UConn released its 2012 football schedule today and well... it's the schedule I guess. I know some people get really worked up about this every year, but I just can't find the energy, especially not in a conference with a balanced schedule. We know we're playing everyone, and we know if we played them on the road last year they're coming to Rentschler Field this year. The big questions are limited to "Who is the homecoming opponent?" and "How many times is ESPN going to regret putting UConn on national television this year?"
The answers to those questions are Temple and twice. The first of those national tv games will have UConn hosting Pittsburgh on ESPN2 for a Friday night matchup. The second is the season finale which will again see UConn hosting, this time Cincinnati. That game is slated for one of ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
Without further ado, here's the schedule, complete with pithy one-sentence observations Meacham and I came up with.
2012 UConn Football Schedule (Home Games in CAPS)
Thur., Aug. 30 MASSACHUSETTS -- Anytime you can schedule the best team in Massachusetts you have to do it.
Sat., Sept. 8 NORTH CAROLINA STATE -- *Shrugh,* gotta play somebody.
Sat., Sept. 15 at Maryland -- The first time UConn fans will ever be excited to see Randy Edsall.
Sat., Sept. 22 at Western Michigan -- It could be worse, they could be playing Eastern Michigan.
Sat., Sept. 29 BUFFALO -- Confidential to Warde Manuel: Being UConn's AD means you're allowed to stop watching Buffalo football games, so do us a favor and let us do the same thing.
Sat., Oct. 6 at Rutgers* -- It seems like Rutgers has been flirting with competence forever. Rutgers should probably buy competence more drinks.
Sat., Oct. 13 TEMPLE (HC) * -- Homecoming game aganist Temple? I love the 90's!
Fri., Oct. 19 at Syracuse* -- Your last chance to see the 'Cuse before their fans pull a BC and pretend they don't care about UConn.
Sat., Nov. 3 at USF* -- Thankfully, this game is scheduled for November, which means it'll coincide nicely with USF falling from a 6-0 start to a 7-5 finish.
Fri., Nov. 9 PITTSBURGH* - 8 p.m. - ESPN2 -- No idea who's on their team, but they'll probably be 6-6.
Sat., Nov. 24 at Louisville* -- It's been five years since Larry Taylor. No point here, just, man, life, you know?
Sat., Dec. 1 CINCINNATI* - ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 -- Likelier December 2012 event: 1) this game picked up by ABC 2) apocalypse?