For UConn football, its divorce is official. And it will now tread the same independent waters as the Notre Dames and BYUs -- and Libertys and New Mexico States -- of the college football world.
In June of last year, it was confirmed that UConn will be leaving the AAC and rejoining the Big East in all sports but football, paying $17 million on its way out the door for the privilege. As the Big East doesn’t sponsor football, though, UConn is set to make a go of it as a league-less football program.
As the calendar flips from June 30 to July 1, UConn embracing its independence on the gridiron is officially official. Tuesday, prior to it becoming a done deal, the American Athletic Conference thanked the school on its way out of the door.
“We are proud to have had @UConnHuskies as a founding member of The American,” the AAC tweeted. “We wish the Huskies well and look forward to a bright future.”
This won’t be the first time UConn football has played as an independent in the sport. From 2000-03, they transitioned from Div. I-AA to I-A without a conference. In 2004, the university joined the Big East conference. They spent nine years in that league before joining the AAC for the 2013 season.
In mid-May of this year, UConn announced a multi-year partnership with CBS Sports Network. That network will television nearly every Huskies home game over the next four years. Four of UConn’s seven home games will be televised by CBSSN in 2020. Then, from 2021 through 2023, all homes games will be shown on the network.
The AAC, meanwhile, will move forward with 11 football-playing members.