Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[UConnJim]

Several of those future dates will probably be canceled within the next year.

With all of the conference realignment going on right now, scheduling should not be a problem in the next few years. Heck, Washington St. and Oregon St. need games for next year. That said, I think UConn needs to play in a conference with access to the CFP money and with bowl tie ins. I'm not excited by the Pac 12 and I would prefer a scheduling arrangement and I don't want to mess up the possibility of joining the ACC or Big 12 so I definitely don't want to sign up for 5 years in the Pac 12.

 

[ninety-nine]

I think the most we will be asked to play is 9 conference games like many other conferences now. At worst, it will be 5 away games plus 4 home games during every other year. I think that's worth it just for football. It will be a few extra hours of flying each day, but once you are on the plane you are on the plane.

I'm not thinking about it in terms of travel distance for road games. I'm thinking about it in terms of wanting to schedule opponents who interest our fan base more, especially for home games. Being able to arrange home-and-homes with Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Duke, etc. has the potential to attract butts to seats that don't get filled for Florida Atlantic and Rice, and won't get filled for UNLV and Utah State. But I suppose a 9-game limit would leave enough room for a home cupcake (probably UMass every other year), and one or two home games with power conference schools.

 

[uconnyankee]

I'm not thinking about it in terms of travel distance for road games. I'm thinking about it in terms of wanting to schedule opponents who interest our fan base more, especially for home games. Being able to arrange home-and-homes with Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Duke, etc. has the potential to attract butts to seats that don't get filled for Florida Atlantic and Rice, and won't get filled for UNLV and Utah State. But I suppose a 9-game limit would leave enough room for a home cupcake (probably UMass every other year), and one or two home games with power conference schools.

Ultimately, not sure this works for all parties…. My mindset is let the process work. If something materializes that could help UConn fine. Doesn’t seem like something worth pursuing heavily.

 

[Hoophound]

I’m a little torn as far as schedule goes. I think the PAC would offer a tough schedule that is better than the AAC and more interesting too. I’m just not sure how fans will feel about it. I’m a football fan, so I can identify it as a good conference with strong programs. I’m not sure if casual fans would or not. The nice thing is when you say Washington St, Oregon St , Utah St etc., it sounds a lot more big time than East Carolina or Tulane to a non-fan.

 

[ScottVib]

I don’t understand why the P4 would care. I’d assume they’d just force the G5 leagues to dilute their playoff distribution by the number of newly elevated programs.

 

[freescooter]

UConn is not going to be the 8th member. They need 8 football + all sports members to count for the FB autobid. Gonzaga/UConn (or Hawaii, etc) doesn’t get it done.

UConn would be #9 if something happened giving them an 8 game conference slate and guaranteeing all members 4 home football games a year (vs 3 then 4 in alternating years).

I don’t think that is right. I think 8 members in all sports except football to be a conference then 8 football teams to get the G5 bid.

 

[WrenchFan69]

 

[Kembafan]

I can’t understand why they didn’t simply merge the two conferences by dissolving the MWC and then invite all of them to join the pac. There were 4 schools they didn’t want I guess. So make a deal with those. I dunno it seems like this should’ve been easier.

 

[WrenchFan69]

I can’t understand why they didn’t simply merge the two conferences by dissolving the MWC and then invite all of them to join the pac. There were 4 schools they didn’t want I guess. So make a deal with those. I dunno it seems like this should’ve been easier.

MWC commish/schools wanted a gigantic slice of the PAC buyout money (from B1G and B12 defectors) to work with Oregon St and Wazzu. Oregon St and Wazzu then thought might as well just buy the top of the MWC, make a play at the AAC, and let the MWC fall apart and pick up the pieces if needed. MWC commish doesn't want to lose her job and the bottom part of the MWC doesn't want to be left behind so they fight to keep the conference alive. Ultimately it ends with both conferences and all the schools being compromised (except maybe Air Force and UNLV with this huge retention bonus).

At this point I think it probably makes more sense for the majority of the schools to wipe the slate clean, agree to a reasonable reverse merger (some PAC buyout money is distributed and Oregon St and Wazzu keep a fair share), and everybody sucks it up. Though it looks like that won't happen, which is seemingly great news for UConn football!

 

[jostar1]

 

[TheDrifter75]

So, if they bring in Gonzaga as a full, as full as can be anyway, and bring in UConn as a football only, would that constitute a full member for the PAC.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I can’t understand why they didn’t simply merge the two conferences by dissolving the MWC and then invite all of them to join the pac. There were 4 schools they didn’t want I guess. So make a deal with those. I dunno it seems like this should’ve been easier.

Everyone in the Pac-12 found a new home except OSU and Wazzou. Goes to show how expensive it is to keep the bottom dwellers of a conference and how little value those bottom dwellers have when a conference is dissected piece by piece.

 

[WrenchFan69]

So, if they bring in Gonzaga as a full, as full as can be anyway, and bring in UConn as a football only, would that constitute a full member for the PAC.

It seems like no based on how the NCAA rule is written and how it's being reported. I would think the PAC now goes after Texas St as a full member

 

[JMick]

I'd have to imagine this is good for us. It leaves them more desperate for a "brand" and they probably only want to add one more full member if they can get Gonzaga for basketball and us for football.

 

[shizzle787]

I'd have to imagine this is good for us. It leaves them more desperate for a "brand" and they probably only want to add one more full member if they can get Gonzaga for basketball and us for football.

They have to add one more full sports member first. Let's hope that Texas State says no, and UTEP says yes. IMO, that is best case scenario.

 

[Chonky]

I'd have to imagine this is good for us. It leaves them more desperate for a "brand" and they probably only want to add one more full member if they can get Gonzaga for basketball and us for football.

“Want” to only add one more member or “can’t”?

PAC needs one more full member and MWC needs two. Where are all these programs gonna come from? Western block of Sun Belt I guess? Are they gonna wanna leave to join the giant cluster that these two leagues have created?

Move up a bunch of FCS schools?

What a mess.

 

[shizzle787]

“Want” to only add one more member or “can’t”?

PAC needs one more full member and MWC needs two. Where are all these programs gonna come from? Western block of Sun Belt I guess? Are they gonna wanna leave to join the giant cluster that these two leagues have created?

Move up a bunch of FCS schools?

What a mess.

The Pac-12 will not add an FCS program. They will target Texas State and then likely UTEP.

 

[Chonky]

The Pac-12 will not add an FCS program. They will target Texas State and then likely UTEP.

My point was there are 3 vacancies between the two conferences. There are only so many bodies to go around. Unless the Sun Belt gets blown up (hey….could happen) and/or FCS gets involved I don’t think either conference will be able to get much past 8-10. Which would be good for us.

UTEP or Texas St…..I’d prefer Texas St if we end up in PAC as well. Much easier to fly into than El Paso. May as well expand into Chihuahua, Mexico at that point.

 

[WrenchFan69]

They have to add one more full sports member first. Let's hope that Texas State says no, and UTEP says yes. IMO, that is best case scenario.

Why do you hope UTEP > Texas St? Texas St has way more upside imo

 

[JMick]

“Want” to only add one more member or “can’t”?

PAC needs one more full member and MWC needs two. Where are all these programs gonna come from? Western block of Sun Belt I guess? Are they gonna wanna leave to join the giant cluster that these two leagues have created?

Move up a bunch of FCS schools?

What a mess.

Sun belt is definitely getting raided. If the new PAC performs well then we will probably see more MWC schools defect in a few years, depending on what their agreement looks like.

 

[shizzle787]

Why do you hope UTEP > Texas St? Texas St has way more upside imo

UTEP has a bigger brand historically and they have a fanbase. They regularly get over 40,000 to games at the Sun Bowl. Also, if we have to do a scheduling agreement for basketball, UTEP is much preferred over Texas State.

 

[shizzle787]

My point was there are 3 vacancies between the two conferences. There are only so many bodies to go around. Unless the Sun Belt gets blown up (hey….could happen) and/or FCS gets involved I don’t think either conference will be able to get much past 8-10. Which would be good for us.

UTEP or Texas St…..I’d prefer Texas St if we end up in PAC as well. Much easier to fly into than El Paso. May as well expand into Chihuahua, Mexico at that point.

Sure. I don’t see either going much past 10. 8 is too small though, especially for basketball.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I am sure there is no interest in adding another AQ, but given the P4's track record in court, they may want to cool their jets on leaks about not distributing any more money.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Can't tell just how "key" this guy is, but it would really be something if the AAC took Texas St before the PAC or MWC could grab them.

 

[CL82]

UTEP or Texas St…..I’d prefer Texas St if we end up in PAC as well. Much easier to fly into than El Paso. May as well expand into Chihuahua, Mexico at that point

For what it's worth, the big 12 had a plan to expand into Mexico...