Will UConn football join a conference? Rank USF, Charlotte, UAB jobs? G5 Drive
Answering your college football questions about UConn, SMU, realignment, job openings, San Jose State, App State and more.
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Chris, if Jim Mora stays at UConn and consistently gets them fighting for bowls, does that improve their chances to get into C-USA or the MAC down the road? — Louis S.
Before I get to the question about conferences (a hot-button topic for fans), let’s just take a moment to really appreciate the job Mora has done so far. UConn is 5-5 right now after the Huskies won four games total in their previous three seasons. The defense is one of the most improved in the country in stop rate and was especially strong in October. In 2018, this was arguably the worst defense in college football history. A win against a ranked Liberty or a down Army would make the Huskies bowl-eligible. This program has been so bad for so long and Mora is turning things around in his first season. A remarkable job all around.
As for the conference situation, I’m on record saying I think joining Conference USA as a football-only member would be a good move, and UConn fans are very much on record toward me that they think it would not. C-USA had real discussions with UConn last year, but the appetite from fans and boosters isn’t there. My argument to join a conference is that playing for nothing but bowl eligibility is largely boring and lonely. There are no conference rivals, weekly awards or standings to follow. And an expanded College Football Playoff guarantees at least one spot for a Group of 5 champion.
Most UConn fans I’ve heard from believe that playing more games against northeastern schools is preferable. I don’t believe those things are mutually exclusive (you still get four nonconference games in a conference). But look, the Huskies beat Boston College and UMass and declared themselves Kings of New England. That’s really cool.
UConn also believes a Power 5 invitation could come someday. I’m skeptical. But if Mora continues this trajectory and turns UConn into a consistently competitive team, who knows what could happen. I just hate the purgatory that is football independence.
