UConn to new Big East? What happens to Husky football?

[Northbound]

the AAC is a dead conference walking. As soon as the next round of realignment happens, which will happen, UCF, USF, Houston, and/or Cinci are gone. This is a preemptive strike. We have games scheduled out against P5 teams and we will fill in the rest. In a few years, stuff will shuffle and we’ll be in the ACC.

The idea of the AAC is a dead conference walking is absolutely correct.

 

[whaler11]

As an outsider I can say this is literally the stupidest decision I've ever seen a university make regarding sports.

Even the basketball only fans should realize how stupid this is,but that doesn't appear to be the case. I can't believe half of your fanbase is actively cheering the destruction of your fball program. Blows my mind.

Maybe I’ve been attending games for a different UConn?

How in the ever loving swear word can you destroy a football program that has gotten mercy ruled 15 of their last 20 games.

 

[Adios]

As an outsider I can say this is literally the stupidest decision I've ever seen a university make regarding sports.

Even the basketball only fans should realize how stupid this is,but that doesn't appear to be the case. I can't believe half of your fanbase is actively cheering the destruction of your fball program. Blows my mind.

Some of us see the same as you. Go tell them that on the basketball board. See what stupid responses you get.

 

[B12]

[/QUOTE]

The AAC is the SUNDAY league - you can cross BYU off list.

I was referring to the NBE#12.

BYU would seem odd but so was Creighton/Omaha. There have got to be a lot of mormons in the NE so they likely have the most upside of any program that's available, except for location.

That is also why I mentioned Wichita St. They might actually go for that but they are not a religious school. Which is why I mentioned Liberty, but I would think they would prefer the AAC spot left behind by UConn.

VCU? Temple?

I assume they would prefer 12 teams and East West divisions as opposed to 11.

 

[Ellington]

This has to be a crusher to the young men of UConn football. Can u spell “Transfer Portal”? Very likely NCAA would waiver anyone that wants out. I would certainly understand it. They did not signup for an in season home and home with UMass and New Mexico State.i feel for the players and families.

 

[Bubba1957]

Terrible that this news got out before the football situation was ironed out. How much harder can they make it for Randy? I just hope he knows something. Why wouldn't the AAC want to keep us for football only? They would not have to send their other teams up to CT anymore saving a lot while still getting northeast exposure for their football programs.

 

[WrenchFan69]

This has to be a crusher to the young men of UConn football. Can u spell “Transfer Portal”? Very likely NCAA would waiver anyone that wants out. I would certainly understand it. They did not signup for an in season home and home with UMass and New Mexico State.i feel for the players and families.

We had already scheduled a UMass home and home lol

 

[OldGoldnBlue]

Maybe I’ve been attending games for a different UConn?

How in the ever loving swear word can you destroy a football program that has gotten mercy ruled 15 of their last 20 games.

A football program can be completely turned around by one coaching hire. All it takes is a little momentum and you're back in no time. Instead you guys have flushed what, $150 million+ straight down the crapper if you can't find a suitable home? The short sightedness is truly remarkable.

 

[BugsyCT]

As an outsider I can say this is literally the stupidest decision I've ever seen a university make regarding sports.

Even the basketball only fans should realize how stupid this is,but that doesn't appear to be the case. I can't believe half of your fanbase is actively cheering the destruction of your fball program. Blows my mind.

There aren't many fan bases of universities around the country that would be so happy to sacrifice their football program for the good of their hoops program, but we appear to be a very unique situation.

Plus a lot of our fans are just plain fickle, spoiled, frontrunning d**chebags. It's part of living in this state. So there's that.

 

[Padutch5]

A great UConn basketball team could literally save the Big East from it’s presumed long term fate and it clearly ups the value of the conference to Fox and MSG.

My theory is that this may be a negotiation by which UConn intends to let the AAC see what the value of their deal is without UConn. ESPN will not like losing the UConn basketball teams with ESPN+ needing content. Maybe UConn can get SNY back on the table by pushing this. Even if UConn has nothing to do with this story, they might want to take advantage of it now that it is out there so visibly.

And Pete's response makes sense... look at add Army or Air Force as football only. If that doesn't work, I could see them add UMass as football only just to have a body.

other than old school vindictiveness, why would AAC not let UCONN stay as football member while ESPN is now speculating that they would invite Army or Air Force as football member to replace UCONN?

 

[Waquoit]

other than old school vindictiveness, why would AAC not let UCONN stay as football member while ESPN is now speculating that they would invite Army or Air Force as football member to replace UCONN?

Really! We kept the stupid league relevant while the rest of league was struggling to find their footing.

 

[billybud]

I once thought that the Dookies were a basketball only school...

...but even ten years ago, when they went four straight years without a 3 win year (including a 0-12 and a 1-11 season), the fans were not cheering to dump football.

...Duke fought through that awful spell to have a winning season 5 of the last 6 years.

...UConn is in a different place not being in a P5 and having a slipping BB program...but the possibility of being picked up by the ACC or B1G has gone from maybe dim to gone.

 

[RSTuthill]

Opinion: UConn rejoining the Big East means the school has given up on football program

UConn is expected to exit the AAC as soon as it formally receives a Big East invitation, which will boost basketball but means football is dead.

amp.usatoday.com

Exactly. In 5 year's time, there will be no FB program. Too expensive.

 

[BugsyCT]

other than old school vindictiveness, why would AAC not let UCONN stay as football member while ESPN is now speculating that they would invite Army or Air Force as football member to replace UCONN?

AAC needed us for our hoops programs. Our FB program alone is dead weight to them.

Army & Air Force bring a lot more to the table for them now than we do.

 

[WrenchFan69]

AAC needed us for our hoops programs. Our FB program alone is dead weight to them.

Army & Air Force bring a lot more to the table for them now than we do.

Would either join? Would Air Force be an upgrade in terms of brand?

 

[billybud]

other than old school vindictiveness, why would AAC not let UCONN stay as football member while ESPN is now speculating that they would invite Army or Air Force as football member to replace UCONN?

Value....UConn wants to take their high value programs and leave the low value football....

Having two of the service academies in annual football gives more value.

 

[UCFBfan]

Jim must be forgetting that the nostalgia and magic of the BE is gone because half of the teams that made it great and memorable for UConn are no longer in the BE.....ugh this whole thing pisses the heck out of me

 

[BugsyCT]

Would either join? Would Air Force be an upgrade in terms of brand?

They'd both fit in. Navy is already there so a second service academy would complement them. Especially Army. Air Force plays in the midwest where a few AAC schools already reside so they'd work too.

And at the moment, our FB program can't hold a candle to either of theirs.

 

[whaler11]

I was referring to the NBE#12.

BYU would seem odd but so was Creighton/Omaha. There have got to be a lot of mormons in the NE so they likely have the most upside of any program that's available, except for location.

That is also why I mentioned Wichita St. They might actually go for that but they are not a religious school. Which is why I mentioned Liberty, but I would think they would prefer the AAC spot left behind by UConn.

VCU? Temple?

I assume they would prefer 12 teams and East West divisions as opposed to 11.
[/QUOTE]

BYU and Liberty can’t be in a Catholic league.

If the Big East wants 12... it’s St Louis.

 

[billybud]

I think Calhoun embodies a lot of UConn guys thoughts....if we can just click our heels and go back home...back to the glory years.

 

[whaler11]

They'd both fit in. Navy is already there so a second service academy would complement them. Especially Army. Air Force plays out west where a lot of AAC schools already reside so they'd work too.

And at the moment, our FB program can't hold a candle to either of theirs.

Air Force would need to beg the WCC to take their other teams like BYU. For what? A marginally better schedule they can’t win against?

 

[Adios]

...UConn is in a different place not being in a P5 and having a slipping BB program...but the possibility of being picked up by the ACC or B1G has gone from maybe dim to gone.

That remains to be seen. At worst, we're starting over in football.

Can we do it with a new coach? Screw Randy.

 

[whaler11]

This has to be a crusher to the young men of UConn football. Can u spell “Transfer Portal”? Very likely NCAA would waiver anyone that wants out. I would certainly understand it. They did not signup for an in season home and home with UMass and New Mexico State.i feel for the players and families.

well if they leave how do they lose every game by 50!

the coach spent the last two years chasing everyone out - now it’s a bad thing if the school stops playing chump?

 

[TRest]

This has to be a crusher to the young men of UConn football. Can u spell “Transfer Portal”? Very likely NCAA would waiver anyone that wants out. I would certainly understand it. They did not signup for an in season home and home with UMass and New Mexico State.i feel for the players and families.

It's a good thing we were recruiting FCS level talent then, no?

 

[B12]

the AAC is a dead conference walking. As soon as the next round of realignment happens, which will happen, UCF, USF, Houston, and/or Cinci are gone. This is a preemptive strike. We have games scheduled out against P5 teams and we will fill in the rest. In a few years, stuff will shuffle and we’ll be in the ACC.

I completely disagree. I know you might want to think of it that way but in reality the AAC is a solid conference. Basketball, Football, and Baseball. UConn simply was not able to be successful beyond WBB and baseball this year for a variety of reasons. But for Cinci, Houston, UCF, Memphis it's a good fit.

To be honest ESPN will miss the WBB TV ratings but the AAC and NBE will both get stronger with this move. A school like Liberty, UTSA, Rice, SoMiss will be a much better fit for them much like the NBE is a better fit for UConn, aside from football/baseball.

I used to share your opinion and believe that the AAC will lose a bunch more schools but there is nowhere for them to go. At best Cinci and Houston leave for the Big 12 but I think that is less and less likely. Nebraska made 54 million in TV money last year. OU made around 40. The folks in Norman and Lawrence are not going to allow the Huskers and Tigers to make 100+ million more than they do by choice the next decade. The gap has become too big to ignore.

What that means is the Big 12 is going to lose KU to the B1G, OU to the B1G or SEC, and as a result UT to the ACC (ESPN). ESPN won't let them go, they will make them an offer for indy FB with oly sports in the ACC keeping LHN with several FB games so they can claim superiority over aTm with a 60+ million pay day for TV.

At that poing the PAC is going to also grab a few schools in the Central time zone to help solve their issues and expand footprint. So I am really not sure if there will be a Big 12 left once everyone leaves.

AAC could easily survive that and possibly only lose 1 school (Houston to PAC). At that point they would be much stronger than the MW. One thing to keep an eye on is the MW TV deal. If Boise is not given special treatment or the payout is half the AAC I think they could be a West division for the AAC.

In teh end I think the AAC might have better chances of surviving than the Big 12. That has changed in the last year as I used to think the AAC would lose a few to the Big 12 but that simply is never going to happen when the B1G and SEC are making 50+ million per year on TV. Would be like OU, KU, and UT giving up hundreds of millions of dollars, which they won't do.