UConn on the Hook for $2.6M

[clenz]

UCF is a program that appears to be on a quick rise. However, it remains to be seen if they will pull a USF and fall of the map quickly.

SMU is a team I'm real interested in right now. I don't know why but I have a growing "fandom" in that program and have for a couple years. I really hope Jones gets that program to a top 25-35 caliber team

[youngterrier]

quite frankly I don't see any team form a non-AQ conference outside of a team from the Mountain West making a BCS bowl anymore. Conference USA fields a few good teams every year with potential but they are never consistent, heck I wouldn't be surprised if some of the decent teams that CUSA has get picked up by the Big East eventually (think UCF and possibly Houston and maybe, though unlikely, SMU now that Texas is in the Big East Domain). The WAC is pretty much dead and the MAC and the Sunbelt are basically FCS conferences, because they are clearly smaller and slower than any other conference.

I agree, the list of capable teams wasn't that long to begin with. Houston always loses a game they shouldn't, SMU is still a work in progress, UCF is starting to turn the corner, Fresno St (although the play a good schedule) can never win the WAC or beat Boise, Nevada has big holes to fill.

UCF would fit well in the Big East (great facilities and great support). Maybe with Leavitt gone from USF the war on I-4 can be revived.

I think that if the Big East decided to expand to 12 teams (assuming Nova goes), the 11th team would be UCF and the 12th team Houston (because TCU has the Dallas media market somewhat locked down and SMU would not be necessary), that way they can have a North/ South division (with Louisville, West Virginia, UCF, USF Houston, and TCU in the south), and they would save money on travel costs because they wouldn't have to send teams as far

[youngterrier]

As far as I am concerned, the only teams currently in a non-BCS conference that can produce a team that could play in a BCS caliber conference (based on teams fielded in the past) are Boise (duh), Fresno, Nevada, East Carolina, Houston, SMU, UCF, Tulsa, and maybe even Troy (as they have controlled the Sun Belt in recent years). I would include Hawaii but they lay an egg every time they play a decent team in a bowl game or play away from home. Of those teams listed, I can't see Tulsa, ECU, or Troy ever getting "upgraded" past CUSA because there is just no money where they are.

[tampajag]

UCF is a program that appears to be on a quick rise. However, it remains to be seen if they will pull a USF and fall of the map quickly.

SMU is a team I'm real interested in right now. I don't know why but I have a growing "fandom" in that program and have for a couple years. I really hope Jones gets that program to a top 25-35 caliber team

I agree that we don't know how UCF will turn out but the main reason USF fell off was because of Coach Leavitt and his inability to win games after the middle of October. Coach Holtz seems to have corrected that at this point.
I like SMU too, they always had a spot with me since they came back from the death penalty.

[youngterrier]

UCF is a program that appears to be on a quick rise. However, it remains to be seen if they will pull a USF and fall of the map quickly.

SMU is a team I'm real interested in right now. I don't know why but I have a growing "fandom" in that program and have for a couple years. I really hope Jones gets that program to a top 25-35 caliber team

I agree that we don't know how UCF will turn out but the main reason USF fell off was because of Coach Leavitt and his inability to win games after the middle of October. Coach Holtz seems to have corrected that at this point.
I like SMU too, they always had a spot with me since they came back from the death penalty.

I'm a fan of SMU too (even though the little bastards screwed me over on Bowlmania ), I just don't think they have a chance at a current BCS conference now that TCU has gone to the Big East. The Big 12 doesn't want them or need them because they already control the Texas markets. The Big East doesn't need them as they have TCU. The other 4 conference don't want them because they aren't a geographical fit. Houston is a more attractive team for the Big East. SMU could join the MWC and they earn an autobid eventually but outside of that I don't see anything huge conference wise from them

[tampajag]

tampajag wrote:

I agree that we don't know how UCF will turn out but the main reason USF fell off was because of Coach Leavitt and his inability to win games after the middle of October. Coach Holtz seems to have corrected that at this point.
I like SMU too, they always had a spot with me since they came back from the death penalty.

I'm a fan of SMU too (even though the little bastards screwed me over on Bowlmania ), I just don't think they have a chance at a current BCS conference now that TCU has gone to the Big East. The Big 12 doesn't want them or need them because they already control the Texas markets. The Big East doesn't need them as they have TCU. The other 4 conference don't want them because they aren't a geographical fit. Houston is a more attractive team for the Big East. SMU could join the MWC and they earn an autobid eventually but outside of that I don't see anything huge conference wise from them

I don't think they'll go to the SEC which is the only other league they could possibly fit geographically besides the Big 12. Dallas isn't that much further than Fayetteville. But they won't be a good fit anyway.

[youngterrier]

I'm a fan of SMU too (even though the little bastards screwed me over on Bowlmania ), I just don't think they have a chance at a current BCS conference now that TCU has gone to the Big East. The Big 12 doesn't want them or need them because they already control the Texas markets. The Big East doesn't need them as they have TCU. The other 4 conference don't want them because they aren't a geographical fit. Houston is a more attractive team for the Big East. SMU could join the MWC and they earn an autobid eventually but outside of that I don't see anything huge conference wise from them

I don't think they'll go to the SEC which is the only other league they could possibly fit geographically besides the Big 12. Dallas isn't that much further than Fayetteville. But they won't be a good fit anyway.

The Mountain West is the only conference that I think would take them now.

[MrTitleist]

SMU has a lot of history and tradition.. they've still not recovered from the death penalty, but I think Jones has them well on their way. I read last week where he turned down a job somewhere else to remain at SMU to rebuild the program. I think they'll be contenders sooner than later. Great facilities, fertile recruiting grounds, big TV market.. a lot of potential that I hope the MWC takes a chance on.