UMass Get Series with Mississippi State

[Jimmy Serrano]

Small time thinking is not the way to go. I wouldn't touch that at all. I think if you want big time you have to at least act the part. 2-1's don't give you big time feel, but more of a MAC feel.

I don't get this. You think Delaney and the B1G presidents are going to say "well we'd love to add UConn but they scheduled a 2 for 1 with Ole Miss"? Complete nonsense. If you want big time schools to come to the Rent you're gonna have to accept the reality of the AAC. Sure we'll get the Illinois, Indiana's, and UVA's but if you want the big time upper echelon schools to come you do a 2 for 1. Times are changing with the way P5 schools are scheduling.

 

[Dooley]

UConn can continue to sign home and homes with the Indiana, Illinois, Syracuse, UVA types and that's great. Great for the fans and great for the program. But Jimmy is right: ain't no big time SEC program like Miss State (I feel weird typing that, by the way...aside: Dan Mullen is an incredible coach, eh?) coming here on a 1 and 1. We're either playing a 2 for 1 OR 1 and 1 and "our 1" being played at a designated venue outside of Connecticut. But hells yes, I would sign up for either arrangement.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

UConn can continue to sign home and homes with the Indiana, Illinois, Syracuse, UVA types and that's great. Great for the fans and great for the program. But Jimmy is right: ain't no big time SEC program like Miss State (I feel weird typing that, by the way...aside: Dan Mullen is an incredible coach, eh?) coming here on a 1 and 1. We're either playing a 2 for 1 OR 1 and 1 and "our 1" being played at a designated venue outside of Connecticut. But hells yes, I would sign up for either arrangement.

I say this as someone who was dead set against the terms that ND proposed for the series that never happened. And hindsight being 20/20, I was dead wrong.

 

[Dooley]

I say this as someone who was dead set against the terms that ND proposed for the series that never happened. And hindsight being 20/20, I was dead wrong.

I wanted to take that 10 game deal but completely understood the backlash at the time. But yeah, a couple of high marque games in Boston or New York to look forward to every other year would be really sweet right about now.

 

[UConn Dan]

Guys, we got mizzou home and home. It's not bama or lsu but it's better than Tennessee of late. Mizzou didn't have to give us a home game, but they did.

Right now, get all the 1 and 1s we can get. If we are still in the AAC in 10 years then go for the 2 for 1s.

 

[Dooley]

Guys, we got mizzou home and home. It's not bama or lsu but it's better than Tennessee of late. Mizzou didn't have to give us a home game, but they did.

Right now, get all the 1 and 1s we can get. If we are still in the AAC in 10 years then go for the 2 for 1s.

Yeah, I forgot about Mizzou. Don't know why really, because I am heading out there for a long man weekend. KC/Den at Arrowhead on Thursday night; UConn/Mizzou on Saturday.

 

[TheJerk]

Ouch...some of the comments are pretty harsh regarding my old alma mater. But it's your board so I will grin and bear it!! At least Whipple didn't call the game with Miss. St. a rivalry !

zing!

 

[J187Money]

Yeah, I forgot about Mizzou. Don't know why really, because I am heading out there for a long man weekend. KC/Den at Arrowhead on Thursday night; UConn/Mizzou on Saturday.

Same here.

 

[UConnJim]

So you advocate that Warde shut down any talks with Auburn, Florida, Ohio St, etc. if they insist on 2 for 1 deals? Because "we are UConn". Do I have that right?

Yup. Once you accept 2 for 1s with any P5 team, everyone will expect it. UConn will play anyone home and home. If we have to do a "deal" with some top schools like Auburn, Florida, Ohio St., etc., I would accept a "home" game at Gillette or Met Life.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Yup. Once you accept 2 for 1s with any P5 team, everyone will expect it. UConn will play anyone home and home. If we have to do a "deal" with some top schools like Auburn, Florida, Ohio St., etc., I would accept a "home" game at Gillette or Met Life.

And I'm the guy who doesn't want good teams coming to the Rent?

 

[Stray_Dog]

I don't get this. You think Delaney and the B1G presidents are going to say "well we'd love to add UConn but they scheduled a 2 for 1 with Ole Miss"? Complete nonsense. If you want big time schools to come to the Rent you're gonna have to accept the reality of the AAC. Sure we'll get the Illinois, Indiana's, and UVA's but if you want the big time upper echelon schools to come you do a 2 for 1. Times are changing with the way P5 schools are scheduling.

....right now, with the current state of UConn football, scheduling Big Time when we can't prove that we would beat the mid-majors, I believe would be a waste. Show we can be competitive with the bottom 125 football programs, then worry about the "Big" time programs! We may or may not need to schedule 2 for 1's when that happens! Just my opinion!

 

[junglehusky]

....right now, with the current state of UConn football, scheduling Big Time when we can't prove that we would beat the mid-majors, I believe would be a waste. Show we can be competitive with the bottom 125 football programs, then worry about the "Big" time programs! We may or may not need to schedule 2 for 1's when that happens! Just my opinion!

Problem is, to draw in those elusive "casual" fans it doesn't help to have a schedule full of non-name teams from random locations. I mean, not that Rutgers or Pitt was a "name" team or elite in any definition of the word, but they were familiar because they were from the northeast. Being competent against the AAC schedule would help a little, but probably not enough. And given that nonconference dates are made years in advance, you can't avoid or postpone quote-unquote Big Time games just because your record was poor the previous year (although we were so bad some P5 teams would be biased against scheduling UConn if they're thinking they'll be trying to get into the playoff).

 

[IMind]

By taking 2-1s not only do you relegate yourself to being a small time program... you accelerate the rate at which this is going to happen. It's just moronic.

 

[UConnJim]

By taking 2-1s not only do you relegate yourself to being a small time program... you accelerate the rate at which this is going to happen. It's just moronic.

Well said. UMass football is in a tailspin and is doing anything to survive not being in a conference. Their days in FBS are numbered.

 

[Stray_Dog]

I do see your point, but I don't believe scheduling some team in the top 25 or a major program is necessary. For example, scheduling WVU, VT, Indiana, Rutgers, Syracuse, etc. to me is better than scheduling a USC, MSU, Alabama where we would have to schedule a 2-1 which is likely to mean three straight years with zero wins against this particular opponent. This is something that the Huskies can't afford and would likely make matters worse when our fans can't afford to have another potential season without a bowl game. Imagine having them on our schedule and finishing the season 6-6 without a bowl invite. What would be said of the A.D. who signed off on this schedule?

Sure so for one game you get people to show up! But they are not showing up because of UConn but because of who we are playing. This IMO is not how you build up a strong supporting fan-base. ...and granted right now we could argue if we even have a fan-base??? However, if we continually produce losing seasons, we certainly wont have a fan-base. Again winning solves this issue. Okay so we don't like the AAC, but right now that is irrelevant. The UConn Huskies needing to win games is what is most important - scheduling a game that statistically we will be "likely" unmatched for is more crazy than developing a rivalry game. After all, I believe we have more of a chance successfully creating a rivalry than we do beating a powerhouse P5 program (1 in a million - REF "Dumb & Dumber"). And certainly until we can demonstrate that we can beat the bottom 125 FBS schools!

 

[Excalibur]

By taking 2-1s not only do you relegate yourself to being a small time program... you accelerate the rate at which this is going to happen. It's just moronic.

Because not playing top programs just screams big time . . .

 

[CL82]

By taking 2-1s not only do you relegate yourself to being a small time program... you accelerate the rate at which this is going to happen. It's just moronic.

Unless you have no choice, then it is reality. I think that is where UMass is. I applaud UMass' decision to upgrade the level of their football. Unfortunately, if we were a day late and a dollar short on our upgrade, then they are decade late and $1 million short.

 

[Perfect Hair]

Well said. UMass football is in a tailspin and is doing anything to survive not being in a conference. Their days in FBS are numbered.

You obviously don't live in the world of College Football 2015. Making 1 for 2 deals has zero to do with not being in a conference or days being numbered. It has everything to do with not being in the top tier of the Power 5. We are in the same boat.

And by the way, Missouri is NOT in the top tier of the Power 5 so that's why they can't make 2 for 1 deals. And before you jump down my throat and argue that point please realize it has NOTHING to do with on field performance, and everything to do with National stature and TV ratings. Tennesee is in that top tier, Mizzou is not. Illinois is not. Indiana is not. Virginia is not. BC is not (although please don't waste your breath trying to get them to realize that)

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

....right now, with the current state of UConn football, scheduling Big Time when we can't prove that we would beat the mid-majors, I believe would be a waste. Show we can be competitive with the bottom 125 football programs, then worry about the "Big" time programs! We may or may not need to schedule 2 for 1's when that happens! Just my opinion!

You schedule these games years in advance (usually). Who the heck knows what we're going to be in 2019?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Well said. UMass football is in a tailspin and is doing anything to survive not being in a conference. Their days in FBS are numbered.

I'm the guy who wants to play big time teams. You're the guy who wants to play Indiana.

 

[uconnbill]

You obviously don't live in the world of College Football 2015. Making 1 for 2 deals has zero to do with not being in a conference or days being numbered. It has everything to do with not being in the top tier of the Power 5. We are in the same boat.

And by the way, Missouri is NOT in the top tier of the Power 5 so that's why they can't make 2 for 1 deals. And before you jump down my throat and argue that point please realize it has NOTHING to do with on field performance, and everything to do with National stature and TV ratings. Tennesee is in that top tier, Mizzou is not. Illinois is not. Indiana is not. Virginia is not. BC is not (although please don't waste your breath trying to get them to realize that)

Missouri has won the SEC East title two years running which is pretty doggone good and better than most team UConn has played in the past few years. But yet continue to complain because that's what you do best.

 

[Perfect Hair]

Missouri has won the SEC East title two years running which is pretty doggone good and better than most team UConn has played in the past few years. But yet continue to complain because that's what you do best.

You, can obviously the guys who liked your post, didn't read what I worte, did you? Here's the relevant part, if you need it in a different language I recommend google translate: And before you jump down my throat and argue that point please realize it has NOTHING to do with on field performance, and everything to do with National stature and TV ratings.

 

[Fishy]

By taking 2-1s not only do you relegate yourself to being a small time program... you accelerate the rate at which this is going to happen. It's just moronic.

If you're UMass, a 2-1 with Miss St. is just good business.

 

[UConn Dan]

You, can obviously the guys who liked your post, didn't read what I worte, did you? Here's the relevant part, if you need it in a different language I recommend google translate: And before you jump down my throat and argue that point please realize it has NOTHING to do with on field performance, and everything to do with National stature and TV ratings.

Read it. Don't agree.

Missouri is top 25 in football ratings and a nationally respected program.

 

[gioff23]

I am still trying to comprehend the point that MSU is now a big time SEC opponent (and apparently Mizzou is not). Mizzou has had as much success when it comes to SEC championships in its few years in the conference as MSU has had in nearly a century in the league. MSU has no national stature and does little to draw ratings. Oh, and have you ever been to Starkeville ....

 

[weyuo]

Well I say be creative with your scheduling. If you can schedule Mizzou, despite what some might think are nationally recognized or else they would never have been invited into the SEC in the first place, and...you can get a home and home then you go for that. If you can schedule a destination away game home and home like UMass has (@ Hawaii Nov 26, Thanksgiving weekend 2016) then you jump all over that. But...if you can get Florida St or Michigan St(one of the upper tier national powers in a league you want to join) to sign on for a 2-1 with the 1 at the Rent....I'd jump at that. That doesn't mean you'll be relegated to 2-1's for the rest of your life. Thinking that isn't foolish but it's definitely selling your AD short. If your UConn and you can get FLa St or Notre Dame or some other perennial top 25 team to come to your home then you gladly go to theirs twice. Gives you 2 chances to beat them at their place

what a recruiting tool, "You'll get to spend a Thanksgiving in Hawaii while your here".

 

[UConnJim]

I'm the guy who wants to play big time teams. You're the guy who wants to play Indiana.

UMass was desperate for a home game so they did a 2 for 1 with Mississippi St. Not Notre Dame. Not Ohio State. Not Alabama. It's similar to a game with Virginia and Illinois which UConn can get a home and home. I would be all for UConn scheduling top teams for a one and done at a neutral site. Once you do 2 for 1s, you start ending up with 5 and 6 home games in a season. The financials don't work if UConn is not consistently hosting 7 and sometime 6 home games. UNOCAL's home games: 2013: 7, 2014: 7, 2015: 6, 2016: 7, 2017: 7, 2018: probably 6.

 

[UCFBfan]

Guys, we got mizzou home and home. It's not bama or lsu but it's better than Tennessee of late. Mizzou didn't have to give us a home game, but they did.

Right now, get all the 1 and 1s we can get. If we are still in the AAC in 10 years then go for the 2 for 1s.

I'm not disagreeing on Missouri being a great get for a home game but let's not get too excited just yet. 2017 is a still three seasons away and once they get their home game against us this season, they can very likely just back out of the 2017 game for a fee that won't dent their budget one bit. I hope I'm wrong and just hesitant because of the Tennessee thing and the almost Michigan pull out.

 

[noeynox]

In what world is Miss State better than Missouri? 2 for 1 to get LSU to come here I would get, but Missouri is a pretty good bench mark for the teams we could get 1 on 1s with.

 

[IMind]

In what world is Miss State better than Missouri? 2 for 1 to get LSU to come here I would get, but Missouri is a pretty good bench mark for the teams we could get 1 on 1s with.

You know you could make the argument that our non-conference opponents have gotten better post Big East. I mean we played Maryland, Virginia, Baylor, Notre Dame, and Indiana.. Whoopty! Our future schedule has Illinois, BYU, Missouri, Illinois, Boise State, and possibly Tennessee on it... plus Indian, Virginia, and Maryland.

Of course some people have been screaming this same BS since we went I-A.

The economics just don't make sense. You're giving away a home game. That's easily a couple million dollars in revenue.