MAC and CUSA Say No To UConn Football- Independence Is Next

[Drew]

 

[noeynox]

Thats far from a definite. Of the two i prefer the MAC. Maybe we play 3 to 4 teams in mens and womens bball every year in home and homes for the privilege.

 

[SubbaBub]

Indy, if you can put a decent schedule together an have bowl access is better than MAC, CUSA, or SunBelt. It just is.

 

[Adios]

If we get 3 or more P5 home opponents a year, that would be a huge success.

 

[TRest]

If we get 3 or more P5 home opponents a year, that would be a huge success.

There is no way in hell that is happening.

 

[uconnbill]

This sucks, there is nothing else to say

 

[BlueDogs]

Feeling is mutual. Indy before sliding into the abyss of permanent irrelevance.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

There is no way in hell that is happening.

We use to play a full schedule of teams that are currently P5.

 

[Adios]

There is no way in hell that is happening.

Time shall tell.

 

[OldGoldnBlue]

Extremely foolish move by your president and big money donors. There is no reason to believe that UConn football couldn't be competitive in the AAC. You drop off was solely because of bad coaching hires, the correct hire could have you back competing at the top of the ACC in as little as 2-3 years. Just look at UAB being brought back from the dead for example.

 

[Austin316]

Thank the lord.

 

[Fishy]

Independence is the end of the football program.

 

[B12]

Thats far from a definite. Of the two i prefer the MAC. Maybe we play 3 to 4 teams in mens and womens bball every year in home and homes for the privilege.

The MAC is d-2 level. Seriously most games have a few thousand fans. They average buying over 10k tickets per game just to be in FBS.

There is no upside for UConn or the MAC in that situation.

UConn can make some $ for a couple of years playing road p-5 games but beyond that the likely destination is FCS. Indy won't work for Umass, NMSU, Idaho, or UConn IMO. BYU is making it work, and Liberty is going to get a shot because they have the $.

I suspect Liberty brass is offering a nice check for AAC membership. Would they turn down a few million per team as an entry fee. I guess we shall see as I have no doubt they would pay the FB members to join.

 

[uconnyankee]

Why did Uconn make itself UMass?

Unbelievable....

 

[Hornet22]

There is no way in hell that is happening.

Never say never.
I guess it depends on how FOX values getting their hands on UConn MBB and WBB and the regional viewership. Let’s face it, the UConn to Big East fans will be packing both arenas to watch the old rivalries. Bar activity will increase on game nights (especially the big ones) and home viewership will most certainly increase. FOX is loving this right now. I believe they are working to help craft a good schedule for us- in my opinion, this was a discussion point in the negotiations and UConn probably got some assurances they will be greatly aided as an Indy
My opinion of course.

Also, the UConn brand and value is much greater than Liberty, NMSU etc. more leverage with FOX

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Will Umass start playing at the Rent when it joins the AAC? Closer than Foxboro.

 

[Redding Husky]

Rejected by the MAC. We aren't even good enough for Ball State.

 

[Redding Husky]

Independence is the end of the football program.

And since C-USA and the MAC are not options, our choice is FCS or shut down the program.

Am I reading this correctly?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Rejected by the MAC. We aren't even good enough for Ball State.

Boom goes the dynamite.

 

[Hoophound]

These conferences probably don’t want schools that always have one foot out the door. However, I don’t necessarily believe these conferences don’t want UConn. That seems a little sketchy to me. If I was playing a MAC or CUSA schedule, I would definitely want UConn or another similar school.

 

[Pudge]

Here we are speculating

There’s no way a major institution with a NEW president wings it. MAC? CUSA?? There’s a long term analysis & a 448 page report somewhere. I don’t know what the scheme is ... but it’s not these tidbits

Major project by a new UConn President

 

[StunningSteve]

Maybe now that UConn has so many catholic peers, the church can get Norte Dame to do a scheduling agreement.

 

[SubbaBub]

Here is the challenge, schedule-wise. If we stayed in the AAC for the next 5 years these would be our "marquee" games:

Illinois
Indiana
UCF
Houston
Memphis
Temple
Navy
Purdue
Clemson
NC State
Duke
Boston College

Going independent doesn't really change that list as you can replace UCF/Hou/Mem/Temple/Navy with almost any viable FBS program, Air Force, Wake, Marshall, Buffalo, really any MAC/CUSA schools and low-mid tier P5.

Looking at the OOC list, it seems the AD has been planning for this as a possibility. Games like UMass will always be there, and BC/Cuse/RU/Pitt would be likely willing to swap games every few years. 2023 has three P5 games signed already Duke, NC State, BC. It will be tough to fill out 2020 and 2021. Be prepared for 5/6 home games and games against whomever is available. 2019 is not 2012 or even 2017. The AAC media deal would be a quick death. We are still screwed, but I like that the AD is taking some initiative on this.

The effect on bowl access and recruiting are the negatives. I don't think the losing the AAC schedule matters a whole lot in 2019. We all hated it anyway. Games will be on SNY or some other outlet.

 

[UConnRock]

Is there truly any difference between playing Tulsa, Houston, SMU, Tulane, and Memphis than playing an independent schedule. These teams do not move the needle in measuring fan excitement. When the biggest rivalries are Temple and Cincy the change from AAC to Indy seems relatively small.

 

[CL82]

And since C-USA and the MAC are not options, our choice is FCS or shut down the program.

Am I reading this correctly?

I don’t think so, but this is exactly why the leak yesterday was a kick in the nuts. Having this come out drips and drabs makes us look incredibly bad as an institution. Have we announced it all at once it would’ve seemed more cohesive. If fox doesn’t use its influence to get us a decent independent schedule, we’re screwed. I have to believe, I just have to, that the administration isn’t so foolish as to make this leap without a safety net. We will know soon. But if this is the case I may jump on the whaler I hate Suzy Lax bandwagon.