(12-07-2017 12:27 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  

(12-07-2017 11:57 AM)YNot Wrote:  

(12-07-2017 11:54 AM)stxrunner Wrote:  

(12-06-2017 04:41 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(12-06-2017 03:29 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  UConn is between a rock and a hard place. As long as there is even a tiny sliver of hope for a P5 invite down the road, then it simply cannot leave the AAC. P5 membership is based on football and independence simply isn't realistically viable for a school like UConn.

Who says UConn football would have to go independent? They could be football-only in the AAC or basketball-only in the Big East.

No way would the AAC kick UConn football out. We already have the precedent of Wichita State being no football.

Yeah, I'm biased, I'd love to have UConn back in the Big East. But I also know that they have to put their football interests first. I think they could, and still play Big East hoops.

You're going to have to explain why the AAC would keep UConn in as a football only. I see no motivation for the AAC to hold onto that part.

What are the replacement options?

DING DING DING! Exactly. There are no decent replacement options.

The AAC would let UConn remain even if some members complained at first. They aren't going to kick out the only flagship state university in the conference (which also happens to be one of the top 20 public universities in America). They aren't going to ditch a school from a state that is 1/3 in the NYC television market. They also aren't going to lop off the whole northeastern part of the conference footprint north of Pennsylvania. It would be a pride move by the AAC to ditch UConn football, but it would be a stupid move.

If the AAC thinks that Hattiesburg MS or Huntington WV help more with TV eyeballs than by keeping UConn, then have at it. Only a fool would believe that, though. Oh, and before you say that UMass could just replace UConn, remember that UMass men's basketball is worse, UMass women's basketball isn't even close to as good, and even if you consider the football programs about equal, the UMass television market is worse. UMass is in the Springfield MA television market (not the Boston market, and Boston also doesn't really follow UMass sports as it is 100 miles away, they just watch pro sports). The closest airport to UMass is Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. Add it all up and keeping UConn as a football only beats adding UMass, Southern Miss, Marshall, or anyone else.

Keep dreaming that. UConn football in the last 6 years before even this year was #112 in winning percentage. 24-49. Add in the 3-9 season and last 7 yers it's been 27-58.

The AAC isn't going to do a damn thing to help UConn leave the conference in basketball. Why would they?