UCONN,UMASS,ND Independants.PAC 12 listed as a 2 team conference?

[Rutgers NJ]

OK, I get ND as a Indy and UMASS for moving up to D1 recently. I find it comical that Oregon St and Washington State are listed as a conference. Since UCONN isn't on my football radar, when exactly did they go Independant? My God, they are in football Purgatory, even with a dominate, historic basketball program. lol. Has there ever been more proof that football programs drive the bus for college athletic sports funding? I have to chuckle at an article about UCONN hoping/praying for the lifeboat the B12 might add them, but not before 2031. One more thing, the ACC is the only major conference with an odd number of teams at 17. Are they leaving room for the possible exit of both Clemson & Florida St? Hoping they get ND to finally go all in as a member, or looking to raid an odd number of teams from another conference? All this being said, we have to be so over the top grateful as a fanbase to Bob Mulcahy for having the foresight to push for our stadium expansion and the upgrades to our practice facilities. The B10 would have never looked our way and a special thanks needs to go out to Tim Pernetti. Pernetti is credited with negotiating the agreement to bring Rutgers to the Big Ten Conference in 2014. For his efforts, Pernetti was named one of the five candidates for Sports Business Journal National Athletic Director of the Year. We as a University were razor close to being in the same boat as UCONN. https://www.espn.com/college-football/standings

 

[NickRU714]

We were never close to being in the same boat as UConn.

The Big Ten was considering Rutgers for membership long before AD Pernetti.

 

[gchicago]

OK, I get ND as a Indy and UMASS for moving up to D1 recently. I find it comical that Oregon St and Washington State are listed as a conference. Since UCONN isn't on my football radar, when exactly did they go Independant? My God, they are in football Purgatory, even with a dominate, historic basketball program. lol. Has there ever been more proof that football programs drive the bus for college athletic sports funding? I have to chuckle at an article about UCONN hoping/praying for the lifeboat the B12 might add them, but not before 2031. One more thing, the ACC is the only major conference with an odd number of teams at 17. Are they leaving room for the possible exit of both Clemson & Florida St? Hoping they get ND to finally go all in as a member, or looking to raid an odd number of teams from another conference? All this being said, we have to be so over the top grateful as a fanbase to Bob Mulcahy for having the foresight to push for our stadium expansion and the upgrades to our practice facilities. The B10 would have never looked our way and a special thanks needs to go out to Tim Pernetti. Pernetti is credited with negotiating the agreement to bring Rutgers to the Big Ten Conference in 2014. For his efforts, Pernetti was named one of the five candidates for Sports Business Journal National Athletic Director of the Year. We as a University were razor close to being in the same boat as UCONN. https://www.espn.com/college-football/standings

ND as a full member of the sinking ACC... not going to happen. It's the Big Ten or nothing especially with the historic ties, the location in the middle of the conference, the $$$ and prestige of the conference. 1 or 2 years of mediocre play and you can kiss that NBC cash goodbye. The move of NBC covering Big Ten football was an indication where this is heading for the Golden Dimwits.

 

[Rutgers NJ]

ND as a full member of the sinking ACC... not going to happen. It's the Big Ten or nothing especially with the historic ties, the location in the middle of the conference, the $$$ and prestige of the conference. 1 or 2 years of mediocre play and you can kiss that NBC cash goodbye. The move of NBC covering Big Ten football was an indication where this is heading for the Golden Dimwits.

Great points and I totally agree with your takes.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Since UCONN isn't on my football radar, when exactly did they go Independant? My God, they are in football Purgatory, even with a dominate, historic basketball program.

They've been independent for a while. They were part of the AAC up until 2020, then joined the Big East for all sports but went independent in football.

 

[bigmatt718]

They've been independent for a while. They were part of the AAC up until 2020, then joined the Big East for all sports but went independent in football.

That was an completely short sighted move by Connie. Every power conference thinks they nuked their football program to save basketball and now no one will touch their football program with a 20 foot pole.

 

[DJ Spanky]

That was an completely short sighted move by Connie. Every power conference thinks they nuked their football program to save basketball and now no one will touch their football program with a 20 foot pole.

Yup, it was obviously a move to put their basketball programs in a more competitive conference but, as you say, incredibly short sighted financially. Everyone knows football drives the bus; they're behind the eight ball now.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

1) couldn't give a rat's hairy ass about Yuke-On and The Massholes

2) LOVE that ND - even if UNDEFEATED - can be seeded no higher than 5th in the playoffs. You reap what you sow, bitches!

3) feel bad for Wazzou and The Beavers

4) I assume they're considered "conferences" for non-top 4 playoff stuff, right?

 

[mosito]

"I find it comical that Oregon St and Washington State are listed as a conference."

I think they have to keep the Pac12 conference name/association etc to be able to keep the $$$ associated with it. For example the Bowls are still tied to the Pac12 and the Bowls will be paying the Pac12 the money.

I think this continues this year and next. After that they either rebuild the Pac12 with Mountain West Schools, Merge in the Mountain West or maybe find a home in the ACC. But with the ongoing litigation in the ACC, it doesn't seem like FSU/Clemson/others are leaving anytime soon, so it will likely be partial/full merge with the Mountain West. But won't happen until 2026.

 

[rutgersguy1]

ND's former AD Swarbrick was on the working group that came up with the CFP expansion format. I don't think they have a problem with not getting a top 4 seed. I think the group did a good job of trying to incorporate some degree of fairness, opportunity and inclusion to the format. This past weekend I heard a good point made though. Yea they don't get a bye to get pass the first round of the playoffs but by not playing in a champ game they will have an extra week off before the first round begins so probably about 3 weeks break instead of 2. Another way to view that, is it could make your team more "stale" too so who knows. Some other teams that make the playoffs will be in a similar situation. The conference championship game losers who qualify seem like the ones who will have one less week of rest before their first playoff game.

As to ND joining the B10, I mentioned when Texas/OU went to the SEC, collapsing the ACC might wrangle them to the B10 if the B10 also became a national conference which it now has. We'll see what happens in the 2030s but so far that scenario (ACC collapsing - FSU leaving isn't enough) hasn't shown up yet. ND just got a 50M/yr deal from NBC up through 2029 and they get about 17M from the ACC. They don't have to be top dog in money to be satisfied, they have plenty of money.

ND had a hybrid arrangement with the BE for years and now the ACC. I can see them being satisfied for the foreseeable future if the money, while not top tier, is still decent enough. Their new AD also just came from NBC.

 

[rutgersguy1]

"I find it comical that Oregon St and Washington State are listed as a conference."

I think they have to keep the Pac12 conference name/association etc to be able to keep the $$$ associated with it. For example the Bowls are still tied to the Pac12 and the Bowls will be paying the Pac12 the money.

I think this continues this year and next. After that they either rebuild the Pac12 with Mountain West Schools, Merge in the Mountain West or maybe find a home in the ACC. But with the ongoing litigation in the ACC, it doesn't seem like FSU/Clemson/others are leaving anytime soon, so it will likely be partial/full merge with the Mountain West. But won't happen until 2026.

There's a grace period the conferences have to regroup and right now they are in that grace period.

 

[ScarletDave]

UConn needs to go the way of Villanova, Georgetown, Butler, etc. take football to the FCS again and enjoy basketball season

 

[bigmatt718]

UConn needs to go the way of Villanova, Georgetown, Butler, etc. take football to the FCS again and enjoy basketball season

That would be the intelligent thing for that school to do. Park football in the Patriot League or CAA and play schools like Maine, UNH, URI, etc., and keep basketball in the Big East.

 

[rutgersguy1]

UConn needs to go the way of Villanova, Georgetown, Butler, etc. take football to the FCS again and enjoy basketball season

It's a new era with player salaries, NIL and the like. The more money you have, the better for chances for you to succeed. Not a guarantee but just better opportunity. I can see why the money grab. They make like mid to high single digits in the BE. How much more difficult will it be to get players (championship level types) without extra tv money in the future. Also how many of football's costs fixed and how much can be saved if you downgraded a level? What will they do with their stadium which is probably too big for lower level games? It may seem unusual to go to the B12 but if the money disparity is great enough to improve/maintain potential for success (in basketball) then I can see why.

I think their ideal is to try to instigate the ACC into acting with the expected loss of FSU somewhere down the line. It's a better geographic fit. But if that doesn't happen then I can see why they're having a go for the B12.

 

[megadrone]

That would be the intelligent thing for that school to do. Park football in the Patriot League or CAA and play schools like Maine, UNH, URI, etc., and keep basketball in the Big East.

Yeah even with the Big 12 talks underway again, they have a potential 6 year rampup to get football to B12 standards. Damn shame they did this from 1999-2004 to get ready for the Big East, then leave the American and have to do it all over again.

they are a basketball school, they have success there and it's what they should remain. Perhaps there is a feeling that the Big East without Jay Wright at Villanova isn't a competitive league anymore?

 

[Brisket and Bourbon]

Remember during covidiocy when some news outlet called UConn the “real” national champs for stupidly canceling the whole season? 🤣

 

[AreYouNUTS]

@Spanky Da Pussy ....10 more monikers registered....how is this NOT an automatic lifetime ban (calling another board member a "pussy")??? @Richie O this dude is a certified lunatic. Time to get the FBI involved.


(that's a JOKE, ya' whack job....)