Beano Cook claims we'll open with UConn

Submitted by ish on

In his ESPN chat Beano said we're opening with UConn. Didn't mention his source.

Beavis

July 29th, 2009 at 6:35 PM ^

I don't like it.

UConn became a D-1 school in 2000 and joined the Big East in 2004. Before 2004 they were a total joke.

Granted, they are on the rise (tough to fall though when you were a D-2 school in 1999), but I just don't see why we'd have to do a home and home with UConn.

wishitwas97

July 29th, 2009 at 11:14 PM ^

won the share of Big East last season.

BTW, UConn was never a D2 school, they were 1AA. They couldn't be a D2 school if they play D1 basketball and other sports. A lot of people keep confusing the 1AA and D2 classification.

Meeechigan Dan

July 29th, 2009 at 6:49 PM ^

Do you think that we'll have to do a home and home? Might this be like a player to be named later that never gets named? Perhaps a little clause that we can wiggle out of the home and home part of the agreement? Don't know, just speculating, because it would be INSANE to treat UConn the same way we'd treat Texas or Auburn.

BBGoBlue

July 29th, 2009 at 6:56 PM ^

Everything I have seen on the internet is that it would be a home/home. If we don't return it next year, it would be in the future. For a dedication game, UConn has little relevance to UM football. Personally, I liked the idea of Virginia because they are another academic institution and we have a history with them.

GatrHatr

July 29th, 2009 at 6:53 PM ^

long time listener; 1st time caller....err something.

What's the point of the AD even acting like there is a game in the works if that's what they're lookin at? I really hope it's a smokescreen for UGA. They would have to move a game too.

flysociety3

July 29th, 2009 at 6:59 PM ^

This is lameeeeeeeeee........ i'm sick of massachusetts, bowling green, eastern, western, delaware state... BRING IN THE BIG DOGS

But on a more serious note, I really dont see Michigan traveling to UConn for an away game

Meeechigan Dan

July 29th, 2009 at 7:15 PM ^

I guess Miami's AD is not afraid of the Big Dogs...

Sept. 7, 2009 at Florida State (Non Conference)
Sept. 17, 2009 Georgia Tech (NC)
Sept. 26, 2009 at Virginia Tech (NC)
Oct. 3, 2009 Oklahoma (NC)
Oct. 10, 2009 Florida A&M
Oct. 17, 2009 at UCF
Oct. 24, 2009 Clemson
Oct. 31, 2009 at Wake Forest ckets
Nov. 7, 2009 Virginia
Nov. 14, 2009 at North Carolina
Nov. 21, 2009 Duke
Nov. 28, 2009 at South Florida

Michigan Arrogance

July 29th, 2009 at 7:01 PM ^

TO: MGOBLOGERS
FROM: CFB, sport of, in 2009, year of
RE: UConn Football

Dear MGOBLOGERS:

Hello! It is great to finally meet! I have heard a lot of good things about you and have been anticipating our first meeting for quite some time.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I have many interesting qualities that you may find new and unique to the CFB years you are used to. As it turns out, Michigan went 3-9 this past year and is in full rebuilding mode. In anticipation of the renovation completion of Michigan Stadium in 2010, the M AD is recruiting UConn for a home & home series. One game will cristen the 'new' stadium in A2 while the other will be in Conn (State of). UConn (and this may surprise you, in fact you may want to sit down) is a BCS conference team (Big East, in fact) and regularly makes bowl games. Although they do not contend for BCS bowls very often, they do send players to the NFL (more than M in the 2009 draft) and actually win bowl games.

As a mid level BCS team, UConn is certainly deserving of a home and home under the circumstance that currently govern CFB and the M AD. Said circumstance are listed below:

-- The BCS format has put a priority on scheduling lightly and just about all programs to this. Teams simply cannot afford more than 1 loss if they want to play for the NC.

-- Many teams schedule 1-AA teams. M, in fact has scheduled 2 1-AA teams and lost to one.

-- Due to this BCS format and UConn's afore-mentioned status of 'BCA conf member (lol member)' they are certainly right to ask for a return home game.

-- As you may recall, Michigan traveled to BC twice in the 1990s. BC was a BEast team at the time and their stadium is not significantly larger than UConns in 2009.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to corresponding with you in the future.

Regards,

CFB 2009.

foreverbluemaize

July 29th, 2009 at 11:03 PM ^

IIRC in 2007 UCONN won 10 or 11 games. Ladies and Gentlemen, if this is true let us not enter this game like we did the App. State game. Personally I was hoping for Arkansas since I live here, Brian hinted around that his feelings were that it would end up being Okie state and I like the idea of that. 1) I think it would be a good test for our beloved but, 2) it is not but a 3 or 4 hour drive for me. Brian see if you can pull some strings and get them to go with the hogs or the cowboys.

KBLOW

July 29th, 2009 at 11:06 PM ^

It's not the size of the stadium. It's the craptastic nature of UConn's program. I don't even mind playing the Huskies at some point in the season...its that THIS was supposed to be the big deal Michigan Stadium "re-opening" opponent? I get what you're saying about the current state of affairs, but I feel that the massive coverage that a marquee match up would bring to the home opener in 2010 out weigh starting off with a loss.

Hopefully this is all just a rumor.

pz

July 29th, 2009 at 7:01 PM ^

We'll know when we know.

But at this point, the hype has gotten out of control - think the statement that it was a home and home really cranked it up - and just about anything that isn't a reasonably big-time BCS team will be a disappointment.

And a question for anyone who knows - if it were UConn and the 2nd half of the home & home actually takes place - I know there was some kerfuffle about them scheduling neutral site games, but would that be a possibility?

J. Lichty

July 29th, 2009 at 7:02 PM ^

1) it is a no win situation - think Appy State.

2) It makes no financial sense to do a home and home with a team that plays in a stadium smaller than Fenway. Maybe a two for one, or a three for one, but a one for one does not make any financial sense unless they play at a larger neutral site (which sounds like is not really likely or even possible).

3) while I dont think that in the age of nationally televised games we have to worry much about exposure, Northern Connecticuit is not exactly a hotbed. Yes, the next Mike Cox may come to the game, but we seemed to have no problem landing Mike Cox without playing. Of course, RR could then do one of those ESPN commercials.

4) I think most college football fans outside of maybe the big east would not look at this as s schedule upgrade from the MAC school du jour. UConn is a basketball school, and its football progam, while improving is still considered by most fans to be a lower tier program.

I just see no upside to this.

WolvinLA

July 29th, 2009 at 7:39 PM ^

I agree that UConn is not like App St., but where did you get the 5 straight bowl games from? My quick research showed 3 total bowl games, and 2 straight. I think your point remains, but the details are a little off.

virgilthechicken

July 29th, 2009 at 7:17 PM ^

If it is U-Con, maybe they come in 2010 and we conveniently cancel or forget to schedule the return game. I'm sure there would be some sort of monetary penalty for this, but it might work out to be a similar amount as a guarantee game. Maybe not the classiest option but it gets the job done.

WolvinLA

July 29th, 2009 at 7:21 PM ^

Just for fun I took a look at UConn's recruiting the last few years. I know, I know, it doesn't mean everything, but they will likely have a total of 2 4* guys on the roster when we play then, unless they rake it in this year, but they would be true frosh anyway. Either way, there will be a major talent deficit.

Brodie

July 29th, 2009 at 7:38 PM ^

OMG WE SHOULD JUST JOIN THE BIG EAST! FIRST WE HIRE A FREAKING REDNECK BEANER COACH FROM WEST VIRGINIA AND THEN HE DESTROYS ALL OUR TRADITION AND RECRUITS COLOREDS TO PLAY QUARTERBACK NOW WE'RE GOING TO PLAY A ROAD GAME IN CONNECTICUT! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS HAPPENING! CONNECTICUT MIGHT AS WELL BE IN D-4! BO WOULD KILL SOMEONE IF HE HEARD THIS NEWS!!!!

THOSE WHO STAY!

dandu81

July 29th, 2009 at 7:50 PM ^

Im a Michigan fan living in CT. UConn is a program that is on the rise. Theyre more well known for their basketball team but if you go back to last years draft you'll see they had more players drafted than Michigan despite having worse recruiting classes. I dont see this to be a trend but UConn does deserve some more respect. Regardless this should be 2 wins for the Maize and blue so why is everyone complaining?

bigmc6000

July 29th, 2009 at 8:20 PM ^

But I've been telling people that nothing has changed for UM, we just had a down year, we're still UM but, honestly, if we've dropped down to the point of having to promise a home and home to get UConn then there's something serious going on here. UConn is basically in the same realm as Vanderbilt - a pretty decent school that makes bowl games (actually I'd give Vandy the edge since they have been D-1A as long as I can recall). I'm sure we'll all remember that we got Vandy to come to the Big House without any such promise of a return game...

Now either that or the Alumni base in the northeast is so effing strong (and whiney) that Martin buckled to the pressure and agreed to have a game over there.

I hope it's the latter so I can say we are still "Michigan" and not just some rebuilding team...

chitownblue2

July 29th, 2009 at 10:14 PM ^

You're an idiot. As the son of two Vanderbilt grads, I'm pretty familiar with their program. And, literally, UConn has accomplished more in the last 2 seasons than Vanderbilt has in the past 25 - make 2 bowl games. Vanderbilt had not, before this year, had a winning season in 26 years. They had been on a 40+ game losing streak to their primary rival (Tennessee) before 3 years ago.

It's a phenomenal school, and I like it, but Vanderbilt is the dregs of BCS college football. They pray to be on UCONN's level.