UCF thinks USF is blocking their bid to join the Big East

[Col. Klink]

FWIW ...

BOTH USF & UCF could beat half the S-trageically E-vasive C-owards ... and if they won't play each other, then they need to at least start trying to schedule some SEC & ACC out-of-conference competition.

As a USF Season Ticketholder, it's simply time to get more proactive & step up the OOC competition.

USF didn't even beat half of their Big East competition this season.  I'm not a USF season ticket holder, I think it's pretty fair to say they might struggle to do that in the SEC.

Using Sagarin's ratings, we should have beaten 5 out of the 12 SEC teams, which is probably about right .... but seriously, why did you even bother to respond to that? 

[Biggs3535]

why did you even bother to respond to that? 

That's easy.  I horribly misread it.

My bad.

[BuckEmUp]

I always find it funny to hear UCF fans talk about how great their program is.  It also makes me smile to hear about their recruiting victories and conference championships.  However, the reasons these make everybody but UCF fans laugh has already been discussed. 

The problem with UCF joining the Big East is the distribution of top talent in the state.  What happened when USF joined the other 3 AQ programs in the state?  FSU and Miami both took a step backwards.  4 AQ teams along with the number of AQ programs from other states that recruit Florida may be watering down the talent level to a point that makes it hard for the in state schools to stay at the top.  Another in state AQ school may be to much for the state talent to keep at the top. 

Also, UCF and USF was a good game to watch when it was played.  At this time UCF does not provide USF with anything worth playing them for.  USF can schedule a team that is worse than UCF and get the same respect for the victory and equally as much to loose for a loss.  The problem is that UCF is a good team with a bad image.  Winning a few more conference championships might help but not when one championship includes a 60+ point loss to an AQ program and the other includes no victories over a team with a winning record. 

UCF is on the right path but they are not the best option at the moment, TCU was a far better option.

[Runole]

I always find it funny to hear UCF fans talk about how great their program is.  It also makes me smile to hear about their recruiting victories and conference championships.  However, the reasons these make everybody but UCF fans laugh has already been discussed. 

The problem with UCF joining the Big East is the distribution of top talent in the state.  What happened when USF joined the other 3 AQ programs in the state?  FSU and Miami both took a step backwards.  4 AQ teams along with the number of AQ programs from other states that recruit Florida may be watering down the talent level to a point that makes it hard for the in state schools to stay at the top.  Another in state AQ school may be to much for the state talent to keep at the top. 

Also, UCF and USF was a good game to watch when it was played.  At this time UCF does not provide USF with anything worth playing them for.  USF can schedule a team that is worse than UCF and get the same respect for the victory and equally as much to loose for a loss.  The problem is that UCF is a good team with a bad image.  Winning a few more conference championships might help but not when one championship includes a 60+ point loss to an AQ program and the other includes no victories over a team with a winning record. 

UCF is on the right path but they are not the best option at the moment, TCU was a far better option.

Disagree  USF will never have a rivalry from TCU that will compare with one they would have with UCF.   The Schools are only about an hour and half away from each other.

With the current economy USF needs to get rid of their pseudo- arrogance and play the game every year.  There are 3 local newspapers plus several TV stations that would give the game top billing in the state.

Both schools have large commuter populations that would certainly be more available to make that hour and half drive to attend home and away than any other game on either schedule.   Common sense.

The only thing USF shows by not playing UCF is pure cowardice almost identical to UF dropping Miami.   Very silly and robbing the state fans of one less captivating game every season.


USF and UCF can not depend on regular schedules with Florida, Miami, and FSU.  That is reality so they need to play each other to gain more state interest in their programs.

Just my opinion but USF really doesn' t understand the "RIVALRY" thing.

[BuckEmUp]

The only people that want this to be a rivalry belong to UCF fan base.  This will never be a big time rivalry until UCF gets into an AQ conference.  It does USF no good to play them every season?  Why can USF not have a rivalry with TCU?  Because they are to far away?  That is just a stupid thing to say. 

As a USF fan, I care 100% more about beating Nutgers or WVU than UCF.  UCF is not our football rival as much as either of those schools. 

[Col. Klink]

The only people that want this to be a rivalry belong to UCF fan base.  This will never be a big time rivalry until UCF gets into an AQ conference.  It does USF no good to play them every season?  Why can USF not have a rivalry with TCU?  Because they are to far away?  That is just a stupid thing to say. 

As a USF fan, I care 100% more about beating Nutgers or WVU than UCF.  UCF is not our football rival as much as either of those schools.

True Rivalries involve both teams competing for the same cherished thing on a regular basis .... This does not include Internet, and a small sliver of I-4, bragging rights. If/when UCF gets into the same conference as USF, a Rivalry will blossom ... now the only ones clamoring for the game are UCF fans and the USF "fans" who really don' t understand the "RIVALRY" thing ...

[Runole]

The only people that want this to be a rivalry belong to UCF fan base.  This will never be a big time rivalry until UCF gets into an AQ conference.  It does USF no good to play them every season?  Why can USF not have a rivalry with TCU?  Because they are to far away?  That is just a stupid thing to say. 

As a USF fan, I care 100% more about beating Nutgers or WVU than UCF.  UCF is not our football rival as much as either of those schools.

I certainly can understand that at the present USF would care more about beating Rutgers and WV than UCF since they are in the same conference.
However, to say that UCF isn't,couldn't, or wouldn't be a fantastic rival for USF is like saying that UF or Miami before they entered the ACC  aren't important rivals for FSU. Ask any FSU fan who is a more important rival  Clemson of Florida?  What do you think the answer will be?  FSU has been in the ACC since 1992 and 10 years from now the answer will be the same.  Even if Miami was not in the ACC they would be considered a critical rival for FSU.  The whole nation watches when UF or Miami plays FSU.   USF eventually could have that with UCF.

I disagree that TCU will ever bring visiting crowds to match what UCF would bring every year.  Far from a stupid assertion.  All about home attendance and the UCF vs USF will always be a big draw no matter what the won/loss records are.

Oh and for the record I am a USF grad and I want to see the game played every year.   While I have strong ties to FSU I do understand how important in state rivalries are and I with my familiarity with Miami FSU and UF I know that USF can not depend on them to be on their annual play list do their much greater history in CFB and longer ties with other programs.   UCF could become just important as UF vs FSU or Miami vs FSU if it was an annually held game. Ideally UCF will become a member of the Big East so that conference can become more like the other BCS conferences. With the threat of possible future raids to that conference from the Big 10 it is in the best interest of the Big East to get to 12 teams and UCF would be an excellent addition for the remaining slots available now that TCU has been admitted.  I think Southern Miss and East Carolina would be good choices as well..


You could divide the conference into North and South


North - Syracuse ,WV, Rutgers ,Cincinnati, U Conn and Pittsburgh

South-  Louisville,  Southern Miss, TCU,  USF, UCF , and  East Carolina

[BuckEmUp]

Difference is that Florida and Miami were good programs ever though they are not in the same conference. 

[Runole]

Difference is that Florida and Miami were good programs ever though they are not in the same conference.

I think a convincing argument could be made that UCF was a better team than USF last season even though it wasn't proven on the field.

[BuckEmUp]

Anybody could argue anything they want.


Bottom line is that USF is trying to move on.  The only thing having a rival that is not a BCS school does is keep USF down.  They are trying to move forward and upward, if that means leaving UCF kicking and screaming in the dust.  Then I for one could care less.  UCF always cries when they do not get their way.  The could have done this, they would have done that, they won this, they would be here, etc...  All it adds up to is nothing.  They are where they are because that is where they are supposed to be.  Not because USF wont play them, not because USF is blocking them, and not because USF fans hate them.  They are in CUSA because they suck.

[Runole]

Though neither will be ranked in the top 25 in the preseason rankings, I bet UCF is ranked higher in the pre season than USF.  If that means they suck what does that say about USF?