Why football might actually be the biggest winner.

[LoyalFanCT]

Based on facts alone, another ridiculous post. UVA, puke, & smu with a minimal following particularly in the northeast have each played at The Rent. In hopes of winning a first game and gaining revenge after 2 losses against the Huskies, Puke just signed a 1-1 H-H with UConn. None of those schools command playing in NY.

Based on a series of foolish posts, you must be trolling. Not very well, but trolling. Thanks for the comic relief.

Have any of these schools agreed to play an independent UConn FB team. NO. They agreed to play an AAC member. It not would surprise me with BB fans destroying the FB team, Duke will cancel their UConn series unless UConn does something special -- like becoming a respected football program in NYC region.

 

[UConnNick]

I think we can do better than UMASS, but the reality is we've got three truly local, attractive P5 opponents...BS College, Syracuse and Rutgers. That's it. Unless we can pull off a continuing, rotating H&H series with all three of them, our home schedules will appear relatively bleak.

Venturing a little further away, I think Penn State might be possible, if we get down on our hands and knees doing some serious begging, as a payday game, or in a possible full scale dream scenario, get them to play us at the Meadowlands as a home game for us the year after our beatdown in State College. They do have a huge following in the NYC metro region, so it's a game those folks can get to, who most likely don't get much chance to see games in SC.

Then we have Maryland. That could be a good possibility for a home & home, perhaps with Edsall's former ties being an added plus? It would be tremendous if we could work them in to a standard rotation with Syracuse, BS College and Rutgers.

Thats about it for reasonably close P5's. We've got to work those really hard.

Then there are the lower tier G5's. Not much there except for Buffalo, Army and Temple. They'll play us home & home anytime it can fit. Temple will hopefully not much care about our AAC departure and we can get something going with them on home & homes.

The rest of the MAC has always been a good source for fill in opponents on the schedule, all H&H.

If through some miracle we can get all of those on a rotational H&H schedule (except Penn State which we'll be lucky to get once or twice every ten years), then we'd have a good base of three or possibly four home games each season against the only available P5 and G5 locals. Those are all fairly attractive home opponents. We had a particularly good rivalry going with Rutgers in the old Big East and I think it would be nice for both schools to rekindle that again.

Then there's the rest of the country. Any of the more northern ACC teams are always good. Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke we've already got, Wake Forest, UNC, NC State we've already got. We'll have to work that hard and keep a rotational schedule with at least one or two series a year with that group.

Vanderbilt has done a couple series with us in the past and would be likely to agree to do one or more again. As for the rest of the SEC, that's more likely fertile grounds for payday games. That's also true for the rest of the ACC further south.

Big Ten? We're already going with Illinois, Indiana and Purdue. We don't know if we're going to retain our pseudo P5 status with them or not. If so, continue trying to get H&H with Indiana, Illinois, Purdue and possibly Northwestern. It's unlikely we will get anything other
than payday games from the rest of the Big Ten.

Unfortunately not all of the above will work out, so the fallback is going to have to involve the handful of other Independents. If BYU doesn't join the AAC as our replacement, they'll do H&H with us because they like coming to New England so their Mormon base here can see them in person. Obviously ND would be the real elephant if we could get them to do a H&H with our home game at the Meadowlands. Yes, that's essentially two home games for them because of the crowds, but it's also double payday games for us. Two hooks here: (1) they want to avenge that lone loss to us, and (2) as former old BE rivals, and considering the current women's BB rivalry, they'd like to get back at us for the multiple BB beatdowns we've administered to them over these many years. I think we can get that done sometime. It would be absolutely huge for us and should be priority No. 1.

Then we obviously have UMASS which is about to become our No. 1 guranteed rivalry, every year for sure. Next closest is Liberty, which wouldn't be that bad if it had to become a yearly H&H.

New Mexico State would obviously be our last resort for H&H with Independents, but unfortunately we may end up seeing them a few times to fill in gaps.

Other attractive teams would include Ap State, Old Dominion, James Madison, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Holy Cross, Stony Brook, Albany, Richmond, Delaware, Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell, Colgate, any of the Ivy League schools, but most notably Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown and Columbia.

Maybe least likely for attractive home games, but use as a last resort for filler would be C-USA, Sun Belt, Southern, and Ohio Valley Conferences. It might be fun to bring Skip Holtz back home (born in Wllimantic) for a H&H with LA Tech.

As for the rest of the country, we should always be on the lookout for payday games anywhere. Maybe West Virginia and Pitt would do something on H&H, but it would probably be tough to get. Iowa would be a huge get if Kirk Ferentz can help us out. The rest of the B12 and even PAC12 for paydays. That's about all there is that I can think of. May have missed a few obvious ones. All we're left with now is to hope and pray that enough darts can hit their targets.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Reason #1) Because BYU doesn't have 22 or 23 National Championships in major college sports under it's belt.

Reason #2) Because BYU can't say if you play us in football we'll play you in men's or women's basketball in an OOC game at MSG. Well maybe they could but who would care.

Reason #3) The only leverage BYU might have is free lift tickets, hunting and trout fishing in the Wasatch, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Reason #4) For BYU to schedule a H&H with anybody in P5 is harder than flying to the moon. Provo is hard to get to, it's not like it's an easy bus ride from New Jersey or Massachusetts to Storrs. It's hundreds if not thousands of miles away from anywhere AND it's almost 5000 ft in elevation. They are good in football so they do get some teams to come play them but it's a difficult sell.

While I don’t have much issue with your first 3 reasons, your reason #4 isn’t exactly correct. Many fairly quick direct flights to SLC Intl, and Provo is only a straight shot ~45min highway drive from SLC.

 

[06029]

Reason #1) Because BYU doesn't have 22 or 23 National Championships in major college sports under it's belt.

Reason #2) Because BYU can't say if you play us in football we'll play you in men's or women's basketball in an OOC game at MSG. Well maybe they could but who would care.

Reason #3) The only leverage BYU might have is free lift tickets, hunting and trout fishing in the Wasatch, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Reason #4) For BYU to schedule a H&H with anybody in P5 is harder than flying to the moon. Provo is hard to get to, it's not like it's an easy bus ride from New Jersey or Massachusetts to Storrs. It's hundreds if not thousands of miles away from anywhere AND it's almost 5000 ft in elevation. They are good in football so they do get some teams to come play them but it's a difficult sell.

Since 2000 BYU has had 4 losing seasons. They are not a newcomer to
FB and do not hang their name recognition on any sport other than FB. They are an easier sell than Uconn or UMass as an away game for fans.

And with 20 Bg East games, how many big OOC BB games are you selling for 1 home FB game?

 

[06029]

Then I guess you don't like Shizzles Big Ten list either, period. Yeah, maybe a little optimistic but it's a good post by a good fan. I just threw Iowa into that mix because of Ferentz's ties to Uconn. Shizzle lists several Big Ten teams, and I guess you don't believe Benedict either saying that several P5 AD's already called him showing support for possible H&H's.

Until they are signed and played, they are as real as the Tennessee series. P5 home and homes are not going to happen in my opinion. Best case, 2 for 1 with some of the lower leVel P5 schools that have done 1 and 1 in the past. Maybe you luck out and the year they visit, they have that once every 10 year good season that draws a fuller house at the Rent and Uconn wins. Because that is what will be needed to have national relevance.

 

[huskyrob1]

While I don’t have much issue with your first 3 reasons, your reason #4 isn’t exactly correct. Many fairly quick direct flights to SLC Intl, and Provo is only a straight shot ~45min highway drive from SLC.

How exactly is it not correct? You don't think some opposing schools might think they possibly could be at a conditioning disadvantage in the 4th quarter playing BYU at 5000 feet? Sure there are many quick direct flights but flying 100 people and their team equipment, many hundreds or a couple thousand miles is very expensive versus a bus ride from Syracuse, Boston, New Jersey, or Philly to Storrs.

 

[Dooooooomed]

LOL at people thinking all of our P5s on the schedule are gonna back out and one else is gonna call because we went Independent. AAC vs Indy is at the very least a wash, if not Indy being more attractive.

 

[huskyrob1]

Since 2000 BYU has had 4 losing seasons. They are not a newcomer to
FB and do not hang their name recognition on any sport other than FB. They are an easier sell than Uconn or UMass as an away game for fans.

And with 20 Bg East games, how many big OOC BB games are you selling for 1 home FB game?

Well good luck getting Maryland, BC, Syracuse, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Temple, Pitt, or Penn State flying thousands of miles to play them 5000 ft up in elevation every other year. Also you conveniently left out the fact that BYU has been an independent for only the past 7 years while touting their record going back 19 years when they played in the Mountain West.

 

[huskyrob1]

Since 2000 BYU has had 4 losing seasons. They are not a newcomer to
FB and do not hang their name recognition on any sport other than FB. They are an easier sell than Uconn or UMass as an away game for fans.

And with 20 Bg East games, how many big OOC BB games are you selling for 1 home FB game?

Just ask yourself how many ooc games UConn will have in men's and women's basketball, Field Hockey (which has three NC's in recent years), and men's and women's soccer, once they join the BE? All those sports can be used as leverage in helping to schedule a football game with a P5. Yes, an easier sell than UMass but not UCONN when you add the leverage of other sports and the difficulty and expense at getting to and playing in Provo versus Storrs.

 

[huskyrob1]

Until they are signed and played, they are as real as the Tennessee series. P5 home and homes are not going to happen in my opinion. Best case, 2 for 1 with some of the lower leVel P5 schools that have done 1 and 1 in the past. Maybe you luck out and the year they visit, they have that once every 10 year good season that draws a fuller house at the Rent and Uconn wins. Because that is what will be needed to have national relevance.

Benedict just said that several AD's called him saying they would support Uconns move to independent status, and they would come and play us. Are you calling him a liar?

 

[UCFBfan]

Two things I'd love to see happen as an independent for us.

1) A H/H with Army on a regular basis. Anyone who hasn't been to West Point for a football game is missing out on an experience every college football fan should have. Beside the pagentry of the pregame, the stadium overlooks the Hudson and is beautiful. I'd take an away game there ever few years in a heartbeat.

2) An away pay game at Penn St. This is for selfish reasons. I was born and raised to have Penn State blue and white run through my veins, and then I went to UConn . This would give me a great opportunity to get all my family and cousins together who have scattered across the country. Plus, State College on game day can't be beat. There's no shot we'd get a return game and I'm good with that. To play an away game in an awesome college town, get paid for it, and be able to have fans drive there, is a win in my book.

 

[Dooooooomed]

Benedict just said that several AD's called him saying they would support Uconns move to independent status, and they would come and play us. Are you calling him a liar?

And they are teams that UConn fans would be "excited" to see. That tells me they weren't all low-level G5s.

 

[SubbaBub]

You are looking at this the wrong way. Saying independence isn't much worse than the current AAC situation when you figure it's impact on the entire AD is a very long way from saying FB will thrive.

Scheduling 2 P5 games a year is a chasm away from scheduling 8. Which is what OP is describing. 3 P5's, 5 G5's, 2 IND and 2 FCS is about as good as it's going to get. And those G5's won't be AAC for a while.

That would put the home slate most years as 1 P5, 2 G5, 1 IND, and 2 FCS. Which is close to but a bit worse than we have now.

 

[Exit 4]

You are looking at this the wrong way. Saying independence isn't much worse than the current AAC situation when you figure it's impact on the entire AD is a very long way from saying FB will thrive.

Scheduling 2 P5 games a year is a chasm away from scheduling 8. Which is what OP is describing. 3 P5's, 5 G5's, 2 IND and 2 FCS is about as good as it's going to get. And those G5's won't be AAC for a while

That would put the home slate most years as 1 P5, 2 G5, 1 IND, and 2 FCS. Which is close to but a bit worse than we have now.

That’s probably right. The big question is, can Fox help us tilt us more P5 games and just how bitter are schools like Temple and Cincy? I think fellow ADs know how vulnerable the AAC to losing two teams when the next round of CRA takes place. If those two teams are UCF and UH like many think, Cincy and Temple might be better off coming back to our model.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You are looking at this the wrong way. Saying independence isn't much worse than the current AAC situation when you figure it's impact on the entire AD is a very long way from saying FB will thrive.

Scheduling 2 P5 games a year is a chasm away from scheduling 8. Which is what OP is describing. 3 P5's, 5 G5's, 2 IND and 2 FCS is about as good as it's going to get. And those G5's won't be AAC for a while.

That would put the home slate most years as 1 P5, 2 G5, 1 IND, and 2 FCS. Which is close to but a bit worse than we have now.

I think the "hard feelings" from the AAC are being way overplayed by the media and message boards. Aresco is butt hurt, but we know he doesn't speak for his members. If you look at the history of realignment, the only times were there were hard feelings post departure are A) where there were hard feelings pre-departure (the Big 12 departures), or B) where the departing teams did it in such a way as to cause maximum damage to the conference they were leaving (Miami and BCU). There are no hard feelings between USF, Cincinnati, and UConn vs. West Virginia, Pitt, Syracuse and Rutgers, or the C-7. I don't think we will have a problem scheduling AAC teams.

Most schools outside the SEC and a few Big 12 and Big 10 schools are having attendance issues. UConn will be an attractive payday opponent, and giving up a home game is not the worst thing in the world for a team drawing in the low 30k attendance.

If we only target 5-6 home games, we should get 4 P5, 5 G5, 2 IND, 1 FCS.

 

[UConnJim]

BYU can and has scheduled many P5 opponents. I noted this in another thread, but here are BYU's P5 opponents over the next 5 years.

BYU's P5 opponents:

2019: 4 (Utah, @Tennessee, USC, Washington)
2020: 6 (@Utah, Michigan St., @Arizona St, @ Minnesota, Missouri, @Stanford)
2021: 7 (Arizona in Las Vegas, Utah, Arizona St., @Baylor, @Washington St., Virginia, @USC)
2022: 5 (@Utah, Baylor, @Oregon, Arkansas, @Stanford)
2023: 6 (Tennessee, @Virginia, Utah, @arkansas, @USC, Stanford)

As you can see, most of the opponents are from the Midwest and West Coast plus Utah, which makes sense given BYU's location.

This is what I think UConn's independent schedule could look like:

Annual home and homes with UMass and Army
One FCS home game
4 G5 home and homes
1 upper level P5 buy game
4 home and homes with mid to lower level P5's

Look at the stadium capacities of the FBS Independents:

BYU: 63.7k
UConn: 42.7k (Michigan capacity)
Army: 40k
New Mexico St.: 30.3k
Liberty: 25k
UMass: 17k

UConn has played 25 current P5 opponents and slightly less than half of the P5 are located within a 2.5 hour flight to Hartford. So, it is possible that UConn can scratch together the hypothetical schedule that I listed above.

One other thought. We have been focused on SNY for football and tier 3 sports, but I think the real opportunity is the Big 10 network (51% owned by Fox). Why? If UConn got a football scheduling arrangement with the Big 10 for 4 games per year (2 home and 2 away) and say women's basketball, maybe the BTN can get an in-market rate for Connecticut and bring in $12 to $14 million per year from Connecticut. Maybe UConn can get $5 to $6 million per year from the BTN for rights to UConn football and women's Tier 3 basketball.

 

[Pudge]

Great job Jim

We aren't NM State or Liberty; we are a class Plus above UMASS. We just are; somewhere not in the same gasp as BYU - which is a notable Program in the western states for decades. I think Benedict has to work really really hard. But ... I like the niche thinking in that post.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Have any of these schools agreed to play an independent UConn FB team. NO. They agreed to play an AAC member. It not would surprise me with BB fans destroying the FB team, Duke will cancel their UConn series unless UConn does something special -- like becoming a respected football program in NYC region.

Far less likely with mid to lower level ACC programs, and smu is of minimal interest in the northeast. Good luck naively believing CT’s legislators wouldn’t go even more bird shiite crazy proposing games in the City particularly a baseball stadium unless it’s an extremely high ranked program, massive draw, etc.

 

[weyuo]

I think an average schedule would look more like this:

• @ any higher level B1G, ACC, PAC12 or SEC payday game
• lower level B1G or ACC team H/H or FCS team
• @ any AAC team. They have us pegged as a easy W so we can probably expect a game a year
• @ any MAC team H/H
• any CUSA team H/H
• @ any Mountain West team H/H)
• any Sun Belt team H/H) or FCS
• @ any Independent(H/H)
• any independent(H/H)
• any independent(H/H)
• @UMass(H/H during Thanksgiving week yearly rivalry)
• @Notre Dame or SEC late season cupcake game(payday game)

 

[Portico]

Here's the thing. Because we played in the AAC, the max number of P5 schools we could play on a yearly basis was 4. Some of you think we will have a hard time scheduling big good programs but I don't think so.

Almost every year, we will play UMass and Army H/H and one FCS school at home, which means that leaves 9 games (3 or 4 home games) to make a great schedule. I fully believe we will continue to be able to schedule low-level P5 schools on a H/H basis, mid-level P5 schools on a 2 for 1 basis, and juggernauts as pay games.

I can legitimately see this being a schedule once we get going as an independent:

1. Indiana (A) H/H
2. Rutgers (H) H/H
3. Purdue (A) H/H
4. Illinois (H) H/H
5. Maryland (A) H/H
6. Florida State (A) 2 for 1
7. Notre Dame (A) pay game
8. BYU (H) H/H
9. Army (A) H/H
10. Holy Cross (H) FCS
11. Auburn (A) pay game
12. UMass (H) H/H


This is realistic. The first six weeks of the season are fairly easy to schedule. I truly believe the Big 10 will continue to consider us a P5 "opponent" and we can get home and homes with 5 teams I mentioned. Florida State would be a 2 for 1. You would take a bye most years in Week 7. It wouldn't have to be Notre Dame but in any given year, a few big schools have an open date about half way through the year (enter Notre Dame in my example) for a body bag game. BYU and Army both admit they have issues scheduling so that is pretty realistic. Auburn being a pay game makes sense because SEC schools take the 2nd to last week of the season as a tune up game, and UMass would be our "rivalry" game at the end of the year. We won't be able to get this the first year, but it meets all of the requirements: 5 home games (some years 6 in our case). Oh, and by the way, we'll play 8 P5 in this scenario.

I'm just pissed we didn't do this 5 years ago.

These schools have thier schedules done 5-6 years in advance. There have no room for Uconn for many years. Why would they schedule uconn when they do have an opening, what do they gain?

 

[Ldandy]

Just ask yourself how many ooc games UConn will have in men's and women's basketball, Field Hockey (which has three NC's in recent years), and men's and women's soccer, once they join the BE? All those sports can be used as leverage in helping to schedule a football game with a P5. Yes, an easier sell than UMass but not UCONN when you add the leverage of other sports and the difficulty and expense at getting to and playing in Provo versus Storrs.

Nobody cares about field hockey or women's basketball as it relates to scheduling football games. FH is a total non starter. Women's Basketball probably makes money for 3-4 schools only including Uconn. I do believe that you can leverage Men's Basketball Games in negotiations with schools that also value the sport at a higher level than football such as KU, IU, Duke etc. A football home game in exchange for a basketball 2-1 or even 3-1 seems fair.

 

[huskyrob1]

Nobody cares about field hockey or women's basketball as it relates to scheduling football games. FH is a total non starter. Women's Basketball probably makes money for 3-4 schools only including Uconn. I do believe that you can leverage Men's Basketball Games in negotiations with schools that also value the sport at a higher level than football such as KU, IU, Duke etc. A football home game in exchange for a basketball 2-1 or even 3-1 seems fair.

How do you know that? A lot of women's athletes and women AD's do care.

 

[Kolumbo]

UConn Football will chart its own course because it has been forced to. The program isn't nearly as bad as the haters say it is. In fact, as bad as recent seasons have been, the program is still about on par with the likes of Kansas and L-ville, better than Rutgers, and better than many other FBS G5 programs.

UConn Basketball rose to incredible success because of Jim Calhoun and the Big East Conference. UConn Football will not see that type of success, but it can find FBS success on its own terms. The current Independents are independents for their own individual reasons. There are pluses and minuses to being independent and as some have pointed out, I think many P5 programs will find it beneficial to schedule UConn. Independence could very well be a much better short term opportunity than the forced membership in the AAC.

 

[UConnJim]

These schools have thier schedules done 5-6 years in advance. There have no room for Uconn for many years. Why would they schedule uconn when they do have an opening, what do they gain?

Well, here are the facts.

Right now, UConn has 2 P5 for 2020, 2 P5 for 2021, 2 P5 for 2022, and 3 P5 for 2023.

If you look at future football schedules, here are the current P5 (plus BYU) minus Pac 12 (too far) opportunities:

2020: 6 schools looking for games. UConn has played 3 before.
2021: 16 schools looking for games. UConn has played 8 before.
2022: 25 schools looking for games. UConn has played 11 before.
2023: 31 schools looking for games. UConn has played 12 before.

In addition, UConn men's and women's basketball have played every P5 school listed above with the exception of 1 or 2. Thus, we do have some good relationships with P5 schools.

I think UConn needs 2 P5 for 2020, 2021, and 2022, and 1 for 2023 to get to 4 per year. I think that is doable, although 2020 would probably be difficult which is why I think UConn football stays in the AAC in 2020.

 

[Ldandy]

How do you know that? A lot of women's athletes and women AD's do care.

For the majority of P5 Schools hosting 6-7 home games is an absolute necessity if they have any hope of their athletic department not running a major deficit. If you believe that an AD is going to trade a home football game in exchange for women's basketball or field hockey games I'm not even sure what to say.

What I can tell you is that we do have a female AD. We maintain a high number of successful women's programs including soccer and field hockey that we spend a lot of money on. We also have a brand new women's basketball coach who would love the buzz of playing Uconn at home. That said... have Benedict call our AD up and see if she'll schedule a road game at The Rent in exchange for any or all of these sports. If Benedict is smart he needs to leverage all of these non revenue sports to get an away game on the books.

 

[Dooooooomed]

For the majority of P5 Schools hosting 6-7 home games is an absolute necessity if they have any hope of their athletic department not running a major deficit. If you believe that an AD is going to trade a home football game in exchange for women's basketball or field hockey games I'm not even sure what to say.

What I can tell you is that we do have a female AD. We maintain a high number of successful women's programs including soccer and field hockey that we spend a lot of money on. We also have a brand new women's basketball coach who would love the buzz of playing Uconn at home. That said... have Benedict call our AD up and see if she'll schedule a road game at The Rent in exchange for any or all of these sports. If Benedict is smart he needs to leverage all of these non revenue sports to get an away game on the books.

What is your school?

 

[06029]

Benedict just said that several AD's called him saying they would support Uconns move to independent status, and they would come and play us. Are you calling him a liar?

He has an irate fan base and he did not name any school. Until deals are signed like CCSU and Lafayette, I think it may be less than a 100% done deal and I think most will be 2 for 1 at best. It is an opinion based on how other below 500 record independents schedule.

 

[huskyrob1]

For the majority of P5 Schools hosting 6-7 home games is an absolute necessity if they have any hope of their athletic department not running a major deficit. If you believe that an AD is going to trade a home football game in exchange for women's basketball or field hockey games I'm not even sure what to say.

What I can tell you is that we do have a female AD. We maintain a high number of successful women's programs including soccer and field hockey that we spend a lot of money on. We also have a brand new women's basketball coach who would love the buzz of playing Uconn at home. That said... have Benedict call our AD up and see if she'll schedule a road game at The Rent in exchange for any or all of these sports. If Benedict is smart he needs to leverage all of these non revenue sports to get an away game on the books.

No one, including me ever said trade a women's basketball game or Field Hockey game one for one for a football game. They could however sweeten the deal, whatever that might be. I believe it's called cooperation between schools.

 

[noeynox]

How does that benefit Iowa? Why would they give an away game to independent Uconn? If they would not do it when Uconn was in a conference, they will not do it now.

You should ask that about every possible home and home idea out there against a P5 team. How does that away game benefit them? Who can they schedule at home that does not want that return game? Is a game against independent Uconn in a recruiting dead zone for most programs worth more than a game against other G5 or independent programs that have no desire for a return game or even a 2 for 1 scenario?

If they scheduled us when we were in the AAC, what is difference now?

 

[freescooter]

I think it will be difficult but it could work. He is what I would do.
Long term deal with UMass.
Call the Fenway folks and make arrangements to play UMass there on the weekend before Thanksgiving every year.
Make deals with 2-3 bowls to be the next in line if a league doesn’t fill its slot
Get a scheduling deal w the ACC or B12 or someone for 2 games a year. One home one away. Sort of ND lite. Then get deals with mid to lower P5s MACs AAC teams as possible