(04-24-2013 09:25 AM)bearcatmill Wrote: [quote='mptnstr@44' pid='9263865' dateline='1366811621']
I also highly doubt UofL continues the H & H with UC. It'll be play here or don't play if at all. UofL won't need the game. We will become to them like Miami Oxford has been to UC (while UC was in the BCS). In 3-5 years UC won't be able to compete with UofL on the field anyway given the disparity in $ and conference affiliation for recruits.
I disagree with you for the following reasons:
#1. Jurich has already expressed an interest in continuing the football series with UC once UofL moves to the ACC. Granted, he didn't say it would be an annual game or that it would be a home-and-home series, but the fact remains that he did mentioned UC alongside UK as a game he wants to see played.
#2. Look at some of the teams UofL has signed home-and-home agreements with since 2006. Memphis (4 games though 2013-2016 game were cancelled by conference realignment), FIU (4 games), Marshall (2 games), Utah (2 games), Arkansas St (2 games), Oregon St (2 games), UNC (2 games), Southern Miss (2 games). If UofL is willing to sign home-and-home series with schools like FIU, Ark St, Southern Miss, and Marshall, I don't see why they wouldn't be willing to sign UC to a home-and-home agreement as well.
#3. UofL has had a lot of problems signing BCS/upper level teams to home-and-home series. The fact that UC would want to sign a home-and-home agreement and has been a good-to-great program over the last half decade is a positive for the series continuing.
#4. Does UofL need the game? No. But playing UC does provide a number of perks (e.g. good opponent for SOS considerations, fertile recruiting area, easy drive for fans who want to travel, provides exposure in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky market, etc).
#5. UofL isn't planning to play FCS teams past 2013 (their last scheduled FCS commitment is EKU this coming season). With 8 ACC conference games, UofL will have 4 OOC slots (3 in years when the Cards play Notre Dame) to fill. The UK game will claim one of those slots but that still leaves plenty of room for an annual or semi-regular series with UC.
I think there is a pretty good chance for the series to continue in both football and basketball (Pitino likes Mick a lot).