Scheduling needs going forward

[SubbaBub]

Yeah. That’s why they are the only P5 team to do a 4 game series with us.

Like it or not it is an attractive game for the Beags. Sells tix. Last time we played at Alumni the only home game that outdrew UConn was Clemson. It’s close. No planes. Just a couple of buses. It’s a 1A game. And you should usually win. I suspect BC likes it quite a bit. Don’t be surprised to see regular meetings. Maybe not annual because teams like variety but pretty consistently.

Variety will be a challenge for DB. He won't be able to keep going back to the same P5 opponents. They only get so many OOC games and not a one wants to see UConn in one of those spots every year or more than twice every 4-6 years.

 

[Adios]

UMass is our oldest rival. Unfortunately, they made a lot of stupid decisions. Either way, Massachusetts wants UMass to be FBS. Better Connecticut and Massachusetts work together rather than against each other.

 

[History Geek]

Agreed. I think we should play them every year and reinvigorate that rivalry.

 

[BlueandOG]

UMass is our oldest rival. Unfortunately, they made a lot of stupid decisions. Either way, Massachusetts wants UMass to be FBS. Better Connecticut and Massachusetts work together rather than against each other.

Agreed! A high tide raises all boats. We need football in our region to be strong so we can be a part of the surge.

 

[uconntailgater]

I would like a nice six game series with Rutgers (home at home). Play home at home over a series of two years take two years off then resume the home at home.

 

[Brochacho]

UMass is our oldest rival. Unfortunately, they made a lot of stupid decisions. Either way, Massachusetts wants UMass to be FBS. Better Connecticut and Massachusetts work together rather than against each other.

Yup. I think its mutually beneficial for both teams to play each other the last week of the regular season. Gives the game the feel of a rivalry and there's really only like 4 teams to choose from to play that week anyway. I think the general formula for our schedule should be cold weather games vs UMass and Army (H/A year 1 A/H year 2), our FCS game, a P5 body bag game, and then use the last 8 games to schedule P5 H/Hs or H/Hs with schools in important recruiting areas (there's 21 FBS programs in Texas/Florida/Georgia I believe) and fill in any scheduling holes with MAC/AAC/CUSA/MWC/Indy teams as necessary.

 

[SubbaBub]

Sorry, thinking UMass has some history with us is like getting super excited about a pre-TV era radio program. I don't recall people clamoring about "The Shadow"

 

[History Geek]

Sorry, thinking UMass has some history with us is like getting super excited about a pre-TV era radio program. I don't recall people clamoring about "The Shadow"

Agree to disagree then I guess. I remember and miss the UMass rivalry and I'd like to see it return.

 

[Dooooooomed]

Rutgers and Pitt please.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Sorry, thinking UMass has some history with us is like getting super excited about a pre-TV era radio program. I don't recall people clamoring about "The Shadow"

You need to play them to build some kind of rivalry. Teams have to play each other regularly to develop a rivalry. Since we see both indy programs, we might as well work on a rivalry with them since it will be difficult to get regular ongoing series with BCU, Cuse, and RU.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Sorry, thinking UMass has some history with us is like getting super excited about a pre-TV era radio program. I don't recall people clamoring about "The Shadow"

To me it's far less about any pre-FBS history, but the possibility to build something that has natural interest based on name recognition and geography.

Michigan Ohio State.. it's not...

But would I rather a rotation of Bowling Green, Toledo, and Liberty to close out every season or UMass? Give me UMass.

 

[Husky68]

Sorry, thinking UMass has some history with us is like getting super excited about a pre-TV era radio program. I don't recall people clamoring about "The Shadow"

 

[uconnbill]

BC does not have the desire to play an annual game with UConn.

UConn feels the same way in basketball men and women's just saying

How they screwed UConn with the ACC is why them finishing near the back in the standings puts a smile on every Husky fan out there

 

[uconnric]

Syracuse, BC and Rutgers. Unless UMass financially commits to FBS football, I see no reason to play them annually.

 

[cullaville]

I'd do a 1 for 2 with ND but feeling like these games at Yankee Stadium are less of a benefit than the Men's BE BB Tourney at MSG. Home and Homes with Rutgers and Army are better for us because of the chance to get a nice W and the NY/NJ exposure.

Don't play second fiddle to Notre Dame.. One for one and the UCONN home game at the Rent. Otherwise forget it.

 

[Chief00]

I for one am very excited that we are independent. I believe it will ultimately allow us to have a better schedule than any G5 school sans BYU going into the future. I think from 2026 on we are starting to look very strong in the scheduling department but we have to keep the momentum up.

In my opinion, our scheduling goals should be the following:

6 P5 schools a year- 5 home and homes (1 vs. upper-level school like Ole Miss and 4 vs. mid- to lower-level schools like Syracuse, BC, Kansas, Vandy) and 1 body bag game vs. blue blood (Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, etc.). Hopefully, we can play BC every year starting in 2026.

1 yearly game vs. Army

1 yearly game vs. either BYU or Navy or Air Force or Boise State (keep them on a rotation)

2 yearly games vs. AAC schools (Temple and either a Texas or Florida school)

1 yearly game vs. either UMass or Buffalo

1 yearly game vs. FCS opponent

I personally have no interest in playing Liberty, NMSU or anyone out of the MAC (sans Buffalo), Sun Belt, or C-USA.

With regards to 2022 to 2025, we have some needs that need to be met.

For 2022, we have one game left to schedule. We need a sixth home game. 10/22 and 11/26 are our open dates. If we could leverage a road game in 2027 for a home game vs. a middle of the pack P5 school that should be our plan.

For 2023, we have three games left to schedule. We need one more home game and two more road games. We could again leverage two road games in 2027 for two home games vs. middle of the pack P5 schools. We could also do a home and home with Buffalo with the away game played in 2023.

For 2024, we also have three games left to schedule. We need one more home game and two more road games. We only have 3 P5s on the schedule. We don't have a body bag game as of yet so that's one game. The only two should be a home and road p5 home and home.

For 2025, we only have two games left to schedule. We need two home games. Our current home schedule is CCSU, Ball State, FIU, and UAB. We need to home and homes with mid-level P5 schools with the road halves toward the end of the decade.

Starting in 2026, things start to look up. 4 out of 7 scheduled games are against P5 schools.

What do you think?

Given our recent positive recruiting pivot, Dave needs to step up his game on scheduling some quality opponents for 2024 and 2025. In particular, home games.

 

[chalk1]

Agree that the biggest need is quality home games to entice fans to attend. Easier said than done, but all must start with winning on a more consistent basis. You win and the better teams will look at you as a worthy opponent. Hope they start the process this year.

 

[Blades]

Given our recent positive recruiting pivot, Dave needs to step up his game on scheduling some quality opponents for 2024 and 2025. In particular, home games.

Recent quote from the TX WR commit and I now count up to 14 Huskies from the Lone Star state.

"Broken record time, but Brown is also a fan of the independent schedule. “It’s very interesting to me. I love to travel, and with their schedule being games all over the country, it gave me another reason to commit. And I really wanna see how the Clemson game plays out.” If Brown could add games to the schedule, “also want to see TX schools on the schedule so I can play back home in front of my people.”

So 2 schools that have 2023, 2024, 2025 openings that need a good look by DB for H & H's are a Baylor revisit ( remember the RG III quote !) and a return of this years Houston game. A pay day visit ( Umass is ) to Texas A&M in 2026/2027 might be nice too, use those SEC connects Dave !

 

[Chief00]

Recent quote from the TX WR commit and I now count up to 14 Huskies from the Lone Star state.

"Broken record time, but Brown is also a fan of the independent schedule. “It’s very interesting to me. I love to travel, and with their schedule being games all over the country, it gave me another reason to commit. And I really wanna see how the Clemson game plays out.” If Brown could add games to the schedule, “also want to see TX schools on the schedule so I can play back home in front of my people.”

So 2 schools that have 2023, 2024, 2025 openings that need a good look by DB for H & H's are a Baylor revisit ( remember the RG III quote !) and a return of this years Houston game. A pay day visit ( Umass is ) to Texas A&M in 2026/2027 might be nice too, use those SEC connects Dave !

Agree with observations.

 

[BlueandOG]

In a dream world, my annual regional competition would be:

BC
Pitt
Penn State
Rutgers
Cuse
Maryland

The other games would be against recruiting hot spots (non-annually):

Miami
Texas
USF
UCF
Houston

 

[freescooter]

I would add UMass to your list and play them annually on rivalry weekend. It would take effort, but UConn has not had a real rival since leaving the Yankee Conference. But they meet the basic criteria in that they are close, play a similar schedule, are a similar institution. And we have a long history. There will be shocking upsets and nail items and blowouts and hopefully mostly UConn wins. And it is about making football fun and meaningful again. And we aren’t getting annual series with BC, Rutgers or Syracuse. We will likely play them all regularly, but not annually. There is something about having one game that you want to win and hate to lose and of the options, UMass is by far the best.

 

[Hoophound]

I would add UMass to your list and play them annually on rivalry weekend. It would take effort, but UConn has not had a real rival since leaving the Yankee Conference. But they meet the basic criteria in that they are close, play a similar schedule, are a similar institution. And we have a long history. There will be shocking upsets and nail items and blowouts and hopefully mostly UConn wins. And it is about making football fun and meaningful again. And we aren’t getting annual series with BC, Rutgers or Syracuse. We will likely play them all regularly, but not annually. There is something about having one game that you want to win and hate to lose and of the options, UMass is by far the best.

You may be right, but I just can’t see this being exciting. We have both been doormat programs for several years, but we were once much better. An annual UMass game seems ok, but playing it rivalry week and expecting it to be exciting is a stretch. I can’t see anyone on the CT side looking forward to that game.

 

[metsfan2323]

Don't play second fiddle to Notre Dame.. One for one and the UCONN home game at the Rent. Otherwise forget it.

Sorry, but no. Lets not make that terrible mistake again. Play Notre Dame anywhere, anytime. If they offered a 5 game plan and all the games were at ND we $hould take it, that said hopefully they will be interested in playing us at Yankee stadium, who knows, maybe even next year.

 

[cullaville]

Sorry, but no. Lets not make that terrible mistake again. Play Notre Dame anywhere, anytime. If they offered a 5 game plan and all the games were at ND we $hould take it, that said hopefully they will be interested in playing us at Yankee stadium, who knows, maybe even next year.

Gotta like a fellow Mets fan. Doesn't Notre Dame still owe UCONN a game - they were supposed to play UCONN in the Northeast but cancelled.

 

[Dooooooomed]

UMass is meh. I don't love it. I don't hate it. I do like the current AD Dave scheduling strategy.

 

[Blades]

Gotta like a fellow Mets fan. Doesn't Notre Dame still owe UCONN a game - they were supposed to play UCONN in the Northeast but cancelled.

A musing on the end of the Notre Dame series ... - The UConn Blog​

"all are not overjoyed at dropping the series with Notre Dame, which would have featured three games in South Bend (and a fourth game at ND this November which won’t be affected by this announcement) and three games split between East Rutherford and Foxboro."

Interesting last line which aged well, reason being in the article, because Uconn will be playing H & H's vs. TENN and Michigan:
" But UConn just doesn’t need the series any more. And so, quite simply, they won’t play it. "

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Umass? Not in Amherst.

 

[hardcorehusky]

A musing on the end of the Notre Dame series ... - The UConn Blog​

"all are not overjoyed at dropping the series with Notre Dame, which would have featured three games in South Bend (and a fourth game at ND this November which won’t be affected by this announcement) and three games split between East Rutherford and Foxboro."

Interesting last line which aged well, reason being in the article, because Uconn will be playing H & H's vs. TENN and Michigan:
" But UConn just doesn’t need the series any more. And so, quite simply, they won’t play it. "

The actual reason the series was cancelled was because UConn's contract with the state did not allow UConn to host games outside the Rent. UConn couldn't get the state to waive that provision for Notre Dame and then the whole series fell apart.

 

[Exit 4]

The actual reason the series was cancelled was because UConn's contract with the state did not allow UConn to host games outside the Rent. UConn couldn't get the state to waive that provision for Notre Dame and then the whole series fell apart.

Just wow.

 

[Blades]

The actual reason the series was cancelled was because UConn's contract with the state did not allow UConn to host games outside the Rent. UConn couldn't get the state to waive that provision for Notre Dame and then the whole series fell apart.

True but , IIRC, it had more to do with the minimum 6 game a year requirement that Uconn and the state agreed to, to get the Rent built as the major tenant. There was a lot of politicking going on at the state level but it could've still been done on the years Uconn booked 7 "home games" with a game in NY/NJ or MA.. Don't forget just a few years later Fenway Park "bought" and moved a RENT home game to BOS, in the Uconn-BC H & H series, with no issues. Looking back and now scrambling for quality games as an Indy, the original 10 year ND deal that got botched, is another costly miss hit by Hathaway and Co.