are we better off having UCF and Houston in our conference

[willie99]

than Boise and TCU?

having better seasons and much bigger markets

just saying

 

[noeynox]

This conference's biggest problem is the half empty stadiums that look like sheet on tv. For crying sake, bus in homeless people and give em like hot dogs and soft drinks. Granted they were playing a horrid team in us, but UCF ranked in the top 25, and coming off their biggest win in school history couldn't pack the place? Sad.

 

[whaler11]

I watched more of Minnesota Nebraska and Illinois Michigan State than I'd like to admit. Those fans are in their seats.

 

[UConnDan97]

This conference's biggest problem is the half empty stadiums that look like sheet on tv. For crying sake, bus in homeless people and give em like hot dogs and soft drinks. Granted they were playing a horrid team in us, but UCF ranked in the top 25, and coming off their biggest win in school history couldn't pack the place? Sad.

I had the same thought, especially since they have the second highest student population in the country. How #$k does a school have 60,000 students but you only put 38k in the stadium for a top25 team?!? For , we had that many people in the stadium to watch 0-4 UConn play 1-4 USF!!!

 

[whaler11]

I had the same thought, especially since they have the second highest student population in the country. How #$k does a school have 60,000 students but you only put 38k in the stadium for a top25 team?!? For , we had that many people in the stadium to watch 0-4 UConn play 1-4 USF!!!

All their students are fans of FSU and UF. It's like asking why Central has tens of thousands of students and 2k at their games.

 

[UConnDan97]

All their students are fans of FSU and UF. It's like asking why Central has tens of thousands of students and 2k at their games.

I would accept that answer as true....if Central Connecticut had ever been in the top25....

 

[whaler11]

I would accept that answer as true....if Central Connecticut had ever been in the top25....

Central had two legitimate very good basketball teams. Should have won a 2-15 game and got screwed by the pod system as a 14.

The needle never moved. Central Connecticut is no different than Central Florida. When your students come in as fans of other state institutions it can't be overcome.

 

[UConnDan97]

Central had two legitimate very good basketball teams. Should have won a 2-15 game and got screwed by the pod system as a 14.

The needle never moved. Central Connecticut is no different than Central Florida. When your students come in as fans of other state institutions it can't be overcome.

You're comparing D1 football with mid-major basketball. It's not the same. But even if it were the same, the needle did move for a couple of moments in Central basketball history (the Keith Closs years and the Corsley Edwards years). They just didn't build upon it or sustain it. And they certainly weren't ranked in the top25...

 

[whaler11]

You're comparing D1 football with mid-major basketball. It's not the same. But even if it were the same, the needle did move for a couple of moments in Central basketball history (the Keith Closs years and the Corsley Edwards years). They just didn't build upon it or sustain it. And they certainly weren't ranked in the top25...

Dan it's the same thing. First of all the Keith Closs teams were terrible he just led the country in blocks. The Edwards team had Iowa State beat and choked.

I was at Detrick - the needle never moved for any of it. It's literally the exact same people at every game.

Central Florida football is a bigger scale and they are relatively better. It's the exact same dynamic. Commuter school: the students and alumni grew up as fans of other schools and don't adopt their school's teams. They qre fans of the schools they grew up with. Sweep the CCSU dorms - they are UConn fans.

Go some place like Western Carolina. They like NCSU and UNC-CH. at IUPUI they like Indiana or Purdue not IUPUI.

UCF is just a giant successful version.

 

[UConnDan97]

Dan it's the same thing. First of all the Keith Closs teams were terrible he just led the country in blocks. The Edwards team had Iowa State beat and choked.

I was at Detrick - the needle never moved for any of it. It's literally the exact same people at every game.

Central Florida football is a bigger scale and they are relatively better. It's the exact same dynamic. Commuter school: the students and alumni grew up as fans of other schools and don't adopt their school's teams. They qre fans of the schools they grew up with. Sweep the CCSU dorms - they are UConn fans.

Go some place like Western Carolina. They like NCSU and UNC-CH. at IUPUI they like Indiana or Purdue not IUPUI.

UCF is just a giant successful version.

I'll draw the much better analogy; the University of South Florida. USF was never ranked in the top25 until 2007. In 2007, their first game in the top 25 drew 67,000 to see them play against WVU (granted, a ranked WVU). But two weeks later, they were still ranked, and they played against UCF. That game drew 65,000. Even after suffering three more losses before their last home game that year, they still drew 57,000 against Louisville (6-6). And I'm quite sure that most in the Tampa area are "other" fans like you've pointed out for UCF. But they showed up in twice the number as UCF fans did today. THAT is the direct analogy...

 

[Fishy]

I had the same thought, especially since they have the second highest student population in the country. How #$k does a school have 60,000 students but you only put 38k in the stadium for a top25 team?!? For , we had that many people in the stadium to watch 0-4 UConn play 1-4 USF!!!

The devil is always in the details.

UCF is commuter school - that's a far different mission than being the U of Connecticut.

They have a ton of students, but they're spread over a number of campuses and a very good number of them are 'adult students'. Commuter students go to class and then go home, go to work, pick up the kids, etc.

They have a number of traditional college students there, but I am certain that number is a fraction of what UConn has in Storrs.

I think it'll take more than just a week in the top 25 for them to build themselves up.

 

[whaler11]

I'll draw the much better analogy; the University of South Florida. USF was never ranked in the top25 until 2007. In 2007, their first game in the top 25 drew 67,000 to see them play against WVU (granted, a ranked WVU). But two weeks later, they were still ranked, and they played against UCF. That game drew 65,000. Even after suffering three more losses before their last home game that year, they still drew 57,000 against Louisville (6-6). And I'm quite sure that most in the Tampa area are "other" fans like you've pointed out for UCF. But they showed up in twice the number as UCF fans did today. THAT is the direct analogy...

You deal in published numbers not turnstile numbers. The USF actual attendances leak out - they are never close to what is published.

But if you want to claim you won an argument because a couple of times USF maybe had big crowds when they were ranked...

Not sure what your goal is? UCF is one of UConn's best AAC partners? Are you trying to prove UConn is more deserving of an invite elsewhere? No kidding.

 

[whaler11]

The devil is always in the details.

UCF is commuter school - that's a far different mission than being the U of Connecticut.

They have a ton of students, but they're spread over a number of campuses and a very good number of them are 'adult students'. Commuter students go to class and then go home, go to work, pick up the kids, etc.

They have a number of traditional college students there, but I am certain that number is a fraction of what UConn has in Storrs.

I think it'll take more than just a week in the top 25 for them to build themselves up.

Thanks for being more succinct.

 

[UConnDan97]

The devil is always in the details.

UCF is commuter school - that's a far different mission than being the U of Connecticut.

They have a ton of students, but they're spread over a number of campuses and a very good number of them are 'adult students'. Commuter students go to class and then go home, go to work, pick up the kids, etc.

They have a number of traditional college students there, but I am certain that number is a fraction of what UConn has in Storrs.

I think it'll take more than just a week in the top 25 for them to build themselves up.

I just looked up some info on UCF after your comment, and I was floored by the numbers!

UConn percentage living on campus - 72%
UCF percentage living on campus - 16%

How the hell is that possible?!? Wow. So a school of 60k actually only has about 9k on campus? Holy moly...

 

[UConnDan97]

You deal in published numbers not turnstile numbers. The USF actual attendances leak out - they are never close to what is published.

But if you want to claim you won an argument because a couple of times USF maybe had big crowds when they were ranked...

Not sure what your goal is? UCF is one of UConn's best AAC partners? Are you trying to prove UConn is more deserving of an invite elsewhere? No kidding.

I had no other goal than to show that I was shocked at the lack of support for a top25 team in a football-centric state with a giant student population. Nothing more, nothing less. I wasn't interested in proving anything, nor was I interested in trying to win an argument.

Fishy's comment (and my subsequent research) just put everything into perspective for me. It's actually pretty incredible, really...

 

[whaler11]

I had no other goal than to show that I was shocked at the lack of support for a top25 team in a football-centric state with a giant student population. Nothing more, nothing less. I wasn't interested in proving anything, nor was I interested in trying to win an argument.

Fishy's comment (and my subsequent research) just put everything into perspective for me. It's actually pretty incredible, really...

Well then.. carry on.

62-17. A decade from now we'll look back and laugh.

 

[UConnDan97]

Well then.. carry on.

62-17. A decade from now we'll look back and laugh.

I'm still trying to swallow the idea that UCF has about as many people on their campus as St. John's. But the loss....yeah, not gonna be able to swallow that for a while...

 

[Fishy]

How the hell is that possible?!? Wow. So a school of 60k actually only has about 9k on campus? Holy moly...

I think they also have about nine campuses - one of them is in Cocoa Beach which is near Cape Canaveral. That's about 45 minutes from Orlando - they're not coming to the football games!

Clearly, UCF is trying to develop an on-campus atmosphere, but the sheer number of students is indicative of their larger mission of making a college education available to people who might not be able to set the rest of the world aside for four years.

 

[UConnDan97]

I think they also have about nine campuses - one of them is in Cocoa Beach which is near Cape Canaveral. That's about 45 minutes from Orlando - they're not coming to the football games!

Clearly, UCF is trying to develop an on-campus atmosphere, but the sheer number of students is indicative of their larger mission of making a college education available to people who might not be able to set the rest of the world aside for four years.

Well....even with today considered...I still like being partners with them better than I did with Seton Hall...

 

[whaler11]

Well....even with today considered...I still like being partners with them better than I did with Seton Hall...

Agreed. For all of UCF's faults... they are like UConn's third best conference partner. What's better for setting oneself on fire? Propane, gasoline or kerosine?

 

[Adios]

If UCF maintains success and wins key games (and keeps developing the school), I think they'll catch on very well in the Orlando area. Orlando is a pro market and has had multiple professional football franchises, going back to the Florida Blazers of the World Football League in 1974. Of course, all of the leagues failed.

Orlando is definitely getting an MLS franchise.

 

[Exit 4]

I just looked up some info on UCF after your comment, and I was floored by the numbers!

UConn percentage living on campus - 72%
UCF percentage living on campus - 16%

How the hell is that possible?!? Wow. So a school of 60k actually only has about 9k on campus? Holy moly...

So on the spectrum of schools, UCF is rather close to being the U of Phoenix - online. Does UCF have a publically traded stock to boot?
Now I see why not all members of the B12 would not be excited to add UCF.

 

[Hoophound]

In fairness, UCF is in Orlando. The kids live in apartments, condos and houses that they rent or that their parents buy as an investment. It is an urban school with many, many things for college kids to do. However, UCF is quickly becoming a destination school among high school kids. Moving into a better conference and being highly ranked will help build on that.

For now though, UCF has almost no brand value at all. I think schools like SMU and even Tulane could rebuild their brands faster simply because they have alumni with much more pride in their alma mater.

 

[UConnNick]

I just looked up some info on UCF after your comment, and I was floored by the numbers!

UConn percentage living on campus - 72%
UCF percentage living on campus - 16%

How the hell is that possible?!? Wow. So a school of 60k actually only has about 9k on campus? Holy moly...

Ditto for the Universities of Houston, Memphis, South Florida, Cincinnati, Louisville and Temple University. We're a member of the All Commuter U. Conference.

With the notable exception of Louisville (apparently due in part to a maniacal hatred of the U. of Kentucky), and to a much lesser extent Houston, which has a proud athletic past, these schools consist primarily of students who show up for classes and then go home. They have no enduring allegiance to the school. Getting their degree is a means to an end. They could care less about athletics or supporting the school once they graduate. Cincinnati has 40,000 students. 4,700 live on campus. The majority of Louisville's 23,000 students live off campus. Heck, more than half of them probably live at home because over 50% of the student body is from Jefferson County, where the school is located. The rest of them are even worse. Memphis, Temple and the Florida schools have small on-campus student populations, despite all being huge enrollment schools.

 

[Colt house75]

If UCF maintains success and wins key games (and keeps developing the school), I think they'll catch on very well in the Orlando area. Orlando is a pro market and has had multiple professional football franchises, going back to the Florida Blazers of the World Football League in 1974. Of course, all of the leagues failed.

Orlando is definitely getting an MLS franchise.

Agree with you Butch...it will catch on and get bigger in the Orlando area. Yes they had a big win against Louisville...but it will take time. They had 38k in the stands against UCONN...a winless team going nowhere. In two weeks, they play Houston.....they will have 45 to 50 k in the stands. hell, we can \'t get our own fans to go to a game ...to the casual observer... if you were a newby fan of UCF would you want to see a s***ty opponent???.

Second, the #23 ranking is part of the P5 / ESPN and national media staredown. I want everybody to look at UCF and realize they have one loss, by 3 points to #12 South Carolina of the SEC where they came of age. That same Carolina team beat #5 Missouri yesterday by the same margin. UCF is ranked #23 BELOW a Louisville team (#20) the national media is in love with....

No one wants to give UCF any credit except those of us who witness a team and program that is and will be a standard bearer for our conference.
They will rock in the AAC given the recruiting hotbed they live in, excellent coaching, winning tradition, .....as it comes together and the opponents get better and the conference
quits getting dumped on, they will average 50k per game within 2 to 3 years.

Yes....they are a commuting school of 65000 students with 10,000 students actually on campus....but that will not matter because as the alumni base grows, so grows the fans, alumni and non-alumni. It is the non-alumni base and fan area that will be key. Given Orlando support of sports and recreation, games of national attention will come in time and there will not be an empty seat in the house.