Conf USA in Talks with UConn, Liberty, NMSU

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I wish I was as confident as you that is what it is. There may be more going on than we know about.

Doubt it highly.

 

[CT Football]

In my opinion… if we joined CUSA as football only…. and it’s a 8 or 9 team league (so we get to still do 4 good of conference games) kept our tv contract with CBSSN - it might not be a bad place to rebuild … we would be a big fish and could dictate a lot… CUSA is just trying to stay alive right now … also no exit fees…. So maybe that’s what Benedict is thinking….

 

[metsfan2323]

In my opinion… if we joined CUSA as football only…. and it’s a 8 or 9 team league (so we get to still do 4 good of conference games) kept our tv contract with CBSSN - it might not be a bad place to rebuild … we would be a big fish and could dictate a lot… CUSA is just trying to stay alive right now … also no exit fees…. So maybe that’s what Benedict is thinking….

Yup, as all of the independent schools get scooped up its going to become very difficult to put together a schedule in October and November. The landscape is shifting all around us and we don't want to be left out in the cold.

 

[ScottVib]

The funny thing about some of these tweets is they talk about firming up C-USA to be able to "get" UMass for football only. UMass has all but begged to be invited as a football only member. People without insight to UConn's thinking are continuing to make assumptions.

 

[Pudge]

It should be obvious: UConn's position is firmly against a FB conference whereby we are united with wings of FB playing Universities that are geographically far from home & clearly not aligned with our Brand/Profile. We are best as a hoop centric school with MSG + a football program that emerges with a winning record in the next few years. If UMass thinks (or their fans think), we have any lever to push to get into that central southern mess, they don't know our path. We didn't crap out of the MAC; we tried and overwhelmingly chose to scoot the AAC - a far better league. The writing was on the wall: WE were not going to get a P5 slot through that path.

I want our fellow stakeholders to also swallow this: WE are not going to get scooped up by the current structure at B1G or ACC. And North Dakota State ain't going MW. It is just not in the cards; we didn't miss by much. But we did miss. However, my guess is the Opportunity Window may open. Because as the money gets bigger and bigger, I think the Texas/OK move also signals that about 15-20 schools think they are better than the other 45. As this Cincinnati dismissal in the polls also portray. The Oligarchy is rising. They will go to $70m a University in SEC or B1G ... and think: Why the heck are we pulling along Vandy. Duke. Northwestern. etc. The Alabama - Georgia greed mixed with Texas + Texas A&M is toxic. And the opening is when they nudge a new tier. UConn healthy in football can be in the slot to play the Rutgers and VaTech again.

I - a child of the 60s and 70s - believe that we can pull back and other things can work. Temple? Buffalo? Their world got tougher. An appealing Football alliance can emerge. But I do think we need the current Northeast FCS to think that the earthquake is snapping. The distinction between FBS + FCS in the Northeast keeps us, Buffalo UMass from natural rivals that Delaware, Villanova and other emerging programs could be. Why do we see JMU follow Coastal, App State and about 10 others get to FBS and get good; with a resulting flow of more money more money. And that won't translate to our region? You might say the old Yankee Conference foes are just happy as is. But that doesn't answer for Stony Brook. Albany, Towson. Change can come.

 

[Waquoit]

… or Gene DeFillippo (which actually makes sense too).

No doubt in my mind it was the Flipper. Sphincters make sphincter comments.

 

[Blades]

 

[ScottVib]

It's a multi-level marketing scheme.. if each of them can find a new member or two they get a portion of their entrance fees.. and might have a viable conference

 

[shizzle787]

If UMass does not make the cut as a football-only for C-USA, I would not be surprised if they drop down to FCS. I'm 50/50 on if that would be a good thing for us as we would have a guaranteed game with them if they stayed up but lose recruiting competition if they went down.

 

[Kolumbo]

I feel like there would be some potential solution with regional programs who are all in less than ideal situations:

UCONN
UMass
Buffalo
Temple

Maybe Buffalo is content in the MAC. The only sensible solution would be a football only conference but that is not possible.

 

[Kolumbo]

The Sun Belt would be an option if it decided to add two football only schools and go to 16. ODU, JMU, Marshall, App State, Coastal Carolina are close enough.

 

[Slasher]

You have to remember that have to get to 8 all-conference members first before they can consider adding football only members.