The Athletic Group of 5 Mailbag Question: Will UConn's turnaround under Jim Mora get them in a conference?

[huskymedic]

-> Chris, if Jim Mora stays at UConn and consistently gets them fighting for bowls, does that improve their chances to get into C-USA or the MAC down the road? — Louis S.

Before I get to the question about conferences (a hot-button topic for fans), let’s just take a moment to really appreciate the job Mora has done so far. UConn is 5-5 right now after the Huskies won four games total in their previous three seasons. The defense is one of the most improved in the country in stop rate and was especially strong in October. In 2018, this was arguably the worst defense in college football history. A win against a ranked Liberty or a down Army would make the Huskies bowl-eligible. This program has been so bad for so long and Mora is turning things around in his first season. A remarkable job all around.

As for the conference situation, I’m on record saying I think joining Conference USA as a football-only member would be a good move, and UConn fans are very much on record toward me that they think it would not. C-USA had real discussions with UConn last year, but the appetite from fans and boosters isn’t there. My argument to join a conference is that playing for nothing but bowl eligibility is largely boring and lonely. There are no conference rivals, weekly awards or standings to follow. And an expanded College Football Playoff guarantees at least one spot for a Group of 5 champion.

Most UConn fans I’ve heard from believe that playing more games against northeastern schools is preferable. I don’t believe those things are mutually exclusive (you still get four nonconference games in a conference). But look, the Huskies beat Boston College and UMass and declared themselves Kings of New England. That’s really cool.

https://twitter.com/uconnfootball/status/1588714954320117760?s=46&t=5Vhi_f_Sd0lE61HJF_mIig

UConn also believes a Power 5 invitation could come someday. I’m skeptical. But if Mora continues this trajectory and turns UConn into a consistently competitive team, who knows what could happen. I just hate the purgatory that is football independence. <-

 

[Uconnalliance]

Major shakeup in college football is coming, especially with B1G and PAC 12 stuff goin on!!

 

[Incursio007]

I’m still a believer that traditional conferences won’t exist in 10 years. You’ll have affiliations with the B10 & SEC, with the outside schools essentially being independent & scheduling games amongst themselves (sort of like what we’re already seeing). But who knows - I think we’re doing fine as an independent for the time being & if a better op comes around, then great.

 

[BlueandOG]

It was a step up to go from G5 to Independence in football. Stay the course until the B1G or ACC calls.

 

[MKH2317]

Even if we’re winning 10-12 games per season and fighting for the G5 crown, I still don’t think we’d get people at the rent against any C-USA or MAC team the way we would against just about any P5 opponent. I think it’s P5 or independence no matter what. The game against Michigan is potentially what it would look like if we were in a P5 conference

 

[Skiblets]

CUSA or MAC? These guys are on crack!

 

[MilliniumPrince]

People seem to forget going independent wasn't Plan A. Plan A was to stay in the AAC as a football only and they told us to kick rocks. The days of the independent are quickly coming to an end. This status won't be sustainable much longer.

 

[shizzle787]

People seem to forget going independent wasn't Plan A. Plan A was to stay in the AAC as a football only and they told us to kick rocks. The days of the independent are quickly coming to an end. This status won't be sustainable much longer.

Yet we've had our best season as an independent in 7 years.

 

[Huskydog45]

No fan would be excited about C-USA….for now, being independent is the best option as we have an open slate each for who we play and some kids like that. We improve the program as an independent and if it does not last much longer, I think we don’t need much longer as we improve our program each year, get to bowls and eventually, The ACC, Big Ten and other conferences will expand when their top teams leave to join these mega conferences such as the SEC and big 12. There are already stories about Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, NC State and others already being candidates for moving out of the conference. That will result in openings to be filled. Uconn will definitely be on the radar to take one of those spots… In the next 2 to 3 years.

 

[Hoophound]

That was a troll question. We can get into CUSA whenever we want and I still find it hard to believe that the MAC wouldn't take us for football only. At this point the AAC should be happy to have us for football only.

All of that said, it is very obvious that we are doing the right thing as an Indy. We are getting lots of media coverage and there is an interest in our resurgence. No one cares if a MAC or CUSA school is doing well unless they are undefeated and have beaten a P5 or two. UConn is a bigger brand than that and as such, we can't put our football team in a conference that makes the brand smaller. You are the company you keep and UConn simply does not belong in any G5 conference by any metric at all. Those that think otherwise are simply uninformed.

Our fan base doesn't seem bored at all. Yes, winning a conference title would be nice, but ultimately we are UConn fans and we want to play on a national stage. I think most of us would prefer to be a ranked Indy playing in pretty good bowls to being CUSA champs. Frankly, I'd be embarrassed to be in CUSA.

As far as independence coming to an end, maybe so. However, we are one of the most desirable remaining Independents as far as scheduling goes. We are easy to get to if playing at the Rent, opposing fans have heard of UConn and consider us a "real" game (especially when we are good) which helps the gate on the road and we have a big name coach.

UConn could take this country by storm in the next couple of years. Hurley is recruiting at the highest level, Geno is getting a real fire in his belly due to his title drought and Jim Mora is going to make UConn a viable top 25 football program. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Even if we never get to the end of the tunnel, we can enjoy the journey for now. Joining a G5 conference would guarantee a future of mediocrity.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I don't think we left the aac for cusa or the mac... That said, a conference 'ship and a sliver of a playoff path would be pretty cool.

 

[ZooCougar]

People seem to forget going independent wasn't Plan A. Plan A was to stay in the AAC as a football only and they told us to kick rocks. The days of the independent are quickly coming to an end. This status won't be sustainable much longer.

LOL. I would take independence over the AAC and CUSA any day. There isn’t much to be gained monetarily or otherwise.

The AAC will soon be indistinguishable from CUSA soon anyways.

 

[UC1995]

People seem to forget going independent wasn't Plan A. Plan A was to stay in the AAC as a football only and they told us to kick rocks. The days of the independent are quickly coming to an end. This status won't be sustainable much longer.

Going to CUSA or MAC does nothing but ties us into a contract. If we ever have a chance at getting into ACC (our only P5 chance) we need the freedom to go at a drop of a hat not negotiate a buyout. Being independent is positive if a conference expands or backfills (most likely).

That being said we are going to be independent for a while. Find this schedule way more fun than Akron or whoever is now in CUSA. If we win and do better each year we will have better bowl games.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I’m still a believer that traditional conferences won’t exist in 10 years. You’ll have affiliations with the B10 & SEC, with the outside schools essentially being independent & scheduling games amongst themselves (sort of like what we’re already seeing). But who knows - I think we’re doing fine as an independent for the time being & if a better op comes around, then great.

This will be the way. The B1G and SEC will have a "brand" the lesser conferences are affiliated with for scheduling and TV purposes.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Major shakeup in college football is coming, especially with B1G and PAC 12 stuff goin on!!

Excellent time to have Jim Mora at the helm.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

It was a step up to go from G5 to Independence in football. Stay the course until the B1G or ACC calls.

Agreed - ACC/leftovers is still better than Sunbelt/CUSA.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Yet we've had our best season as an independent in 7 years.

I am talking about the program, not games. This isn't about that, at all.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The only reason to consider football joining a conference that is rated below the AAC would be if (once the new additions to the SEC & BIG take place) we cannot schedule a full slate as an independent.

Personally (shy of all conferences adapting a ten game conference schedule) I don't see that happening

 

[ZooCougar]

Agreed - ACC/leftovers is still better than Sunbelt/CUSA.

The Sun Belt would be interesting. That conference is on the rise.

 

[shizzle787]

The Sun Belt would be interesting. That conference is on the rise.

A few of the programs are solid, but the rest are awful. Playing App State as an independent is interesting, but I don't find any of the other programs exciting to play.

 

[ZooCougar]

A few of the programs are solid, but the rest are awful. Playing App State as an independent is interesting, but I don't find any of the other programs exciting to play.

It’s more attractive than any other G5 conference in my opinion.

 

[shizzle787]

It’s more attractive than any other G5 conference in my opinion.

Agree to disagree. I think the MW has a higher floor brand-wise. With the exception of SJSU and Utah State, the rest of the league includes nationally known universities/brands. The AAC diluted itself but Navy, Temple, Memphis, SMU, ECU, and USF are all decent brands.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

If UConn can reach top 40, ACC may take notice.

 

[metsfan2323]

It was a step up to go from G5 to Independence in football. Stay the course until the B1G or ACC calls.

No offense, but you are living in La, La land if you don't think we are considered a "G5" team. Our $500K TV contract for football says it all.

On the bright side Liberty is a G5 team and they are ranked, so good things can happen. G5 Cincy even made the playoff last year.

By not being in a G5 Conference we will never have access to the G5 auto-bid so that is a major drawback of being independent.

This reporter from the Athletic is a smart man.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

If UConn can reach top 40, ACC may take notice.

I think they already are especially if Clemson and UNC leave. I’m sure they’re also aware they’d be getting two of the best basketball programs in the country, and one of the best baseball programs too, and Mora’s football team of course.