SLATE: Hold onto your shorts, realignment may be starting up again

Although there is some nice K-State news to dish this Sunday morning, today’s news cycle is dominated by something of potentially greater import — or perhaps little at all, depending on the final outcome.

Multiple sources reported yesterday that Connecticut has, after a season in which it was absolutely the worst team in FBS football, decided to ask if they can rejoin the Big East in all sports. Except, you know, football.

That story above was from the story breaker, Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant, who also wrote that the move strengthens the brand. In basketball. Obviously. Also at the Courant, Alex Putterman breaks down what this means for the football program, in which it appears even the MAC and CUSA have no interest and the American Athletic Conference will not allow the Huskies to remain there as a football-only school either.

Another story on the move itself comes from Tom Schad and Dan Wolken at USA Today. Tom Fornelli at CBS looks at who the AAC could get to replace Connecticut. Jamie DeVriend at The Daily Stampede (SB Nation’s South Florida blog) does the same, although with his tongue planted firmly in cheek.

And, of course, our other SB Nation colleagues at The UConn Blog have a ton to say about the matter as well. Daniel Connolly broke the news to their readers, and comes up with his list of winners and losers from this move. Aman Kidwai discusses what it means for UConn football.

This probably doesn’t seem like a big deal. We’re talking about a basketball school deciding it wants to play big-boy basketball again even if it means the football program flounders in obscurity. But it would be foolish to ignore the fact that some previous waves of mass realignment have begun with what appeared to be a one-off move. Arkansas joining the SEC didn’t seem like something that would completely shake up the landscape, but it set off a chain of events which saw the SWC and Big 8 disappear into the Big 12, the fateful and disastrous expansion of the WAC, and the formation of Conference USA. The wave at the beginning of this decade started with Nebraska bolting for the Big 10, and then everything suddenly went insane.

So this may just be a pebble in an ocean, without any lasting ripples... or it could be the grenade that sets off another game of musical chairs. The former is more likely, but you just never know.

Football

Meanwhile, in comparatively quiet Manhattan, Chris Klieman added yet another Texas to his class of 2020. Ryan Black of the Mercury reports on Malachi Mitchell, a 6’ 185 safety from Mansfield, who announced his commitment on Twitter. Mitchell currently has no rating at Rivals or 247. His commit brings the 2020 Wildcat class to 15 players, and it’s not even July 2019 yet. This is insanity.

Finally, BracketCat hit #70 yesterday, which means we’re only ten weeks from the sweet, sweet release of college football. That profile belongs to redshirt freshman offensive lineman Kaitori Leveston.