We have major State Universities near us. Public funding from states that hugely support education. In major SMSA's (NorthShore Long Island, Albany, southern NH, Baltimore, Wilmington) and they are not Bumpkin State in some northeast corner of Alabama or near a Texas prison. With corporations and no pro football within hours - in some cases.
So, I am not thinking Lehigh or Georgetown or whatever.
UCONN Football is hurt by the fact that we don't have too many regional rivals. I think that is part of the lessons of the AAC ... and why we cannot think about the band-aid realignments from the southern states.