UConn to the PAC 12: the Good and the Bad

With spring football over, we have reached the slow season for college football news. As a result, this is usually the time of the year when realignment rumors start to pick up. One of the hottest rumors currently out there is the possibility of the University of Connecticut potentially joining the PAC-12. Would it be as a football-only member? How would this impact basketball? In this article, we look over a number of different scenarios and what would work best for both sides. Here are some possible scenarios…

Football Only

This would be the best scenario for UConn. They wouldn’t have to deal with the headache that comes with putting together an independent schedule, and more importantly, they would have a solid chance to make the playoffs if they won the conference. Plus, the football team would only be traveling for four conference games, which is pretty manageable in the modern world. UConn could keep the rest of their spots in the Big East, where they have thrived. Men’s and women’s basketball are the top two draws for this school, and they could continue to compete on one of the biggest stages.

The PAC 12 would not agree to this unless there was some kind of scheduling agreement for basketball. Who wouldn’t love to see Gonzaga and Connecticut face off every year? How many games would UConn have to commit to playing against PAC 12 teams each year? I would think it would have to be three or more.

Football and Basketball

In this scenario, UConn would have to find another home for all of their other sports. I can’t see a world where the Huskies’ tennis team travels to Pullman, Washington, or Fresno, California. It doesn’t make sense for either side, and there would be some major financial hurdles both sides would need to overcome. But if there was a way UConn could find another home for their other sports, it would be a significant win for the PAC-12 and would likely bolster their television contracts moving forward.

While it is not ideal for your basketball teams to travel that much, it would be a sacrifice worth making for the sake of having one of the most elite basketball brands in the nation join your conference. This feels like the most unlikely scenario, but it could be a potential win for both sides.

All Sports Join the PAC 12

As I stated above, this would be really difficult for both sides. The travel expenses would be massive, and I’m not sure the Huskies would add enough value to justify it. I would put the odds of this happening at less than 10%. It just doesn’t make sense for either side. The Big East is a great fit both geographically and competitively for UConn. Why would they throw that away?

In conclusion, I think the most likely scenario is UConn joining the PAC-12 as a football-only member with some kind of scheduling agreement for basketball. That would help the PAC-12 solve their football problem. and the Huskies would have a home for their football team. It would also give the PAC-12 some marquee non-conference basketball games. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.