Think the rumor was kicking before? Buckle up.

[observer]

It is a no-brainer. I'd rather be in a conference with North Carolina, UVA and the MAC schools than in the NBE. Recent football success is irrelevant. What matters is associating with flagship universities with national reputations. Our stated goal with UConn 2000, which gave birth to our FBS efforts, was to be like Virginia and North Carolina. We are a basketball centric athletic department. The only reason we even play FBS football is to gain associations with major research universities that also play FBS football. Not to gain associations with glorified community colleges and commuter schools like Boise, Memphis and Houston. Nobody in their right mind expects UConn to become a football power.

Yes, the Big Ten is a fantastic result in the unlikely event that we get an invite. In the the real world however, nothing is better for UConn than FSU and Clemson bailing on the ACC, leading them to add Uconn and Rutgers. The entire original Big East (minus West Virginia and Temple) would be reunited with several excellent universities along the east coast. It's what the Big East football conference always dreamed of being.

Now here is part 2. UConn and Rutgers to the ACC collapses the BE. The hoop schools will split off. Notre Dame will be forced to a conference. I doubt that the B12 will add them just for olympic sports. Imagine the options available to them. 1. join the Big Ten 2: join the ACC. Could Notre Dame pull Penn State to the ACC? Maybe. The latter would create the true Eastern league everyone has been pining for. The TV contract would be better than fine.

Finally somebody who gets it. The best hope for UConn is an ACC that survives and adds UConn and some other school whether to replace two defectors or as 15 and 16. Of course, ND would be great but doubt they are ready to give up their FB independence.

I just don't get the 'hope the ACC collapses' thinking. A combo of a collapsed ACC and select teams from the NBE will impress exactly no one.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

It is a no-brainer. I'd rather be in a conference with North Carolina, UVA and the MAC schools than in the NBE. Recent football success is irrelevant. What matters is associating with flagship universities with national reputations. Our stated goal with UConn 2000, which gave birth to our FBS efforts, was to be like Virginia and North Carolina. We are a basketball centric athletic department. The only reason we even play FBS football is to gain associations with major research universities that also play FBS football. Not to gain associations with glorified community colleges and commuter schools like Boise, Memphis and Houston. Nobody in their right mind expects UConn to become a football power.

Yes, the Big Ten is a fantastic result in the unlikely event that we get an invite. In the the real world however, nothing is better for UConn than FSU and Clemson bailing on the ACC, leading them to add Uconn and Rutgers. The entire original Big East (minus West Virginia and Temple) would be reunited with several excellent universities along the east coast. It's what the Big East football conference always dreamed of being.

Now here is part 2. UConn and Rutgers to the ACC collapses the BE. The hoop schools will split off. Notre Dame will be forced to a conference. I doubt that the B12 will add them just for olympic sports. Imagine the options available to them. 1. join the Big Ten 2: join the ACC. Could Notre Dame pull Penn State to the ACC? Maybe. The latter would create the true Eastern league everyone has been pining for. The TV contract would be better than fine.

There's a lot of nobility in what you say, but you are living in a world that no longer exists. Marinatto was over his head, but he was right about one thing, "The collegiate model is dead." Unfortunately, he's correct. Unfortunately, as well, is that it took him so long to figure it out.

As far as UCONN"s ability to become a FB Power? The day UCONN put $150 million + on the table was the day I, and others, believed that UCONN's football intentions were to be more than just FB relevant. UCONN should and probably will take the best FB related situation available with the best FB related schools.