I used to watch every college football saturday with a friend and several others who would show up at a location in St. Louis. This very topic would come up, usually with Boise St but others as well. They looked at games against the BSU's and TCU's as a no win situation. If you lost to most any other BCS level team, you could save face by pointing to that teams conference and past success.

 

[Alum86]

AAC/ACC/ CYO....You guys need to chill and eat a Snickers. Randy Turtleball Edition.

 

[huskymedic]

Is this a buy game for UNC? If not, wouldn't that potentially diminish the asking price for other future pay games? Clemson, USF, etc are paying a $1mm+ for their body bag games. If UNC doesn't have a return game, then they should be paying close to market rate.

Meghan Bard @meghanbard 22m
For those wondering about the $200K from UNC, they're not a school that hands out huge buy game payments. They gave App State a 2-for-1 H/H and ODU a straight H/H, which UConn is taking the return game of. UNC is much more likely to sked UConn H/H than to buy a game from us.

Meghan Bard @meghanbard 23m
Also also, $200K is the same amount that UConn and Illinois are passing back and forth for that H/H series. So the payment amount is pretty much exactly what you would expect it to be.

 

[AndOne]

Meghan Bard @meghanbard 22m
For those wondering about the $200K from UNC, they're not a school that hands out huge buy game payments. They gave App State a 2-for-1 H/H and ODU a straight H/H, which UConn is taking the return game of. UNC is much more likely to sked UConn H/H than to buy a game from us.

Meghan Bard @meghanbard 23m
Also also, $200K is the same amount that UConn and Illinois are passing back and forth for that H/H series. So the payment amount is pretty much exactly what you would expect it to be.

I get that UNC probably doesn't care if ODU or UConn visit them. What's in it for ODU to switch for the same money? UNC is a very beatable P5 team that most G5 teams would probably want to play. Figured a Virginia school would want to play a major NC school.

 

[SubbaBub]

Well that is sort of true except we also play multiple top 25 teams in Cinci, Navy and at the time UCF. Maybe we play 1 next year if UNC continues to grow. I think in a way this shows a lack of sophistication of CT football fans who would rather play Names than play quality opponent. 4-5 eh P5 opponents are really not better than 3-4 top 25 teams. My guess is Cindy, Memphis Navy and SMU would beat every P5 on next year’s schedule. From a UConn short term perspective I do think this is a good slate in that it gives us a chance to rebuild and reestablish our program. Long term not so sure.

If you're being logical, sure. But, since when has CFB been logical? UCF went undefeated, beat multiple top 25 teams and got a pat on the head.

P5 wins will always be useful, except maybe Rutgers. "UConn, 4-2 against the P5," is a viable future crawl ticker stat. "1-1 vs. Top 25" is not. Besides, the more P5 teams the more likely they will be Top 25.

The G5 caps out at 15-20 except in extreme circumstances.

You beat enough P5 teams, you will get recognition and inroads into their recruits. Big Ten recruits will pick other schools over the Indianas and RU's of the world. In the AAC we were competing with G5, FCS, and losing.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

In addition to improved recruiting and enhanced coaching, scheduling balance played a big role in Army’s better records and bowl qualifying in recent years. Just sayin’

 

[freescooter]

I don’t disagree with that. In fact I’ve said before I think it will help a lot. Had we not left the AAC I think it might have been valuable to explore essentially taking a 2 year “leave of absence” of some kind to rebuild in a less difficult environment. I know nobody wants to admit it but the P6 moniker is not so unthinkable now.

I also agree with bl that attendance needs to rebound. And as it does everywhere will require putting a winning product on the field. I don’t know that sellouts will ever be a regular occurrence but they aren’t many places. In fact UConn women and men’s teams don’t really sell out anything but marquee games now. They won’t admit it but SEC and BIG powers might sell out but they rarely fill all their seats except for big games. But rugular crowds in the high 20/low 30 range could be a regular thing with a team that wins regularly. It is also going to require an “upgraded” home schedule over time. ODU and Middle Tennessee won’t do it long term. Nor will losing to every P5 team we play. But going 7-5 or something next year will be a huge huge factor.

 

[uconnbill]

I'm thinking a road trip to Ole Miss at the end of October next year sounds good. Maybe fly down Friday morning spend Friday afternoon and evening checking out the food and music on Beale St in Memphis and then catch the game on Saturday before flying back Sunday morning.

The following year, it will be an ugly game; but, seeing a game in Death Valley should be a lot of fun.

If you head down let me know. I will be at the game as my brother is a season ticket holder for Ole Miss games. He is already talking about bringing me to The Grove to see how Southern Tailgating happens.