Yep, completely illogical the relationship between UConn, BC, and ‘Cuse, which is one reason why the Northeast’s college sports scene is such a mess.
I remember travelling up the Green Line to UConn’s first game in Chestnut Hill as a Big E member in 2002 (BC smoked UConn) and I heard talk from some folks within BC that there was concern that UConn football would eclipse BC football as ‘the’ football program in New England. The same folks told me that is why BC bolted to the ACC early in 2005 even in the face of the danger that being a Yankee outpost in a Confederate conference could cause, which proved correct. Then, throw a pair of CT hotheads into the mix in Calhoun and Blumenthal (for way different reasons) and there is the bad blood there. More recently, due to UConn’s increased academic success, UConn alumni have been flocking to NYC in larger numbers. I noticed how the shift has tilted in UConn’s favor at UConn/Syracuse basketball games at MSG over the last few seasons. Syracuse knows that 1) UConn is closer to NYC and 2) UConn is graduating more student than it, so Syracuse had to protect the one major asset it has – NYC, hence the billboards around MSG, Times Square and Yankee stadium proclaiming Syracuse as New York City’s ‘college team.’ Hence the off alliance between Syracuse, Florida State, and Clemson to vote for Louisville over UConn.
Syracuse would do the same to Rutgers in a heartbeat; but, Rutgers has had less support on the field and court than UConn has had. It is very similar to how Villanova has treated Temple in Philly for years.
