Should we stop scheduling FCS opponents?

[shizzle787]

It would mean that we would have 6 home games every year instead of 7 every other year, but we could schedule better. Our four non-conference opponents this year are BC, Syracuse, Virginia, and Maine. If we substituted Maine out for Illinois, I think a lot UConn fans would be happier. We could get 4 P5 games a year, 2 at home, and 2 away. There are enough P5 schools that will schedule us home and home. I understand wanting to get a freebie win at the beginning of the year for momentum, but Wake Forest will do that just as Maine will, and we don't take the risk of losing to an FCS school.

 

[hardcorehusky]

you lose valuable revenue when you give up a home game for a road game. It isn't always about easy wins.

 

[huskymedic]

There are enough P5 schools that will schedule us home and home.

For example?

... and just tossing out names won't cut it. It's not as easy you seemingly purport it to be.

 

[shizzle787]

For example?

... and just tossing out names won't cut it. It's not as easy you seemingly purport it to be.

Syracuse, BC, Virginia, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Duke, Wake Forest, Maryland, etc. Also, we could schedule BYU or Boise State home and home.

 

[shizzle787]

For example?

... and just tossing out names won't cut it. It's not as easy you seemingly purport it to be.

Considering we have 3 ACC teams this year that are home and home with us, and Missouri (an SEC school) next year, that's four right there. Also, some Big 10 schools (Indiana and someone else) are able to count us as P5 for scheduling purposes.

 

[huskymedic]

Syracuse, BC, Virginia, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Duke, Wake Forest, Maryland, etc. Also, we could schedule BYU or Boise State home and home.

Considering we have 3 ACC teams this year that are home and home with us, and Missouri (an SEC school) next year, that's four right there. Also, some Big 10 schools (Indiana and someone else) are able to count us as P5 for scheduling purposes.

My bad for not clarifying "P5 teams" not already on schedule/under contract. UConn Huskies Football Schedules | Future Schedules

My only point is it's easy to say there are lots of teams we can schedule home and home with when in reality - the field is limited and nobody wants to see the same non-conference teams over and over (unless of course there are premier programs).

 

[uconnphil2016]

I personally like to begin the year with an FCS team, and preferably one that isn't too good. Was kind of PO'ed about having to play Villanova last year, as they were a pretty legit FCS team, although they fell apart after Robertson got injured in like their second game. I think it's just good to start the season off with a team who you can easily handle and work out the kinks.

 

[huskypantz]

In current state, schedule should be 1 FCS, 2 P5, one local G5 - Army or UMass OR third P5.

 

[kcc1442]

I personally like to begin the year with an FCS team, and preferably one that isn't too good. Was kind of PO'ed about having to play Villanova last year, as they were a pretty legit FCS team, although they fell apart after Robertson got injured in like their second game. I think it's just good to start the season off with a team who you can easily handle and work out the kinks.

I used to have this exact philosophy. I used to love the tune up game and in a perfect world, give me one FCS to fine tune everything and give us confidence. However, I think we need to evolve with times now. We need to try our best to mesh with the P5. Take on the best. Give us more opportunities to prove we belong and are going in the right direction. If we can get 4 P5 teams each year, including 1 that is upper echelon than thats what we should be doing. We have a few teams in the league that are pretty garbage each year that should be considered our FCS teams of the year.

 

[BoatShow]

I used to have this exact philosophy. I used to love the tune up game and in a perfect world, give me one FCS to fine tune everything and give us confidence. However, I think we need to evolve with times now. We need to try our best to mesh with the P5. Take on the best. Give us more opportunities to prove we belong and are going in the right direction. If we can get 4 P5 teams each year, including 1 that is upper echelon than thats what we should be doing. We have a few teams in the league that are pretty garbage each year that should be considered our FCS teams of the year.

I'm with you man. After 3 years of playing tough FCS teams Im ready to open the year putting 50 on a patsy like Maine.

 

[BoatShow]

I used to have this exact philosophy. I used to love the tune up game and in a perfect world, give me one FCS to fine tune everything and give us confidence. However, I think we need to evolve with times now. We need to try our best to mesh with the P5. Take on the best. Give us more opportunities to prove we belong and are going in the right direction. If we can get 4 P5 teams each year, including 1 that is upper echelon than thats what we should be doing. We have a few teams in the league that are pretty garbage each year that should be considered our FCS teams of the year.

Literally 98 percent of FBS teams let alone P5 teams open with a FCS team. If we play Old Dominion instead of Nova last year maybe we don't break our bowl-less streak.

 

[BoatShow]

I used to have this exact philosophy. I used to love the tune up game and in a perfect world, give me one FCS to fine tune everything and give us confidence. However, I think we need to evolve with times now. We need to try our best to mesh with the P5. Take on the best. Give us more opportunities to prove we belong and are going in the right direction. If we can get 4 P5 teams each year, including 1 that is upper echelon than thats what we should be doing. We have a few teams in the league that are pretty garbage each year that should be considered our FCS teams of the year.

Trying to get upper echelon teams in East Hartford was fine when we were BCS. Now when we try that we end up with Indiana and Illinois owwwwwww funnnnnnn

 

[Woof 101]

I personally like to begin the year with an FCS team, and preferably one that isn't too good. Was kind of PO'ed about having to play Villanova last year, as they were a pretty legit FCS team, although they fell apart after Robertson got injured in like their second game. I think it's just good to start the season off with a team who you can easily handle and work out the kinks.

Wow and wow again...Hard to believe what I read here... Obviously from someone who has never played or coached a sport. As the athletic and educational balance at our University is looking to move forward you seem to think it is a good idea to go in reverse. Boo Hoo, we had to play Nova...
I hope we start seeing the likes of Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Ohio St, etc in any game of the season!
I find it hard to believe there are people that would prefer to play teams that obviously cannot present equal competition. This over what would continually make a team or player better.

 

[BoatShow]

Wow and wow again...Hard to believe what I read here... Obviously from someone who has never played or coached a sport. As the athletic and educational balance at our University is looking to move forward you seem to think it is a good idea to go in reverse. Boo Hoo, we had to play Nova...
I hope we start seeing the likes of Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Ohio St, etc in any game of the season!
I find it hard to believe there are people that would prefer to play teams that obviously cannot present equal competition. This over what would continually make a team or player better.

Sorry but if that were to happen we'd be the team getting crushed. Does us no good whole we are likely fighting for bowl eligibility at best

 

[ZOOCONN]

Considering we have 3 ACC teams this year that are home and home with us, and Missouri (an SEC school) next year, that's four right there. Also, some Big 10 schools (Indiana and someone else) are able to count us as P5 for scheduling purposes.

not to mention the trip to boise next yr for the trip they took here two yrs ago

 

[JMick]

Wow and wow again...Hard to believe what I read here... Obviously from someone who has never played or coached a sport. As the athletic and educational balance at our University is looking to move forward you seem to think it is a good idea to go in reverse. Boo Hoo, we had to play Nova...
I hope we start seeing the likes of Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Ohio St, etc in any game of the season!
I find it hard to believe there are people that would prefer to play teams that obviously cannot present equal competition. This over what would continually make a team or player better.

You're delusional if you think we're going to get any of those teams at home. As someone who has played sports competitively and coached, there is literally nothing wrong with a tune up game. This is the stupidest thing I've read in weeks and I monitor the CR board.

 

[sub legacy]

I used to have this exact philosophy. I used to love the tune up game and in a perfect world, give me one FCS to fine tune everything and give us confidence. However, I think we need to evolve with times now. We need to try our best to mesh with the P5. Take on the best. Give us more opportunities to prove we belong and are going in the right direction. If we can get 4 P5 teams each year, including 1 that is upper echelon than thats what we should be doing. We have a few teams in the league that are pretty garbage each year that should be considered our FCS teams of the year.

True. Wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best. Better scheduling would definitely draw more national attention to UConn, even despite not being in a P5 conference. Only question is whether this program is remotely ready to handle a stacked schedule like that.

*Still amuses me that even powerhouses like Alabama catch national grief for scheduling cupcake FCS opponents late in the season when everyone else is playing conference rivalry games.

 

[weyuo]

*Still amuses me that even powerhouses like Alabama catch national grief for scheduling cupcake FCS opponents late in the season when everyone else is playing conference rivalry games.

If Alabama can get away with it and still make the 4 team playoff then UConn should be able to schedule a cupcake game. The only difference I would suggest is make that game vs a MAC or CUSA team, even a UMass or other FBS independent. Though I've seen enough of Buffalo.

 

[LIUCHusky]

I used to have this exact philosophy. I used to love the tune up game and in a perfect world, give me one FCS to fine tune everything and give us confidence. However, I think we need to evolve with times now. We need to try our best to mesh with the P5. Take on the best. Give us more opportunities to prove we belong and are going in the right direction. If we can get 4 P5 teams each year, including 1 that is upper echelon than thats what we should be doing. We have a few teams in the league that are pretty garbage each year that should be considered our FCS teams of the year.

Care to tell us who those "pretty garbage each year" teams are in the AAC?

 

[Palatine]

No.

 

[BugsyCT]

Wouldn't give it up totally. It's another home game and good for early season tune-ups to see what we have. Not necessarily every year though - maybe every other year.

 

[Sky ball]

Care to tell us who those "pretty garbage each year" teams are in the AAC?

The other AAC teams say UConn and Tulane. No worries though we don't play UConn anytime soon.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Here is the philosophy and it ultimately answers itself- schedule too many superpowers in a one off away(because they are not coming here- and Michigan was a different situation)- you get a good payday but you will never ever go bowling. The physical wear and tear on the team on top of the conference schedule means a worse record. Then, how are we perceived nationally?

Scheduling and beating one FCS a year gets you to the magical number of 6 wins - and if you are good, obviously more wins. Bowling and a winning record brings more positive attention then not. Punch at our weight. We know this first hand. Maybe schedule like Cinncinati gets us the same respect.
They schedule cupcakes (and beat them)and good teams (Oklahoma, etc and never beat them). But they do well in conference and punch well their weight - so they are perceived as a good football program.

Bowling is the key- home games and beating a P5 helps. We aren't competing for the final 4 - so strength of schedule, road wins etc do not matter here.

 

[kcc1442]

True. Wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best. Better scheduling would definitely draw more national attention to UConn, even despite not being in a P5 conference. Only question is whether this program is remotely ready to handle a stacked schedule like that.

*Still amuses me that even powerhouses like Alabama catch national grief for scheduling cupcake FCS opponents late in the season when everyone else is playing conference rivalry games.

Yeah, agree. And like I said I'm not even talking stacked schedule. I like what they are doing right now. Taking on middle to bottom half of ACC and Big 10, along with a big name like Missouri or Michigan. Keep doing that just get rid of the FCS team that does nothing to improve our stock.

 

[kcc1442]

Care to tell us who those "pretty garbage each year" teams are in the AAC?

Tulane, Tulsa, SMU (is only 46-80 in the last decade). Memphis (has been historically bad. We will see if they will continue to thrive post Lynch days). USF (has had two 9 win seasons in the last decade plus and a few 6-8 wins seasons but have just as many if not more really bad years).

You can bet that two or three of these teams a year will have years that are only slightly better than FCS level of competition. So why play more? To my point I'd rather play more mid level B1G and ACC teams with big followings, with possibility of getting put on national TV rather than play more non quality competition. And I get that every year there is a handful of FCS teams that can make a run at a very good P5 team and sometimes win (ex. App st. beating Michigan) but its a lose lose situation on the field and its lose in every other sense as far as national significance is considered.