UConn to join Big Ten?

Submitted by michWolves2580 on

Im watching the Herd on ESPN and Colin Cowherd just said he has inside information that UConn is going to join the Big Ten. At a first glance, it seems like a good fit. The Big Ten would get some of the New York media and UConn has a solid football team, solid academics, there making big renovations to the campus, they have an above average basketball team and the top women's basketball team in the country. I think Uconn will be a good fit. Thoughts?

Search4Meaning

April 20th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^

It's just got to be true, right?

It is an interesting proposition. I wonder if this is part of a 3 team pick up, or a 5 team pick up?
As a part of a larger pick up - could be fine. This would open the Northeast market a little. I think we would need a Pitt to round it out.

I don't really know much about their academics, and that would be critical to the university's Presidents.

dahblue

April 20th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^

UConn has only had a DI football team for a handful of years. Yes, they have a good bball team but why are we looking to the Big East for new members? Rutgers? UConn? Terrible.

dahblue

April 20th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^

While I'm not a fan of ND in the conference, they're at least a strong, traditional power (unlike Rutgers and UConn). How did we all go from talking about "Texas would be great" to "How about UConn"???? It's like going from a BMW to a used Pinto.

Jedelman11

April 20th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^

we got there when we realized that there's very little reason Texas would ever join the B10.

They have traditional rivals with Oklahoma and other Texas schools, as well as being one of the giants of their conference. If we were going to steal someone from the Big12 is likely would be Missouri or Nebraska.

Frank Drebin

April 20th, 2010 at 4:30 PM ^

They will have a reason if the Big Ten goes to 16 teams and takes Nebraska, or others from the Big 12. If they see the writing on the wall that the Big East is getting Broken up, and there could be 4 16 team conferences in the aftermath, it would be either the SEC, ACC, Big Ten or Pac 10 (who really wants Texas and A&M as well.) The Big Ten offers a greater payout than any of the other conferences, and they might jump at the chance if this is happening. I would love to say screw you to ND and take Texas, A&M, Nebraska, Pitt, and Missouri. Or throw in another 1 or 2 Big East teams and ND would screw themselves when the Big East folds. Who knows, but I would love to send a dong punch to the Irish and leave them screwed because of their arrogance.

steviebrownfor…

April 20th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^

and never understood why everyone thinks they are such a great candidate. UConn on the other hand has a competitive BCS-level football team and would probably rival MSU as the best basketball school in the conference.

I would argue that from a purely athletic performance standpoint (specifically football & basketball) UConn would be a stronger addition than Notre Dame.

michgoblue

April 20th, 2010 at 2:19 PM ^

Not sure you can look at it from a purely athletic performance standpoint. ND brings tons of fans (both for and against), pedigree, instant media attention and the SECOND winningest FB program into the B10. UConn brings none of those factors. Having the two winningest programs of all time in the same conference is certainly not a bad thing. Also, assuming that both ND and Michigan return to former glory, that would make 3 top tier programs in the same conference (if you reluctantly admit that OSU is a top program). Yes, ND has been going through a tough decade or two, but UConn's FB prominance consists of what - a decent season or two in the Big East? I just don't think that you can compare Uconn to ND.

That said, ND ain't coming, so we might as well discuss realistic options, of which UConn is one.

DoubleMs

April 20th, 2010 at 5:22 PM ^

Where did you get that data? If you look at the most current standings, As of April 9, 2010, the B10 looks like:

Source: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nacda/sports/directorscup/auto_pdf/…

#2: OSU
#4: PSU
#7: Minnesota
#11: Wisconsin
#18: MSU
#34: Indiana
#49: Michigan
#50: Illinois
#54: Purdue
#57: Iowa
#60: Northwestern

The other schools look like:

#22: Nebraska
#23: Notre Dame
#42: UConn
#48: Missouri
#53: Syracuse
#73: Rutgers
#77: Pittsburgh

bluenbama

April 20th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^

They seem like a default pick. Would love to see Nebraska, Va tech, Pitt and Uconn join. That would be a home run. O wAit that's fifteen. Then maybe ND or Rutgers. Yeah that's the ticket.

MGoShoe

April 20th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^

...are comprised of women (some of whom may also be ladies, but that's not necessarily true). Fact 2: the nickname of Michigan sports teams is "Wolverines".

Put those together and you get: the non sequitur, "Lady Wolverines".

Fact 3: All Michigan women's teams are "Wolverines", not "Lady Wolverines".

M2NASA

April 20th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^

Everyone is throwing out the most ridiculous ideas, but I don't see any serious consideration except given to the candidates that every source has down and that Delany has already cited as ones to the Chicago Tribune from their study a few months back.

Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Pittsburgh or Rutgers for a 14-team conference, Missouri and Pitt or Rutgers next (Rutgers boggles my mind, but makes more sense if you bring in SU and Pitt). I think the Big Ten goes to 16, this is all about bringing in schools that fit the profile of the Big Ten and will add to the long-term financials, which I think these are the five that Delany is saying.

My take of the fallout:
Big Ten to 16: Adds ND, SU, Pitt, Rutgers, Missouri

and then:
ACC adds UConn (whoever may be left from the any of the 4 BE schools that the Big Ten doesn't invite go to the ACC, we know Syracuse is at the front of this line if the Big Ten doesn't extend an invite
SEC adds West Virginia

ACC could also look at South Florida
SEC could also look at Louisville

Pac-10 adds Utah and BYU, could also look at Boise State and Hawaii
Big 12 adds TCU, could also look at Colorado State

Big East splits football and basketball, Cincinnati and perhaps South Florida end up with no home, basketball-onlies keep an 8-team Big East conference.

By the way, rumor circulating around that SU (can't speak about others but I'd have to assume other schools we're not the only one) has already been in talks with the Big Ten and that an offer will include a provision that the new teams (I'd assume this would not pertain to ND) will get a smaller cut for the first 5 or 10 years of membership.

blueheron

April 20th, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^

As someone below noted, they're not even in the AAU.

For fun, try asking an Ivy-educated citizen of the NE about UConn, UMass, et al. They're viewed as glorified community colleges by many in that region.

---

For what it's worth, Nebraska (an AAU member) would be bringing up the rear academically in the current Big 10. Their basketball program is historically bottom-of-the-heap. They bring only football (which is not what it once was) to the table.

M2NASA

April 20th, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^

edit: Nebraska:

And they bring possibly the least additional TV sets to the BTN of any team that has been mentioned this side of Kansas.

They have 1.7 million people in the entire state. If you assume every single person has a TV set (which is incredibly generous), the media markets of Syracuse, Albany, Rochester, and Buffalo are bigger in and of just themselves.

Mercury Haze

April 20th, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^

I am an Ivy-educated person(M undergrad, Columbia grad) who lives in the Northeast. I don't view Uconn as a glorified community college. In fact, it has a good (and growing) reputation (which, not coincidentally in my view, has developed on pace with their basketball programs). And per the US News 2010 college rankings, it actually comes in with a higher rating than a host of "AAU" schools, including B10 schools Indiana, MSU and Iowa.

In any event, that's all beside the point because anyone who thinks academics is in any way driving decisions about B10 expansion probably also thinks Michigan has a better chance than Alabama at landing a top football recruit who lists academics as a factor in his decision making.

blueheron

April 20th, 2010 at 3:15 PM ^

Thanks -- I didn't realize that they'd climbed so high. My information is out-of-date. I agree that $ will have a strong influence on the decisions.

I still believe there's a strong bias against state schools among many Northeasterners. I've seen it up close too many times to think otherwise.

Wolverine318

April 20th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

There have been multiple diaries on this. BC has also been rumored. However, I seriously doubt they leave the ACC, even they stick out like a sore thumb in that conference. Uconn joining the CCHA would take out the need for Penn State's program to make the club to D1 jump.

The other issue is Wisky and Minny are strongly invested both culture wise and historically in the WCHA. Michigan and MSU used to be in the WCHA way back in the day (Michigan was a founding member of the WCHA). I seriously doubt Minny and Wisky leave WCHA. The WCHA is considered to be the "SEC" of college hockey (despite recent results which point to Hockey East being the strongest conference).

Pea-Tear Gryphon

April 20th, 2010 at 4:00 PM ^

Wisky has been the main driver of this proposed Big 10 Hockey Conference. They were the ones to bring it up. They hate the travel and would prefer the rivalries with UM/MSU/OSU over anything they have in the WCHA (except Minnesota, of course).

From everything I hear, there is little chance of a B10 Hockey Conference because that would all but kill the Ferris/Western/BG/etc hockey programs if they were relegated to a second tier (MAC) hockey conference.

While I agree that a B10 Conference is not very likely, it isn't for the reason you state.

Dark Blue

April 20th, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^

I don't like the idea of expanding the conference to more than 12 teams. I think that will take something away from some of the rivalries in the Big Ten. If I could pick JUST ONE team to join our illustrious conference, I think I would go with Pitt.

But then again I'd be okay with UConn joining.

M2NASA

April 20th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^

Texas isn't going anywhere. They've said they're not, and there is zero chance the Texas state legislature lets them go and leave Texas A&M and Texas Tech behind. Zero-percent chance, I have no idea how everyone is missing this point. Look at what happened in the ACC expansion. Virginia was forced to change their vote by the governor and state legislature to bring in Virginia Tech to not leave them out in the cold.

Virginia Tech is going nowhere for the exact same reason. They will not be allowed to leave UVa behind.

Tater

April 20th, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^

I would want them for their basketball programs. It would change the face of women's basketball, if nothing else; it would suddenly make the Big Ten a major player. The men's team would strengthen the Big Ten for baskeball even more, too. As for football, they would be another nice team that wins a few and loses a few.

Sounds good to me.

PhillipFulmersPants

April 20th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^

basketball program is much more than above average. Maybe you're referring to last year's team specifically, but there aren't many programs that have been better over the last 10-15 years.

Don

April 20th, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^

People just don't like reality when it gets in the way of their fantasies. Which is why we get repeated spasms of those asserting that non-AAU teams, or Texas, or VaTech, are going to join the B10.

Cowherd likes to portray himself as smarter than the average sports radio jock, but if he was half as informed as he thinks he is he would realize that UConn is a non-starter since it's not an AAU member. But that would require a bit of knowledge about the Big Ten that goes beyond what are the best restaurants in Evanston and Madison.

M2NASA

April 21st, 2010 at 4:32 PM ^

I've heard it's very difficult, but don't have any clue about the process.

However, based on rankings, the current lowest rated Big Ten member according to US News and World Report is Indiana at #71 I believe. UConn would be second-to-last in the Big Ten if offered, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri would all be last.

akearney50

April 20th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^

Depending on divisions, it gives B10 Women's Basketball programs and athletic departments a great revenue (TV games!!!...B10 Network!) maker every year. I know this is probably 22nd or 45th of the list of importance, but it is a plus that none of the other schools have.

Search4Meaning

April 20th, 2010 at 12:46 PM ^

by itself a compelling reason for inclusion in the Big Ten. Perhaps it would draw a better women's recruiting class to some of the existing Big Ten programs... a little better results for the Directors Cup... but that seems like grasping at straws.

If there were other, better fits athletically and academically with U Conn I would be more encouraged.