Big 12 Pushing For UConn Part Deux!

[businesslawyer]

I agree for most part. The longer Big 12 waits, less likely UConn is next target. Doesn’t mean UConn won’t be next, just means others have to decide against Big 12.

What I don’t understand is ACC. We’re in their backyard. We would make ACC top BB conference by far. Academically it’s a fit.
They are dying on the vine.

You’d think they would work with ESPN to get UConn into fold. But instead they have nothing. Just proves they are all stuck for next 13 years just staying on current path.

One of the silly oversimplifications that goes on here is that folks assume because something is the key driver for one conference, it will be the key driver for another. If and when the ACC wants to move to fortify hoops -- and that day might come if FSU and Clemson leave and their hoops slippage is more than temporary -- they will want us. Today, FSU and Clemson are still sitting there yelling football, football, football, and those schools probably hold the key to the conference. The ACC is not making a move to drive basketball anytime soon. And, the ACC taking us gets it into Connecticut but it's already in New England and the Northeast. They get much, much less of new exposure from us than the Big XII would.

 

[uconnyankee]

One of the silly oversimplifications that goes on here is that folks assume because something is the key driver for one conference, it will be the key driver for another. If and when the ACC wants to move to fortify hoops -- and that day might come if FSU and Clemson leave and their hoops slippage is more than temporary -- they will want us. Today, FSU and Clemson are still sitting there yelling football, football, football, and those schools probably hold the key to the conference. The ACC is not making a move to drive basketball anytime soon. And, the ACC taking us gets it into Connecticut but it's already in New England and the Northeast. They get much, much less of new exposure from us than the Big XII would.

I get all that.
But Clemson and FSU are gone. It would seem an interesting case to be made if they are moving to unequal revenue to let UConn come in at reduced rate and carry its own weight for a few years. Sure football needs some Mora Magic, but what better time to do that. You’ve got 10+ years.

Don’t expect Uconn to be some miracle pill in 10 years after you’ve done everything to prevent its football progress. And, it’s likely Uconn would contribute on bb side with NYC exposure, tourney credits, and geography.

Yes every conference has different value props. But I don’t see how UConn is more valuable to Big 12 than ACC. I get the whole football thing. I just think the difference is Yormark is willing to sell value of BB and has a plan to do just that where ACC is paralyzed with placating members for fear of defection. Big 12 is also a fb first conference don’t forget. Clemson and FSU views are shared by Okie State, TT, and TCU.

 

[CL82]

Haha, I don't miss mbb games so yes I know that. I also know we are 1-6 all time vs Creighton. And yet we are still seen as the face of the Big East. That dynamic is largely due to our history. People still think of Kemba's buzzer beater when they think of the Big East and BET.

Building a rapport that usurps Kansas for that position in the B12 will be tough. Even if we play the role of Creighton and beat them a bunch.

That said, bring it on

Ha ha, I wanted to like this but your last sentence made me puke a little in my mouth.

Son, we are the five time national champion Connecticut Huskies in the reigning national champ. When that's your résumé…

 

[superjohn]

UConn is a G5 Independent to put it bluntly. CO is a P5 albeit recently having their struggles. The levels are different. You are measuring apples and oranges. Let's see how Deion does before he gets the crown of program savior.

You're the one who brought UConn/Mora into it.

 

[auggie22]

I think the B12 calculations on Oregon and UW are complex. B12 is the hunter now because they are stable. If they add teams who they know will leave (if they believe as many do that those teams are destined for B1G) then they are creating instability down the road. The next time the ACC may be the hunter.

 

[businesslawyer]

I get all that.
But Clemson and FSU are gone. It would seem an interesting case to be made if they are moving to unequal revenue to let UConn come in at reduced rate and carry its own weight for a few years. Sure football needs some Mora Magic, but what better time to do that. You’ve got 10+ years.

Don’t expect Uconn to be some miracle pill in 10 years after you’ve done everything to prevent its football progress. And, it’s likely Uconn would contribute on bb side with NYC exposure, tourney credits, and geography.

Yes every conference has different value props. But I don’t see how UConn is more valuable to Big 12 than ACC. I get the whole football thing. I just think the difference is Yormark is willing to sell value of BB and has a plan to do just that where ACC is paralyzed with placating members for fear of defection. Big 12 is also a fb first conference don’t forget. Clemson and FSU views are shared by Okie State, TT, and TCU.

LOL. You've made my point fairly well as to why I still don't think a Big XII invite is coming. But we'll see.

 

[CL82]

One of the silly oversimplifications that goes on here is that folks assume because something is the key driver for one conference, it will be the key driver for another. If and when the ACC wants to move to fortify hoops -- and that day might come if FSU and Clemson leave and their hoops slippage is more than temporary -- they will want us. Today, FSU and Clemson are still sitting there yelling football, football, football, and those schools probably hold the key to the conference. The ACC is not making a move to drive basketball anytime soon. And, the ACC taking us gets it into Connecticut but it's already in New England and the Northeast. They get much, much less of new exposure from us than the Big XII would.

Is the ACC in the northeast in New England? Other than us I can't think of a New England school that plays meaningful basketball.

Fully agree, though, that the "realignment key factor" drifts like smoke in the wind. In any event, if ESPN wanted us in the ACC, we'd be there. Likewise if ESPN wants us in the big 12, we will get in. There will be nothing altruistic about it, if it happens, it will just be in their corporate interest. (Fully aware that fox has a share of big 12 games)

 

[kemba]

That’s what McMurphy believes. But the Athletic reported something different.

We will find out here pretty soon.

Didn’t the athletic come to the same conclusion? The article included a lot of positive stuff about UConn and why Yormark values us but ultimately I read it as he’ll push hard for us only if the pac 12 schools say no.

 

[RSTuthill]

I think UConn is above G5. We are one of two former BCS schools not currently in P5 conference.
It’s clear the power players put an ‘*’ next to us but you can’t take away the history in Big East football. And while most said it would take a decade at least, UConn became competitive very quickly.
Then the BCS tag was taken away and UConn let the program flounder through three bad coaches.

Certainly that case could be made. But even if we take last year's football results as the measure of current status, they are no better than mid level G5. And that is how UConn is currently perceived. BB does not move the needle on that perception.

 

[RSTuthill]

You're the one who brought UConn/Mora into it.

Your point?

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think the B12 calculations on Oregon and UW are complex. B12 is the hunter now because they are stable. If they add teams who they know will leave (if they believe as many do that those teams are destined for B1G) then they are creating instability down the road. The next time the ACC may be the hunter.

Let's be real. There is no calculation for the Big XII, its a calculation for Washington and Oregon. Washington and Oregon elevate the conference dramatically. They're counting on what, Cinci, TCU, Houston and maybe a resurgent Colorado on the football side? Each of those first 3 has flirted with playoff/title contention in the last decade but none have been consistent. OK State and K-State are reliably good, not great. Baylor is up and down.

UConn needs to hope that Washington and Oregon stay put and wish for B1G expansion.

 

[ZooCougar]

Didn’t the athletic come to the same conclusion? The article included a lot of positive stuff about UConn and why Yormark values us but ultimately I read it as he’ll push hard for us only if the pac 12 schools say no.

The sense I got from the Athletic was that we were part of Plan A.

 

[uconnyankee]

Certainly that case could be made. But even if we take last year's football results as the measure of current status, they are no better than mid level G5. And that is how UConn is currently perceived. BB does not move the needle on that perception.

I forget, how long has it been since we beat a Top 25 team

 

[GG]

I forget, how long has it been since we beat a Top 25 team.

I forget, how long has it been since we beat a Top 25 team

When we beat Houston at the Rent back in 2015?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm pretty sure Liberty was ranked somewhere around 20 when we beat them last fall

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I'm pretty sure Liberty was ranked somewhere around 20 when we beat them last fall

They were. And they had just beat Arkansas on the road.

 

[RSTuthill]

I'm pretty sure Liberty was ranked somewhere around 20 when we beat them last fall

Yup but not in the final rankings. And that didn't suddenly change UConn into more than a middle G5. And that in itself was a helluva step up. The prior year UConn was at lower middle FCS.

 

[greenday61892]

You’d think they would work with ESPN to get UConn into fold. But instead they have nothing. Just proves they are all stuck for next 13 years just staying on current path.

hahahahahahahaha ESPN help UConn? Not a snowball's chance in hell

 

[businesslawyer]

They were. And they had just beat Arkansas on the road.

Fourth win all time against a ranked team.

USF at home our Charlotte bowl game, Big East co-championship year (I think '07).
At Louisville, in a game where our QB got knocked out and Johnny Mac came in, in I think '12.
Houston at home, our one bowl year under Diaco.
Liberty at home last year.

We don't have a coach who has won a second game against a ranked team. Will this be the year that changes?

 

[Bongo Fury]

When the ACC says they are interested in expanding I believe they are thinking PAC schools and possibly WV. Not sure where UConn fits in their desires. Would be cool to have the OBE back together but very doubtful at the moment.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Yup but not in the final rankings. And that didn't suddenly change UConn into more than a middle G5. And that in itself was a helluva step up. The prior year UConn was at lower middle FCS.

Yeah, like a team would still get votes after losing to us......

 

[superjohn]

Your point?

It's understandable why there is hype surrounding Deion at Colorado, he's already bringing in a bunch of 4 star recruits and a couple 5 stars.

You brought up Mora, I don't see how he has anything to do with the hype surrounding Deion and Colorado.

 

[JMick]

It's understandable why there is hype surrounding Deion at Colorado, he's already bringing in a bunch of 4 star recruits and a couple 5 stars.

You brought up Mora, I don't see how he has anything to do with the hype surrounding Deion and Colorado.

Deion is shiny object syndrome. Sure he's recruiting talented players. Look at how that's going for Jimbo. There's a lot more to cfb than recruiting

 

[nelsonmuntz]

When the ACC says they are interested in expanding I believe they are thinking PAC schools and possibly WV. Not sure where UConn fits in their desires. Would be cool to have the OBE back together but very doubtful at the moment.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

The ACC is never adding WVU.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

At this point, my hope is Oregon, Washington, Cal, and Stanford somehow keep the Arizona schools in line and get the PAC-9 to hold it together long enough to get a media deal. After that, I hope the PAC-9 expands with SDSU, SMU, Tulane/UNLV. The only thing that can screw this up is if B1G decides to take Oregon and Washington now. I am hoping that's not the case because media companies aren't willing to pony up additional $200M just for those 2 schools. Phil Knight isn't interested in the B12. He wants the B1G for Oregon. Hopefully, the new PAC-12 can hold it together for a few years before B1G makes their next move and take Oregon, Washington, Cal, and Stanford.

The above scenario is our best chance to be #14 for the B12.