Where is UConn playing football in a few years?

1) As an independent

2) As a football only member of the AAC

3) As a football only member of the MAC

4) As a football only member of C-USA

5) As a football only member of the Sun Belt

6) As an FCS member

7) Football will be dropped

Most likely as an independent, with an outside chance they become a football-only member of the league that loses a school to the AAC (so if say USM leaves for the AAC, UConn becomes a CUSA football member).

They’ll have to stay FBS to justify all the money the state spent on the stadium. Independence.

There's enough other FBS independents now (Liberty, Army, NMSU, BYU, UMass, Notre Dame) that it won't be hard for UConn to make it there. All of those schools but ND would do Home & homes with UConn.

Hardest part of independents is finding games in late October/November once conference play starts, but I think UConn will be fine.

Schedule might look like:

September
-Home game vs MAC team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc
-@ Some power team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc

October
-@ Some power team
-UMass
-Home game vs MAC team
-FCS game

November
-@BYU
-Liberty
-Army
-@New Mexico State

UConn is counted as a P5 school by the Big 10, and might get that distinction from some other conferences too, which would make scheduling buy games real easy.

They will initially play as an FBS Independent but ultimately, they will drop back down to FCS. They will keep their program open but that's it.

(06-22-2019 01:06 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  There's enough other FBS independents now (Liberty, Army, NMSU, BYU, UMass, Notre Dame) that it won't be hard for UConn to make it there. All of those schools but ND would do Home & homes with UConn.

Hardest part of independents is finding games in late October/November once conference play starts, but I think UConn will be fine.

Schedule might look like:

September
-Home game vs MAC team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc
-@ Some power team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc

October
-@ Some power team
-UMass
-Home game vs MAC team
-FCS game

November
-@BYU
-Liberty
-Army
-@New Mexico State

UConn is counted as a P5 school by the Big 10, and might get that distinction from some other conferences too, which would make scheduling buy games real easy.

They could also do single-season H&Hs with UMass, which would help both schools.

(06-22-2019 01:06 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  There's enough other FBS independents now (Liberty, Army, NMSU, BYU, UMass, Notre Dame) that it won't be hard for UConn to make it there. All of those schools but ND would do Home & homes with UConn.

Hardest part of independents is finding games in late October/November once conference play starts, but I think UConn will be fine.

Schedule might look like:

September
-Home game vs MAC team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc
-@ Some power team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc

October
-@ Some power team
-UMass
-Home game vs MAC team
-FCS game

November
-@BYU
-Liberty
-Army
-@New Mexico State

UConn is counted as a P5 school by the Big 10, and might get that distinction from some other conferences too, which would make scheduling buy games real easy.

Nobody is considering Connecticut a P5 school. If not for reasons of ego, UConn would be better off to drop football altogether. But that's not going to happen.

(06-22-2019 01:19 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 01:06 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  There's enough other FBS independents now (Liberty, Army, NMSU, BYU, UMass, Notre Dame) that it won't be hard for UConn to make it there. All of those schools but ND would do Home & homes with UConn.

Hardest part of independents is finding games in late October/November once conference play starts, but I think UConn will be fine.

Schedule might look like:

September
-Home game vs MAC team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc
-@ Some power team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc

October
-@ Some power team
-UMass
-Home game vs MAC team
-FCS game

November
-@BYU
-Liberty
-Army
-@New Mexico State

UConn is counted as a P5 school by the Big 10, and might get that distinction from some other conferences too, which would make scheduling buy games real easy.

Nobody is considering Connecticut a P5 school. If not for reasons of ego, UConn would be better off to drop football altogether. But that's not going to happen.

Except the Big 10 literally does for scheduling requirements.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/big-te...equirement

"The Big Ten will allow games against independents Notre Dame, BYU and Army, as well as games against Group of 5 teams such as Cincinnati, Connecticut and Navy, to count toward that requirement."

(06-22-2019 01:28 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 01:19 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 01:06 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  There's enough other FBS independents now (Liberty, Army, NMSU, BYU, UMass, Notre Dame) that it won't be hard for UConn to make it there. All of those schools but ND would do Home & homes with UConn.

Hardest part of independents is finding games in late October/November once conference play starts, but I think UConn will be fine.

Schedule might look like:

September
-Home game vs MAC team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc
-@ Some power team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc

October
-@ Some power team
-UMass
-Home game vs MAC team
-FCS game

November
-@BYU
-Liberty
-Army
-@New Mexico State

UConn is counted as a P5 school by the Big 10, and might get that distinction from some other conferences too, which would make scheduling buy games real easy.

Nobody is considering Connecticut a P5 school. If not for reasons of ego, UConn would be better off to drop football altogether. But that's not going to happen.

Except the Big 10 literally does for scheduling requirements.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/big-te...equirement

"The Big Ten will allow games against independents Notre Dame, BYU and Army, as well as games against Group of 5 teams such as Cincinnati, Connecticut and Navy, to count toward that requirement."

You're assuming that doesn't change when they leave the AAC. I don't think that's a realistic assumption. Those exceptions are largely intended to allow B1G bottom feeders a way to avoid a likely OOC loss without saying so publicly. They aren't in any way meant to be a judgment about the quality of the opponent.

(06-22-2019 01:43 PM)ken d Wrote:  You're assuming that doesn't change when they leave the AAC. I don't think that's a realistic assumption. Those exceptions are largely intended to allow B1G bottom feeders a way to avoid a likely OOC loss without saying so publicly. They aren't in any way meant to be a judgment about the quality of the opponent.

How is it not a realistic assumption? Other independents are also granted the exception. Not like UConn was ever even a good football program in the AAC.

And my point was just that it makes scheduling for UConn easier if they can get games against P5 opponents this way.

(06-22-2019 01:50 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 01:43 PM)ken d Wrote:  You're assuming that doesn't change when they leave the AAC. I don't think that's a realistic assumption. Those exceptions are largely intended to allow B1G bottom feeders a way to avoid a likely OOC loss without saying so publicly. They aren't in any way meant to be a judgment about the quality of the opponent.

How is it not a realistic assumption? Other independents are also granted the exception. Not like UConn was ever even a good football program in the AAC.

And my point was just that it makes scheduling for UConn easier if they can get games against P5 opponents this way.

UMass is independent and they don't get the exception. UConn only got it before because they were in the AAC, which has good teams at the very top. No way an independent UConn is considered a power team.

(06-22-2019 01:06 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  There's enough other FBS independents now (Liberty, Army, NMSU, BYU, UMass, Notre Dame) that it won't be hard for UConn to make it there. All of those schools but ND would do Home & homes with UConn.

Hardest part of independents is finding games in late October/November once conference play starts, but I think UConn will be fine.

Schedule might look like:

September
-Home game vs MAC team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc
-@ Some power team
-H&H with BC/Syracuse/Rutgers/UMD etc

October
-@ Some power team
-UMass
-Home game vs MAC team
-FCS game

November
-@BYU
-Liberty
-Army
-@New Mexico State

UConn is counted as a P5 school by the Big 10, and might get that distinction from some other conferences too, which would make scheduling buy games real easy.

Why do people think Notre Dame wants or needs to play other independents

(06-22-2019 01:50 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 01:43 PM)ken d Wrote:  You're assuming that doesn't change when they leave the AAC. I don't think that's a realistic assumption. Those exceptions are largely intended to allow B1G bottom feeders a way to avoid a likely OOC loss without saying so publicly. They aren't in any way meant to be a judgment about the quality of the opponent.

How is it not a realistic assumption? Other independents are also granted the exception. Not like UConn was ever even a good football program in the AAC.

And my point was just that it makes scheduling for UConn easier if they can get games against P5 opponents this way.

For the same reason that UMass, Liberty and New Mexico State aren't included. The three indies that are have national stature and political clout. UConn has neither.

The "Reason" behind this move is that UConn athletics is hemorrhaging $$$.

The ONLY logical answer then is to follow the example of the majority of the BE member schools and discontinue FB operations. Only two BE members sponsor FB at a varsity level: Villanova, which is established at the FCS level, and Georgetown, which plays non-scholarship FCS football. All the other BE programs have no varsity FB.

As for "keeping" football in the AAC? Nope. Don't see it happening. We don't need UConn more than UConn "needs" the AAC.

'Bye Felicia.

(06-22-2019 03:13 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  The "Reason" behind this move is that UConn athletics is hemorrhaging $$$.

The ONLY logical answer then is to follow the example of the majority of the BE member schools and discontinue FB operations. Only two BE members sponsor FB at a varsity level: Villanova, which is established at the FCS level, and Georgetown, which plays non-scholarship FCS football. All the other BE programs have no varsity FB.

As for "keeping" football in the AAC? Nope. Don't see it happening. We don't need UConn more than UConn "needs" the AAC.

'Bye Felicia.

Butler plays non scholarship football in the Pioneer League.

(06-22-2019 03:17 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 03:13 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  The "Reason" behind this move is that UConn athletics is hemorrhaging $$$.

The ONLY logical answer then is to follow the example of the majority of the BE member schools and discontinue FB operations. Only two BE members sponsor FB at a varsity level: Villanova, which is established at the FCS level, and Georgetown, which plays non-scholarship FCS football. All the other BE programs have no varsity FB.

As for "keeping" football in the AAC? Nope. Don't see it happening. We don't need UConn more than UConn "needs" the AAC.

'Bye Felicia.

Butler plays non scholarship football in the Pioneer League.

Ok, then three out of the current 10...

For a few years, Connecticut schedules Idaho, New Mexico State, BYU, Massachusetts, and Liberty.

Unless UConn has already negotiated with FBS schools (or with the AAC) for games in 2020, it seems like they are going to need a lot of waivers to play at all. The earliest they could get four games from other independents is the 2022 season. And pretty much all FBS teams already have a full slate for the 2020 season.

I doubt the NCAA would adopt a transitional rule that allows FBS teams who play UConn in the next few years to have a 13th game (a la the Hawaii exception). Without some accommodation like that independence is going to be a real challenge for the next several years.

I would imagine the AAC will continue to let UConn play out their league schedule for this year (2019) just because doing otherwise would hurt their remaining members. They might even allow it for 2020, for the same reason. But beyond that will be tough sledding for the Huskies unless a few more teams now in FBS conferences go indy as well.

Probably FBS independent for a while, then drop to FCS and maybe join the CAA as a FB-only (along with UMass?).

(06-22-2019 03:22 PM)chess Wrote:  For a few years, Connecticut schedules Idaho, New Mexico State, BYU, Massachusetts, and Liberty.

Idaho is no longer FBS...