Our tailgate Independent schedule discussions......

[freescooter]

My god can you think of anything more small time than playing somebody twice a year? Might as well drop the sport today.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

schedule is fine but what teams do we play nationally that give us the best chance to get us into ACC or B10 eventually. This big east/independent move has to be temporary.

 

[History Geek]

schedule is fine but what teams do we play nationally that give us the best chance to get us into ACC or B10 eventually. This big east/independent move has to be temporary.

But it's likely not temporary. I'd argue with cable cord cutting, conferences now aren't incented to expand any more to increase footprint. I'd actually argue their may be contraction within 10 years.

 

[Zissou]

I also like a basketball/football tie-in with old conference rivals.

BC & Syracuse in a long-term annual category.
Cincy, Pitt, Miami, Notre Dame, WV, & Louisville in a rotating category

BC and Cuse each play UConn and Nova every year in Hoops and Football. In Hoops we use the current Nova/UConn out-of-conference arrangement in a 3 year cycle: a home game for each team and a MSG game. In football just a normal alternating home games.

UConn and Nova could host a Big East Classic every Nov/Dec at MSG. It could be a 1 ticket double-header (like a BET session or a Jimmy V Classic) or a 2 ticket split session. Nova plays one guest UConn plays the other. BC and Cuse rotate in 2 of 3 years

Hoops:
2022 UConn at BC; Cuse at Nova
Big East Classic MSG: UConn hosts Cuse, Nova hosts BC
[football: BC at UConn, Nova at BC; Cuse at Nova, UConn at Cuse]

2023 BC at Nova; Cuse at UConn, Nova at Cuse
Big East Classic MSG: UConn hosts BC, Nova hosts ND
[football: UConn at BC, BC at Nova; Nova at Cuse, Cuse at UConn]

2024 BC at UConn, Nova at BC; UConn at Cuse
Big East Classic MSG: UConn hosts Pitt, Nova hosts Cuse
[football: BC at UConn, Nova at BC; Cuse at Nova, UConn at Cuse]

2025 UConn at BC; Cuse at Nova
Big East Classic MSG: UConn hosts Cuse, Nova hosts BC
[football: UConn at BC, BC at Nova; Nova at Cuse, Cuse at UConn]

2026 BC at Nova; Cuse at UConn, Nova at Cuse
Big East Classic MSG: UConn hosts BC, Nova hosts Miami
[football: BC at UConn, Nova at BC; Cuse at Nova, UConn at Cuse]

2027 BC at UConn, Nova at BC; UConn at Cuse
Big East Classic MSG: UConn hosts Cincy, Nova hosts Cuse
[football: UConn at BC, BC at Nova; Nova at Cuse, Cuse at UConn]

 

[Zissou]

• 1) 1AA Opponent (Villanova & Big East Basketball member)
• 2) Maryland (BIG 10)
• 3) Rutgers (BIG 10). Trophy game the Tri-State Trophy
• 4) Army (Independent)
• 5) Boston College (ACC) (Thanksgiving weekend) Trophy Game New England Trophy
• 6) Pitt (ACC)
• 7) Syracuse (ACC)
• 8) Penn St (BIG 10)
• 9) West Virginia (BIG 12)
• 10) Buffalo (MAC)
• 11) UMASS (Independent)
• 12) Temple (American)

Skip playing an FCS warm-up

1) Cincy*
2) Pitt*
3) Penn State*
4) Maryland*
5) Rutgers*
6) BC [annual game] - I like this as an annual Thanksgiving Game
7) Syracuse [annual game]
8) Delaware [East Coast Football Alliance - annual game]
9) JMU [East Coast Football Alliance - annual game]
10) UMass [East Coast Football Alliance - annual game]
11) Nova [East Coast Football Alliance - annual game]
12) Army [East Coast Football Alliance - annual game]

* 5 games scheduled under more normal 2 game home&home agreements.

The Alliance fills the late schedule where traditional conferences usually don't have much scheduling room.

 

[John]

schedule is fine but what teams do we play nationally that give us the best chance to get us into ACC or B10 eventually. This big east/independent move has to be temporary.

I really hope so.

 

[huskymedic]

But it's likely not temporary. I'd argue with cable cord cutting, conferences now aren't incented to expand any more to increase footprint. I'd actually argue their may be contraction within 10 years.

Others feel the same way...

 

[ConnHuskBask]

My god can you think of anything more small time than playing somebody twice a year? Might as well drop the sport today.

We're not exactly turning away a series with Ohio State for the right to do this. I'd much rather play UMass home/home than travel to Old Dominion or buy a game vs. North Carolina A&T.

 

[notthestuff]

Uconn is a FB independent. What brand are people buying? This not BB with multiple championships This is FB and look athe Uconn FB TV ratings before spouting about brand.

Let’s look at the brands of other independent FB programs. ND, Army and BYU are brands people will get on the schedule. They have national brand recognition in FB. People turn on TV to watch them play. Not bad places for return games either.

Everyone other independent including Uconn in FB, they are a big yawn and a step up from FCS for most of the country. No one is tuning in to watch except fans of Uconn and their opponents.

You can think what you want about the UConn brand but the schedule will be released soon enough and I guess we will have to see what’s on it.