UConn Football - scheduling ahead

[Exit 4]

Speculation about what the first five years of the UConn / CBS era schedule might look like while we wait for AD David Benedict to announce the remaining games. Warning - this is meant to be fun speculation. I'm not trying to outsmart anyone here.

So I played around with adding Pitt, Rutty and BYU. I also tried to schedule games in FL, TX and the Atlantic Seaboard.... I completely acknowledge my November scheduling is optimistic. Most of these schools will want nothing to do with coming north to CT in November. I wouldn't focus on that issue now, UConn will try to reshuffle November with fellow independents Army and UMass in my opinion.

I wanted to find a scenario to get Georgia Tech, Vandy and Stanford in the mix, but it seem to lead to too many scenarios...but frankly anything is possible. While its rumor we have games against all P5 conferences, my guestimate is still missing a B12 and P12 opponent. Also for simplicity I just focused on the next four years beyond 2020.


2020 schedule complete - hypothetical start times added (guestimated with input from Randy)
Sept. 3: UMASS - Noon on SNY
Sept. 12: at Illinois
Sept. 19: at Virginia
Sept. 26: INDIANA - Noon on CBSsportsNet!
Oct. 3: OLD DOMINION - Noon on SNY!
Oct. 10: MAINE** - Noon on SNY!
Oct. 24: at Ole Miss
Oct. 31: LIBERTY - Noon on CBSsportNet!
Nov. 7: at North Carolina
Nov. 14: at San Jose St.
Nov. 21 MIDDLE TENNESSEE - Noon on CBSsportNet!
Nov. 28: ARMY - Noon CBSsportNet!


2021 - need five games / seems the only way at this stage is to break two pre-existing games. I'll take a wild stab.
Aug. 28: Fresno State
Sept. 11: PURDUE
Sept. 18: at Army
Sept. 25: WYOMING <--rumored game/date is a guess
Oct. 2: at UMass
Oct. 9: PITT <--break up PITT/West Mich game - this seems like the most logical way to get on Pitts calendar over the next four years
Oct. 16: at Western Michigan
Oct. 23: HOLY CROSS** <--rescheduled from 9/2
Oct. 30: at BYU <--break up BYU/VIRGINIA game or BYU/Georgia Southern game
Nov. 7: VIRGINIA <--break up BYU/VIRGINIA game or BYU/Georgia Southern game
Nov. 13: at Clemson
Nov. 21: at UCF


2022 - need two games
Aug. 27: at Utah State
Sept. 3: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
Sept 10: SYRACUSE
Sept 17: at Michigan
Sept. 24: at N.C. State
Oct, 1: FRESNO STATE
Oct. 15: at Ball State
Oct. 29: BOSTON COLLEGE
Nov. 5: at Rutgers <--this would mean Rutgers skips playing an FCS...seems unlikely (but they already planned to skip FCS in 2023 so its not w/o precedent )
Nov. 12: LIBERTY
Nov. 19: at Army
Nov. 26: COASTAL CAROLINA (could go with Oct 8th as well) - new two game series.


2023 - need five games -
Sept. 2: DUKE
Sept. 9: LAFAYETTE
Sept: 16: at Northwestern <--break up New Mexico State game.
Sept. 23: N.C. STATE
Sept. 30: UTAH STATE
Oct. 7: at FIU <--need games in FL/ FIU schedule is rather open
Oct. 14: at BYU <--new 2 or 4 game series - BYU has a few unfilled slots in 2023+
Oct. 21: NEW MEXICO STATE <--break up of Northwestern Game. Dont see how we avoid playing New Mexico forever in this small independent sandbox.
Oct. 28: at Boston College
Nov. 4: at Tennessee
Nov. 11: at Liberty
Nov. 18: NORTH TEXAS - new series<--need to establish a series with any school in TX given recruiting. Doesn't match which one... Consider this a placeholder for anything TX.


2024 - need eight games
Aug. 31: at Maryland
Sept. 7: ARMY
Sept. 14: at Duke
Sept. 21 Insert TBD FCS Home Game Here
Sept. 28: BUFFALO
Oct. 5: TEMPLE <--new series they have three open slots in 2024...I understand approaching an AAC school is laughable.
Oct. 12: FIU <--return game
Oct: 19: at North Texas <--return game (or pick any school in Texas)
Oct. 28: BYU <--return game
Nov. 4: RUTGERS <--return game
Nov. 11: at Coastal Carolina - return game
Nov. 18: at TBD for a big time buy game. South Carolina, Penn State have a slot. Baylor, TCU, Kansas also have open dates in 2024.

 

[Drew]

I don’t know if we’ll pay to break up anymore contracts given everything currently happening and that the AD is bleeding cash for the next couple of years while we pay off the AAC and have initial fees for the Big East. I do think we’ll eventually see a longer term series with NMSU, they’re Independent like us and will most likely be used to fill a November/December home date as needed on future schedules. Plus its a winnable game which is something we need more of on our schedule in the future.

Eventually I’d love to have UMass scheduled for the last game of every season over Thanksgiving weekend. I think that would be cool to have permanently locked in on an annual basis.

That rumored Wyoming series should be happening since we are replacing them on Clemson’s schedule- but I wouldn’t be surprised to see us go out there first. They need a game in 2021 still- perhaps we do a home and home with them where we go to Laramie in 2021 and they return the game to us in East Hartford in 2025 similar to how we broke up the series’ against SJSU.

I would guess that seeing games against MWC, CUSA, SEC teams as well as Army/Navy will take precident along with the regional opponents given the CBS connection to each of those schools (CBS contract with SEC runs through 2023 football season). What would be an absolute home run is if CBS could help organize a “kick-off” type game at MetLife against a bigger name opponent. Mississippi State went to Foxborough a few years ago to play UMass- someone like them would be great.

 

[uconNYC]

Looks like the San Jose St. game this year might be off.

 

[Dooooooomed]

Looks like the San Jose St. game this year might be off.

San Jose scheduled to play at Penn State. State College here we come!

 

[Exit 4]

I don’t know if we’ll pay to break up anymore contracts given everything currently happening and that the AD is bleeding cash for the next couple of years while we pay off the AAC and have initial fees for the Big East.

Drew, I haven't been able to find any FBS programs with open dates in 2021 aside from Wyoming. This is why I am guessing we pay to break up two more games to fill our 2021 holes. And by paying, we are not really paying per se, we let the team that was getting paid to keep that $ while we step in an play the game itself. Of the three break up ideas I tossed out there, I purposefully selected two with fellow independent programs BYU and New Mexico. If we can engineer four more FBS games in 2021 w/o break ups, I'm all ears. Seems to me you have to convince the few programs that haven't scheduled their FCS cupcake game to play us instead. Most schools dont seem to want to do that, although some do on occasion.

We need games in TX, FL and GA. PA and VA too.

 

[beerfan]

San Jose scheduled to play at Penn State. State College here we come!

We are scheduled to play at Virginia on 9/19 the day of of the PSU - SJ game, Virginia is open on 10/10 the day we host Maine, can we reschedule with Virginia for that day and schedule PSU for the 19th, and just blow off Maine?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I don’t think we’d play UCF the last week. UCFSouth and UCFNorth always play the final week.

 

[Exit 4]

I don’t think we’d play UCF the last week. UCFSouth and UCFNorth always play the final week.

That’s the date announced for now.... could change

 

[freescooter]

We are scheduled to play at Virginia on 9/19 the day of of the PSU - SJ game, Virginia is open on 10/10 the day we host Maine, can we reschedule with Virginia for that day and schedule PSU for the 19th, and just blow off Maine?

Why would we blow off Maine? Just move them to a date that works for us. We are just replacing SJSU with Penn State in your scenario. We still need another game. Maine will likely move to whatever date works for us.

 

[Adios]

It seems as if in-state recruits would rather play for UConn as an independent than as a member of the AAC. 4 or 5 P5 opponents every year, including an annual buy game, whatever they are called, at the winningest programs. This schedule sure looks way more marketable.

 

[Dooooooomed]

Wyoming @ UConn on 9/25/2021 now official. No return game on the books.

Clemson arranged for the Cowboys to get $1 million payoff as part of being allowed to break it's commitment to host the Cowboys so it could play Georgia in what is anticipated to become an annual rivalry for the two Power 5 schools.

Wyoming Fills Out 2021 Football Schedule -- Trip to Connecticut Replaces Clemson

 

[TheDrifter75]

Wyoming @ UConn on 9/25/2021 now official. No return game on the books.

Clemson arranged for the Cowboys to get $1 million payoff as part of being allowed to break it's commitment to host the Cowboys so it could play Georgia in what is anticipated to become an annual rivalry for the two Power 5 schools.

Wyoming Fills Out 2021 Football Schedule -- Trip to Connecticut Replaces Clemson

Odd matchup but I like it.

 

[Drew]

Sucks there isn’t a return game. Would much rather play there than San Jose or Fresno

 

[freescooter]

Interesting matchup. Wyoming once got the award for ugliest uniforms. That was before Oregon started the ugly uniform sweepstakes, though

 

[UConnKev]

If and when UConn plays @New Mexico State. Please @ or inbox me and I’ll give you the ultimate visiting fan guide. I look forward to making that trip when it happens. Las Cruces is a treat if you’ve never been with White Sands national park being just 45 minutes away.

 

[Figurehead]

Interesting matchup. Wyoming once got the award for ugliest uniforms. That was before Oregon started the ugly uniform sweepstakes, though

UCONN has a football team? Next thing you know is that Hawaii will have a hockey team.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Interesting matchup. Wyoming once got the award for ugliest uniforms. That was before Oregon started the ugly uniform sweepstakes, though

I think it's a different kind of ugly. There's just no way to make brown and yellow look good. On the other hand, green and yellow can be done well.

Either way, it's nice to have some fairly reputable FBS teams on our schedule and coming to us.

 

[Coach J]

All I would say is there must be something in the works with a Texas school just because we have recruited so well there of late. Wyoming is a perfect filler on the schedule for us at this point. Good call Exit 4.

 

[Coach J]

Drew, I haven't been able to find any FBS programs with open dates in 2021 aside from Wyoming. This is why I am guessing we pay to break up two more games to fill our 2021 holes. And by paying, we are not really paying per se, we let the team that was getting paid to keep that $ while we step in an play the game itself. Of the three break up ideas I tossed out there, I purposefully selected two with fellow independent programs BYU and New Mexico. If we can engineer four more FBS games in 2021 w/o break ups, I'm all ears. Seems to me you have to convince the few programs that haven't scheduled their FCS cupcake game to play us instead. Most schools dont seem to want to do that, although some do on occasion. We need games in TX, FL and GA. PA and VA too. Rice has at least 2 openings from 2024 onward.

 

[Coach J]

Rice has at least 2 openings from 2024 onward.

And SMU has openings from 2022 onward, I have no problem playing them if it helps us recruit Texas.

 

[Buffett10]

All I would say is there must be something in the works with a Texas school just because we have recruited so well there of late. Wyoming is a perfect filler on the schedule for us at this point. Good call Exit 4.

There is something in the works already

 

[Jimdish255]

There is something in the works already

Big things?
Little things?
Medium things?

 

[Exit 4]

So with Temple on the schedule what's left in the northeast? Pitt - which is rumored to be happening and Penn State? Penn State routinely schedules at least one G5 school at home a year (Buffalo a few times lately). Their schedule is open, I expect we will get one of those pay day games soon.

Penn State's OOC schedule below. I like the idea of bumping any of the games on the G5 or FCS games on the slate below. If we wait for an open date, 2024 is the earliest.


2020

• 09/05 - Kent State
• 09/12 - at Virginia Tech
• 09/19 - San Jose State

2021

• 09/11 - Ball State
• 09/18 - Auburn
• 09/25 - Villanova

2022

• 09/10 - Ohio
• 09/17 - at Auburn
• 09/24 - Central Michigan

2023

• 09/02 - West Virginia
• 09/09 - Delaware
• 11/11 - UMass

2024

• 08/31 - at West Virginia
• 09/07 - Bowling Green

2025

• 09/06 - Virginia Tech
• 09/13 - Villanova

2026

• 09/12 - at Temple

2027

• 09/11 - Delaware
• 09/18 - Temple

 

[UConn Dan]

So with Temple on the schedule what's left in the northeast? Pitt - which is rumored to be happening and Penn State?

Rutgers series is also rumored to be happening. My guess would be at Rutgers in 2022 and at home 2024

 

[Drew]

I'm aware that it would require an exemption from the NCAA, and it would be a second FCS game that wouldn't count towards bowl eligibility, but if we are facing a reality where we only have 5 home games in 2021 or 2022 I'd much rather try to play a 6th home game against Yale than I would play a random road game (even if it's P5) that is outside of driving distance.