Why would we keep them around, in football, after they bailed on us?
They are a liability in Football
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Talk to BYU first, then Army. (Air Force isn’t happening.) Either case leaves the conference ahead of where it was in terms of value.
For basketball either VCU or St Louis, though I’m sure Dayton will get some consideration.
Would rather have 12 than stick at 11 if we can make the money work. Want two divisions regardless.
My biggest fear is that they will go sentimental and add Rice. Or for some reason think UMass is an adequate replacement. Fortunately that doesn’t seem to be the direction they’re leaning.
No chance we let them stay in football. They bring nothing.
An alternate option is to see if Wichita State is ready to bring back their football program. They were exploring it before joining the AAC. Koch brothers could build that program quickly.
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They cut the seating back at their on campus stadium from its football days - Cessna Stadium(after the aircraft company) still seats more than enough for FBS qualification @24k.
Army is by far my 1st choice for football only. VERY cool setting for college football and I love everything about West Point.
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I’d take Army if they were willing to come, especially to get control over the Army-Navy game. Would make things difficult for the AAC Championship game if either was in the running; do you put it after that game?
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- UConn leaving reduces travel costs as they were OUT the for any school to teravel to.
- Add ARMY for the East, leave Navy in the west. Huge negotiation for the next contract.
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I’m a hard NO on Army…I favor large public schools (exception for BYU) with no military affiliation.
Navy is only a football member and I don’t view them as involved in the Conference growth, as say a UCF, UC, UM, etc.
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I really don’t want a new program. Especially not a third program in Kansas.
Army, Army, Army.
I would agree if there were another full member waiting in the wings that approached Army in terms of value. if we are looking for full members, our options probably are of either Northern Illinois or UTSA caliber.
It’s possible we could pick off Colorado State or New Mexico as a full member if their TV negotiations are going badly, but my guess is not.
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Sources: UConn expected to rejoin Big East
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11:19 AM CT
Jeff BorzelloMark Schlabach
UConn is expected to leave the American Athletic Conference and return to the Big East for basketball and other sports in 2020, sources told ESPN.
Nothing is official at this point, but an announcement could come as early as next week, sources said. The UConn board of trustees has not yet voted on the move, but approval is expected.
The biggest remaining question surrounds what happens with UConn’s football team. The Big East does not have football, and it’s unlikely UConn would remain in the American with just football, sources told ESPN. Sources said the football program is expected to play in the American in 2019 but could go independent after that or join another conference.
UConn was an original member of the Big East, beginning in 1979, but went to the American during realignment in 2013. The Big East retained original members Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall and St. John’s, as well as longtime member Villanova. DePaul and Marquette also remained in the Big East, and the league added Butler, Creighton and Xavier.
A possibility for the American in replacing UConn would be to add Army or Air Force as a football-only school, like it currently has with Navy, and then add a successful basketball program.
UConn became one of the best basketball programs in the country during its time in the Big East. The men’s program has won four national championships since 1999, the last one coming in 2014 – their first season in the American.
UConn’s pending move was first reported by the Digital Sports Desk.
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ESPN is reporting it on their website.
Seems like it’s just about a done deal.
BYU for all sports is intriguing.
Army for football and either VCU or Dayton for basketball if you don’t want an all-sports member. VCU gets us some East Coast coverage, and Dayton gives us a Cincy rival.
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Dayton would be tough as I doubt Cincy would be thrilled with that. However, the conference already considered adding both VCU and Dayton when they added Wichita State so it is a possibility.
Is it still a $10 million buyout and @2 years notice to leave the AAC?
(Louisville & Rutgers paid more to leave in @a year.)
Remember this article? Talk about on topic.
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WOW!!!
That article proved to be PROPHETIC!!!
I guess Colorado State is another possibility, if BYU won’t work.
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Could this be the dam starting to burst and moves start being announced so the P5 (throwing you a bone by including you B12-2) can snag the G5 programs that want before their gone?
#GoCoogs!
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The truth is UConn was not a good fit for Football and neither is anyone else excepting BYU.
The good teams are already in a conference. The ones who might move to The AAC are mostly CUSA teams.
We already tried Boise St. and San Diego St. and neither would leave The MWC.
I just don’t see a lot of options for a new member that would improve our Conference.
We need a school in either the Eastern or Central time zone.That is where the eyeballs are.
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I don’t think this changes anything from the P5’s point of view. Some have speculated that Temple may join UConn but nobody else is going anywhere (and it’s extremely doubtful Temple is going anywhere). This mostly seems to be UConn giving up on the P5 dream.
OHIO!
Army, Army, Army. They (along with a VCU) would improve the value of the conference if not its football competitiveness (they’d be right about in the middle). In terms of competitiveness, any number of schools would be an improvement over UConn though not sure anyone would improve the conference over the remaining eleven. There are some that have the potential to, and others that are kind of like Army where they’re likely to be in the middle of the pack and neither help nor hurt the conference. If that’s the case, then it’s a question of whether ESPN wants us to expand or not.
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Bingo, this is UConn giving it up and saying we’re just going to do basketball from here on out. My guess is they will play football for another 5-10 years then kill it.