OT: UConn talks to Pac-12 for FB only membership

[Hskies4Ever]

If Memphis joins, it means UConn wants to join the Pac-12 in football. And it means the rest of the BE membership is 1. Hedging ahead of UConn joining a P4, 2. Hoping the football situation will placate UConn, or 3. They (rightly) see expansion as a key to the conference’s future and see an opportunity to draw in basketball school that have FBS football that can go to the Pac.

 

[bendm]

If Memphis joins, it means UConn wants to join the Pac-12 in football. And it means the rest of the BE membership is 1. Hedging ahead of UConn joining a P4, 2. Hoping the football situation will placate UConn, or 3. They (rightly) see expansion as a key to the conference’s future and see an opportunity to draw in basketball school that have FBS football that can go to the Pac.

That’s the best case scenario. The worst case is that Memphis joins the BE and then the PAC takes them as a football only member. It Sounds like the PAC is only looking for 1 football only member right now…If that happens we’d still be Indy when Memphis gets their big12 invite in a couple years.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

That’s the best case scenario. The worst case is that Memphis joins the BE and then the PAC takes them as a football only member. It Sounds like the PAC is only looking for 1 football only member right now…If that happens we’d still be Indy when Memphis gets their big12 invite in a couple years.

Remember, Memphis has an exit fee that they would need to pay for. If I remember correctly Memphis and Tulane pretty much said no to the PAC in the fall because the money didn’t add up. Not sure a FB-only share helps on that end. Plus the Big East in theory could require a smaller share if Memphis were to join.

 

[bendm]

Remember, Memphis has an exit fee that they would need to pay for. If I remember correctly Memphis and Tulane pretty much said no to the PAC in the fall because the money didn’t add up. Not sure a FB-only share helps on that end. Plus the Big East in theory could require a smaller share if Memphis were to join.

True but I can’t explain the Memphis to the BE talk unless their end goal is to join the PAC for football too. Maybe they were waiting to see who joined the PAC. I really like the schools they settled on, all the state universities west of Texas minus San Jose and NMSU which have always stunk, plus Gonzaga. I’d prefer they add Sacramento St as football only over Memphis. Seems like they’re serious about FBS football.

 

[Purple Stein]

UConn should oppose adding Memphis unless they get the option, and want to, join them in the PAC for football only. If a B12 isn’t imminent, maybe they should if exit fees for a P4 are low enough.

So basically we're talking about the PAC East? What a world.

 

[KryHavok]

So basically we're talking about the PAC East? What a world.

No zanier than having an ACC West...

That said, I'd be okay with scheduling 1-2 games with the PAC in football (if it's 2 games a year, then 1 game should be at home), which isn't crazy considering we played against Fresno State and Utah State over the past several years. This way we get to play among the better G6 teams while looking to see if Big12 ever gets their act together and actually invites us.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

No zanier than having an ACC West...

That said, I'd be okay with scheduling 1-2 games with the PAC in football (if it's 2 games a year, then 1 game should be at home), which isn't crazy considering we played against Fresno State and Utah State over the past several years. This way we get to play among the better G6 teams while looking to see if Big12 ever gets their act together and actually invites us.

I'd much rather schedule games along/closer to our eastern seaboard recruiting grounds and where more of our alumns are located.

 

[freescooter]

I'd much rather schedule games along/closer to our eastern seaboard recruiting grounds and where more of our alumns are located.

We have at Rice and Air Force (H) this year. At Air Force and at Wyoming next year. Both are in PAC footprint.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

We have at Rice and Air Force (H) this year. At Air Force and at Wyoming next year. Both are in PAC footprint.

Yeah, and I'd say not optimal but that's life as an independent/outside a P* conference.

 

[businesslawyer]

1. As an Independent, we have no reason to believe that P-4 schools will still be willing to play us in the future. It works for eastern schools not really looking for a berth in the playoffs now. If conference games increase, or if even conference bottom feeders are forced to increase their SOS to help the conference leaders, who knows.

2. Joining the new PAC means 4 road trips of distance a year. The exhausting part of air travel is not the time spent in the air. It’s travel to and from airports, having to be there early, getting luggage, etc. Given that the football team plays once a week, if that means 3 extra times a year our flights are 3 hours longer each way, that just doesn’t seem like a huge deal.

Which means that IF the economics work, and IF it would increase our SOS, it would make sense as a football only.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

1. As an Independent, we have no reason to believe that P-4 schools will still be willing to play us in the future. It works for eastern schools not really looking for a berth in the playoffs now. If conference games increase, or if even conference bottom feeders are forced to increase their SOS to help the conference leaders, who knows.

2. Joining the new PAC means 4 road trips of distance a year. The exhausting part of air travel is not the time spent in the air. It’s travel to and from airports, having to be there early, getting luggage, etc. Given that the football team plays once a week, if that means 3 extra times a year our flights are 3 hours longer each way, that just doesn’t seem like a huge deal.

Which means that IF the economics work, and IF it would increase our SOS, it would make sense as a football only.

#1 can cut both ways in terms of whether teams will be looking to increase or decrease their SOS. Will be interesting to see what emphasis the CFP selection criteria puts on SOS.

#2 Going 3 time zones away and often to high altitude locations doesn't help the week of the western game nor the recovery for the next game. I'd much rather travel up and down the eastern seaboard. To say nothing about recruiting ground and alumni relations advantages over heading out west for a third of the schedule. If it's for P* games, then you suck it up but if not then I hard pass. The P* travel game will at least drive some more tv eyeballs but a G* Pac game nope.

 

[uconndogs]

I don't think it's sustainable and I don't think a lot of what's going on is sustainable. I have to believe that Stanford and Cal will eventually want out of the lunacy that is their current conference affiliation. My sense is that UCONN needs to hold on for a bit longer for the next major shoe to drop, probably the ACC splintering. Even with that, I don't think the overall college athletic landscape is sustainable with revenue sharing and NIL. At some point payroll costs need to be capped in order for any of this to be ........... sustainable.

 

[freescooter]

I'd much rather schedule games along/closer to our eastern seaboard recruiting grounds and where more of our alumns are located.

I’d much rather be playing Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Louisville, Vir gina Tech, Rutgers, Cincinnati, West Virginia in all sports every year but neither of our rathers are happening. If the money makes sense joining the PAC for football only would too. I get your point about Cal and Stanford, too. But where do you propose they go? By the way I think USC UCLA, Oregon and Washington will ultimately regret their moves too.

Lots of schools will ultimately find that the old saw never take a job for the money applies to conferences too. Just ask BC fans how they like being a perrenial doormat.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I’d much rather be playing Syracuse, BC, Pitt, Louisville, Vir gina Tech, Rutgers, Cincinnati, West Virginia in all sports every year but neither of our rathers are happening. If the money makes sense joining the PAC for football only would too. I get your point about Cal and Stanford, too. But where do you propose they go? By the way I think USC UCLA, Oregon and Washington will ultimately regret their moves too.

Lots of schools will ultimately find that the old saw never take a job for the money applies to conferences too. Just ask BC fans how they like being a perrenial doormat.

You're twisting my point - I'm not saying Syra/Pitt, NC, VA Tech, WV, Rutgers in all sports every year. You did.... what I am thinking is that I'd rather play games against teams like Army, Navy, ECU, JMU, Temple, Liberty, Ga State, the FL non-P4 schools, etc. (in addition to the 3-4 ACC teams we have/had on our schedules) as opposed to the likes of the Pac "state" schools - i.e. SDSU, Utah State, Colorado State, Fresno State.

 

[CL82]

Just ask BC fans how they like being a perrenial doormat

Of course, first you'd have to actually find one.

 

[businesslawyer]

Of course, first you'd have to actually find one.

You mean first he’d have to create one.

 

[Hskies4Ever]

That’s the best case scenario. The worst case is that Memphis joins the BE and then the PAC takes them as a football only member. It Sounds like the PAC is only looking for 1 football only member right now…If that happens we’d still be Indy when Memphis gets their big12 invite in a couple years.

There is no way that Memphis can join the BE if UConn isn’t on board for joining the Pac with them. It might be impossible even with UConn.

I'd much rather schedule games along/closer to our eastern seaboard recruiting grounds and where more of our alumns are located.

You have 4 conference home games and 4 more open dates to schedule ACC or other local teams.

I don’t know what you enjoy about ECU or GA State - I guess it’s in our recruiting footprint, but the Pac schools are definitely better and more interesting.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

There is no way that Memphis can join the BE if UConn isn’t on board for joining the Pac with them. It might be impossible even with UConn.

You have 4 conference home games and 4 more open dates to schedule ACC or other local teams.

I don’t know what you enjoy about ECU or GA State - I guess it’s in our recruiting footprint, but the Pac schools are definitely better and more interesting.

I didn't necessarily say that ECU or GA State are super attractive to fans, but other than Boise State let's not crown Pac schools are really attractive- either on or off the field. From the 2025 power index:

Boise State - around 40
Memphis, USF, ECU, FAU, Liberty, Fresno- around 65 to 75
Navy, JMU, OR State, CO State, GA State - around 80-90
Army, WA State- around 90-100

I didn't bother with SDSU, TX State, Temple, etc but they're in the 100+ range.

Let's throw out the high (Boise) and the low (Army and WA State). That leaves 7 eastern seaboard schools to 3 Pac schools. While none of them will pack the Rent, there is more likelihood that the eastern teams will be more attractive than the western teams. Pac teams aren't more interesting nor better competition; they're just not. Eastern teams have the proximity, familiarity, etc. The return/road games we'd have would be better for recruiting and alumni relations in the east than the west. Less travel/time zones to worry about. Just not seeing enough positives to get married to the Pac. Better to wait for ACC splintering/implosion or Big12 expansion.

 

[Hskies4Ever]

I didn't necessarily say that ECU or GA State are super attractive to fans, but other than Boise State let's not crown Pac schools are really attractive- either on or off the field. From the 2025 power index:

Boise State - around 40
Memphis, USF, ECU, FAU, Liberty, Fresno- around 65 to 75
Navy, JMU, OR State, CO State, GA State - around 80-90
Army, WA State- around 90-100

I didn't bother with SDSU, TX State, Temple, etc but they're in the 100+ range.

Let's throw out the high (Boise) and the low (Army and WA State). That leaves 7 eastern seaboard schools to 3 Pac schools. While none of them will pack the Rent, there is more likelihood that the eastern teams will be more attractive than the western teams. Pac teams aren't more interesting nor better competition; they're just not. Eastern teams have the proximity, familiarity, etc. The return/road games we'd have would be better for recruiting and alumni relations in the east than the west. Less travel/time zones to worry about. Just not seeing enough positives to get married to the Pac. Better to wait for ACC splintering/implosion or Big12 expansion.

I appreciate the analysis. I stand corrected.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I appreciate the analysis. I stand corrected.

No worries - lots of issues swirling around in CFB at this point. Kind of overwhelming at times. Hopefully we find our way into a better FB situation in the next few years.

 

[Purple Stein]

You're twisting my point - I'm not saying Syra/Pitt, NC, VA Tech, WV, Rutgers in all sports every year. You did.... what I am thinking is that I'd rather play games against teams like Army, Navy, ECU, JMU, Temple, Liberty, Ga State, the FL non-P4 schools, etc. (in addition to the 3-4 ACC teams we have/had on our schedules) as opposed to the likes of the Pac "state" schools - i.e. SDSU, Utah State, Colorado State, Fresno State.

Although I agree with you logically, games in San Diego and Fort Collins every other year actually sounds kind of awesome. Two great cities.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Although I agree with you logically, games in San Diego and Fort Collins every other year actually sounds kind of awesome. Two great cities.

While they may be great cities to visit, there's no connection or accessibility to UConn, its fans nor alumni.

 

[freescooter]

I didn't necessarily say that ECU or GA State are super attractive to fans, but other than Boise State let's not crown Pac schools are really attractive- either on or off the field. From the 2025 power index:

Boise State - around 40
Memphis, USF, ECU, FAU, Liberty, Fresno- around 65 to 75
Navy, JMU, OR State, CO State, GA State - around 80-90
Army, WA State- around 90-100

I didn't bother with SDSU, TX State, Temple, etc but they're in the 100+ range.

Let's throw out the high (Boise) and the low (Army and WA State). That leaves 7 eastern seaboard schools to 3 Pac schools. While none of them will pack the Rent, there is more likelihood that the eastern teams will be more attractive than the western teams. Pac teams aren't more interesting nor better competition; they're just not.

Context is important though. Oregon Stste coming to town with the PAC title on the line is going to be a better game and more attractive than FAU with just a win in play. Colorado State with a win getting us a shot at the CFP is a bigger game than Army with just a win.

As long as we are winning more than we lose with a shot at a P4, this system works. We enter every season looking at a potential 8-4 record. Upset a P4 and it’s 9-3. Get beaten by a G5 it’s 7-5. But over time it will get old, I think and that will be especially true if we have a great year, say 10-11 wins and some eh team, like a Temple, who we have regularly beaten, maybe even beaten that season get in.

To me in the current state of college football we would benefit from a conference. while I don’t love the PAC Iifbthe money works I think the whole thing could work.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Context is important though. Oregon Stste coming to town with the PAC title on the line is going to be a better game and more attractive than FAU with just a win in play. Colorado State with a win getting us a shot at the CFP is a bigger game than Army with just a win.

As long as we are winning more than we lose with a shot at a P4, this system works. We enter every season looking at a potential 8-4 record. Upset a P4 and it’s 9-3. Get beaten by a G5 it’s 7-5. But over time it will get old, I think and that will be especially true if we have a great year, say 10-11 wins and some eh team, like a Temple, who we have regularly beaten, maybe even beaten that season get in.

To me in the current state of college football we would benefit from a conference. while I don’t love the PAC Iifbthe money works I think the whole thing could work.

You put forth a couple of happy path scenarios but how would it be if we were going to or hosting Utah State with a 6-5 or 5-6 record? Not so great, but if we were either record and going to or hosting say Army; well that'd be better I'd say.

Look, I'd love to be leaving Independent status/pergatory for a P* conference and would be ok for leaving to a remnant ACC, but just don't see the benefits of going to a really remnant Pac. When the name of the conference is stripped off and you look at the schools (in the gutted Pac), it's really not that attractive. CFP access whether playing as an independent or in a remnant ACC or a remnant Pac is going to require a 12-0 record. Could it happen? Yes. Is it even 3% likely? Probably not, sadly.

 

[bendm]

CFP access whether playing as an independent or in a remnant ACC or a remnant Pac is going to require a 12-0 record. Could it happen? Yes. Is it even 3% likely? Probably not, sadly.

The cfp?? I hope football fans aren’t that delusional. The goal is to get into the big12 so the question is whether the PAC would increase those odds as compared to remaining independent. Memphis seems to think so. We can’t count on the ACC backfilling with us after an exodus but if it happens before we can get into the big12 fine.

 

[Stinger92860]

You put forth a couple of happy path scenarios but how would it be if we were going to or hosting Utah State with a 6-5 or 5-6 record? Not so great, but if we were either record and going to or hosting say Army; well that'd be better I'd say.

If we are playing for a bowl game, that’s a big game to me.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

If we are playing for a bowl game, that’s a big game to me.

Agreed, but his point was referring to a CFP berth. Big difference.