Conference Realignment: WAC/ASUN Football Only Conference

[Chin Diesel]

UConn's best hope to be in any respectable conference is a collapse of the ACC. I'd see the B10/B12/SEC divving up the scraps to get up to 18-20 teams. 20 is a magic number as you can play the 9 conf games in division every year and then have your ship game.

B10 East:
1. Maryland
2. PSU
3. Duke
4. UVA
5. UNC
6. Michigan
7. Ohio State
8. Rutgers
9. IU
10. Va Tech (this is ND's spot if they want it, don't think they give up Indy with the 12 team CFP now).

B10 West:
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Wisco
4. Illinois
5. Iowa
6. Minnesota
7. Nebraska
8. NW
9. Purdue
10. Wisco

SEC East:
1. Florida
2. UGA
3. SC
4. Kentucky
5. Tennessee
6. Vandy
7. Clemson
8. FSU
9. Miami
10. Ga Tech?

SEC West:
1. Bama
2. Ark
3. Auburn
4. LSU
5. Ole Miss
6. Miss St
7. A&M
8. OU
9. Texas
10. Mizzou

B12 East:
1. WVU
2. UCF
3. Cincy
4. Lville
5. Pitt
6. NC State
7. Wake
8. BC
9. Cuse
10. UConn*

B12 West:
1. Baylor
2. ISU
3. Kansas
4. KSU
5. OK State
6. TCU
7. Texas Tech
8. BYU
9. Houston
10. Colorado*

We're still left out in the cold if the B12/B10 goes into the P12 rather than divvy up the ACC schools. I'd sign up for B12 East in football no doubt -- but depends how badly B12 wants to get to 20 teams to get on that SEC/B10 level. Add us to B12 East and maybe they can poach Colorado to bring em back to B12 West with Coach Prime. For bball, if you want to keep that 20 conf game magic number, play all the teams in B12 East twice (so 18 games) and then add 2 rotating from the other side? I'd sign up for that B12 East basketball schedule in all sports...hybrid OBE, no one is too far, solid balance, etc. B12 Baseball conference wouldn't be that bad either...

This is somewhat the more realistic path going forward except some of those 60 will be tier 1 programs getting bucket loads of money and some will be more like affiliate or associate members taking a smaller paycheck but having the security and protection of an overarching organization for TV and olympic sports.

 

[Urcea]

Corresponding moves in parenthesis. I will say I would much prefer the ACC invite, lol.

Starting Four:
1. UConn
2. UMass
3. Buffalo (MAC -> A10)
4. Delaware (from FCS)

Easier Options:
1. Army - I think Army might prefer independence. It would be hard to get them without a good TV deal (in terms of exposure, not money)
2. Villanova (from FCS) - Would have to be induced to be in a good spot with this league

Unlikely Options:
1. ECU - This league's deal and whatever league they end up in for Olympics would have to beat the ~$6m AAC payout, which seems like it might be a hard sell.
2. Temple - See above. They're in a worse spot than ECU but I don't think they're going to forego cash to play a NE football schedule.

Doesn't Make Sense Options:
1. Marshall - Somewhat fits the footprint but Sun Belt will probably be a better league and they just joined
2. James Madison - See Marshall
3. Old Dominion - See Marshall

Backfill options to get to 8:
1. Western Kentucky - Not really in the footprint but could prob benefit financially from league and they tried to leave CUSA
2. Middle Tennessee - See WKU
3. Akron/Toledo/etc - We're now basically losing the point of doing this exercise

 

[businesslawyer]

Because half of those "conference games" have proven to be duds for UConn fans. UConn fans aren't showing up for Memphis, ECU, FAU. Might get some for Temple. Oddly enough, USF is the group UConn has the best history of significant games and wins.

What are you comparing this to? Have you seen our schedule at home for the next few years?

 

[PNolanFan]

I just have no interest in a conference if it is worse than the american (this is way worse than the american). It was a disaster for our program, I would almost rather drop down then join that mess. For me it really comes down to moving up in the case of an ACC implosion or continuing as an independent

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Obviously, we would like to be at a P-5 level, as it exists today. But failing that, and we don't have control over it, if you can do football only conferences, and play everything else where you are, there are six FBS teams in the Northeast that are not P-5: UConn, UMass, Army, Navy, Buffalo and Temple. Add upgrading FCS schools like 'Nova, Delaware or New Hampshire, expand the region and include Marshall and ECU, go to Florida and add USF and FAU -- all things that give you the ability to have a FBS level conference that is geographically reasonable and allows football to survive without leaving the Big East.

Because while chaos is an opportunity, it isn't always good and we do have to be ready for the day that the P-5 reduces the number of games it wants to have with G-5 schools.

I doubt UNH or Maine will ever upgrade to FBS, so I think those will be NO, Delaware and Nova might, Richmond would be nice. FAU 9r USF would be great...

 

[HuskyDogArt]

UConn
UMass
Army
Navy
Temple
USF
ECU
Memphis

Let’s get it done.

That looks like a revamped AAC league...

 

[SubbaBub]

If you discount all other sports outside of football, you could justify something like:

URI
William & Mary
Richmond
Towson
Fordham
Maine
Monmouth
Delaware
Albany
New Hampshire
CCSU
UCONN
Army
UMASS
Sacred Heart
Charleston

2 8 team divisions.

Now you're just being silly.

 

[Nostical]

Bad idea. What some of you don’t get is that the supermodel coming over to your house isn’t a pipe dream if you’ve got something to attract her. Let’s stop with the inferiority complex. I believe something is afoot in the ACC that may produce a breech in the GOR stranglehold—and UConn is a main attraction for them—according to BC and others. Perhaps our beauty queen has seen us in a short robe with a glass of single malt. Don’t settle for the lonely hearts club.

 

[SubbaBub]

Good God. Of course that's what we want. But you can't spend your life waiting for the supermodel to come to your house and do you.

So long as the wife doesn't find out. I can wait.

This idea that UConn needs to join a non-P5 conference is morbidly outdated. Unless the ACC wants to kick Miami, FSU, Pitt, Cuse, BC, VT and UL to the curb or vice versa, we are better being an independent with a larger pool of quality, emphasize quality, of other independents with friendly scheduling agreements.

The power of a conference is in the media money. These G5 and sub-G5 schools don't bring additional money no matter how you slice them.

I'm now certain that Dave is referring to more programs going independent if their FB fortunes are not up to expectations.

We may yet see a superleague break away from the rest and take the CFP / cable money with them. In that case the P5 leftovers will need to decide how to respond. Without the big money, they may find reconstituting the old regional conferences is best but it has rarely worked out that cleanly.

There would still be haves and have nots among the rejected set and those schools will independently assess how far flung and all sports conference needs to be before separating FB. If the new Tobacco Road Conference wants to take UConn BB and is willing to travel here once a year then we will jump on the chance for all of our teams to travel their 10 times as often. If it's the Zombie AAC, then no.

Under no circumstances will we ever be in a FB conference with Buffalo. I don't comprehend how others on this board can consider that anything but a joke.

 

[businesslawyer]

we are better being an independent with a larger pool of quality, emphasize quality, of other independents with friendly scheduling agreements.

You keep saying we'd be better off with options that don't exist. No one disagrees that what you want would be better. But we're going to be down to about 4 independents by next year, and we can't make other schools be independent.

 

[noeynox]

You keep saying we'd be better off with options that don't exist. No one disagrees that what you want would be better. But we're going to be down to about 4 independents by next year, and we can't make other schools be independent.

Yeah, I don't get what people don't understand. BYU, Liberty and New Mexico State are joining conferences. One of the independents, Notre Dame isn't really independent as far as their schedule flexibility. With conferences expanding their numbers it may get more difficult to schedule games later in the year.

 

[huskymedic]

You keep saying we'd be better off with options that don't exist. No one disagrees that what you want would be better. But we're going to be down to about 4 independents by next year, and we can't make other schools be independent.

Yeah, I don't get what people don't understand. BYU, Liberty and New Mexico State are joining conferences. One of the independents, Notre Dame isn't really independent as far as their schedule flexibility. With conferences expanding their numbers it may get more difficult to schedule games later in the year.

Army wrestling w/ the same predicament: 12/8/22 - Army ponders how long it can remain independent in football

-> The question considered at Army at the end of each season: Would moving to a conference and the chance at greater financial stability and exposure the program could use again be worth the loss of its independence?

“The realignment certainly gets your attention,” Army athletic director Mike Buddie said. “We weigh that option every year. We value our independence so much, it just hasn’t made sense for us up to this point. But the shifting tides of conference realignment, expanded college football playoff, all those things could play a factor in re-evaluating.” <-

-> “I like the fact that we are able to play a number of different teams each year and that the schedule changes,” he said. “We can play teams from all over the country and have the flexibility to play Power Five teams. I think there’s a value to that. But at some point, it may be unavoidable. For right now, I like where we’re at.” <-

 

[Patman]

I think football moving to a playoff system, even if its only top 12, and the expansion of the bowl framework is enabling this in some form. FCS/1AA was supposed to give something for these schools to play for. But they're forgoing this and doing this more and more? Something don't smell right. The bowl infrastructure can't keep expanding to accomodate it without bowls becoming purely meaningless.

Some weird sands are shifting.

 

[Kolumbo]

Doi it. Do it.

Some folks are so hung up on the way it is today and revenue. Point is, change one thing, and who knows what chain of events ensues.

And what's so special about the MAC? Buffalo should want to get out of there heck maybe even Ohio or Miami would want to focus east instead of the B1G footprint. I think Buffalo would be smart to start associating with basketball schools and if the A-10 wasn't already standing room only...

UCONN
UMass
Buffalo
Temple
Rutgers
Syracuse
Pitt
Delaware
Maryland
Army
Navy
WVU
Va Tech
NC State
if they ask nicely
Cinci
L-Ville
BCU

 

[Slasher]

Why are we dreaming up impossible scenarios? Maryland leaving the B1G? Not going to happen. Sure we could definitely see football only conferences. But I think it's far more likely to happen at the G5 level. And there's basically no reason the ACC is going to disband. They'll do what every conference does that loses members. Replace them. The only real exception could be the Pac-12. If the B1G dips back in it's very likely some other defect to the Big 12. But the ACC would have to lose so many members for it to disband. 8 schools aren't leaving that conference and getting into the B1G or the SEC.

 

[Stinger92860]

Geography wont matter for a football only conference. It’s only 12 games a year and for any one school, 6 charters. So we do not need to be confined to the northeast. As an extreme, we could join the PAC for football, a flight is still a flight. Trucking the equipment is another story.

 

[noeynox]

Why are we dreaming up impossible scenarios? Maryland leaving the B1G? Not going to happen. Sure we could definitely see football only conferences. But I think it's far more likely to happen at the G5 level. And there's basically no reason the ACC is going to disband. They'll do what every conference does that loses members. Replace them. The only real exception could be the Pac-12. If the B1G dips back in it's very likely some other defect to the Big 12. But the ACC would have to lose so many members for it to disband. 8 schools aren't leaving that conference and getting into the B1G or the SEC.

Yeah I can't even read long posts of way out there scenarios. This isn't 2012 anymore. I wish the 3 independents weren't joining conferences, but they are. Independents should play each other layer in the year when conference games are in full swing.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

That looks like a revamped AAC league...

Not even that good.

 

[UCFBfan]

I just have no interest in a conference if it is worse than the american (this is way worse than the american). It was a disaster for our program, I would almost rather drop down then join that mess. For me it really comes down to moving up in the case of an ACC implosion or continuing as an independent

I would say that the AAC was a disaster for our basketball programs and not our football program. The only thing that that was a disaster for our football team in the AAC was ourselves.

 

[UCFBfan]

Geography wont matter for a football only conference. It’s only 12 games a year and for any one school, 6 charters. So we do not need to be confined to the northeast. As an extreme, we could join the PAC for football, a flight is still a flight. Trucking the equipment is another story.

I didn't actually think about this. I was very hung up on the idea of needing a regional conference. I know it's far fetched but with UCLA and USC leaving and not too many enticing options to backfill with, exposure on the East Coast wouldn't be a bad thing.....

 

[YoungFree]

UConn
UMass
Army
Navy
Temple
USF
ECU
Memphis

Let’s get it done.

That looks familiar and we left that...

 

[ScottVib]

Sure we could definitely see football only conferences. But I think it's far more likely to happen at the G5 level.

This is the scenario that makes sense to me. For example C-USA's current configuration runs from Lynchburg to Las Cruces. For football that's no big deal, it's at most one trip a week. For everything else (including basketball) that's terrible. Why are they doing it? Well it's for an all-sports deal that is worth just a little more than an independent UConn got for football alone (mid-cycle where they were searching for one win a season). The money isn't there for the low G5s in particular.

Even the AAC based on their current split, the majority of their deal is in football. If they remained a football alliance schools like Temple would have an opportunity to find a more reasonable (or more traditional) home for basketball and the non-revenue sports. The A-10 would boost their basketball profile and provide them a better hoops conference than they'll have left after Houston and Cincinnati leave.

 

[History Geek]

I’m sitting here watching Army-Navy wishing we played them both every year.

 

[noeynox]

I would say that the AAC was a disaster for our basketball programs and not our football program. The only thing that that was a disaster for our football team in the AAC was ourselves.

I don't know man, I had season tickets from season 1 till year 1 of Diaco. Yeah, we sucked, but it was a chore to go watch games against AAC opponents. It never felt that way against, Pitt, SU, RU etc. Probably just me though.

 

[UCFBfan]

I don't know man, I had season tickets from season 1 till year 1 of Diaco. Yeah, we sucked, but it was a chore to go watch games against AAC opponents. It never felt that way against, Pitt, SU, RU etc. Probably just me though.

I'm not disagreeing with you on that. I'm just saying that playing those schools didn't do anything to harm our program. Our attendance plummeted because we were one of the worst programs in FBS. Coaching hurt our program, not the conference.