Actually, you were still playing football in your mom's backyard in those days, but yes, they did. A couple times. We won the Big East more times than you did, and we did it when Miami and Va Tech were still in the conference. Not the watered down version that allowed you guys in as replacements.
Neither SU, nor UConn have been nationally relevant in football since UConn moved to BCS/D-1A. Cuse has history before then though, which I don't think anyone would disagree with.
At this point in time neither UConn nor SU football are relevant in terms of national championship contention, neither are in the SEC/Pac/B1G, nor named Notre Dame.
SU does belong to the better league, but one still pretty far from the top league. Also it is not a forgone conclusion that this means SU will actually accomplish anything in the league they are now in, or even more than UConn will.
Maybe UConn will end up like Memphis, or maybe it will end up like Boise St. Maybe SU will end up like VaTech, or maybe it will end up like BC.
Would you rather be Boise St. or BC in football? I think Boise St. right now, you could argue BC makes more money, but Boise St. actually wins games and is part of the conversation. Obviously you would rather be VaTech than Memphis in football, though I'd argue Memphis in basketball, even though they are in a conference that pays a ton less.