The Ivy League finally kicks off this Saturday and one of the more intriguing games on the Ancient Eight’s opening slate occurs in the Nutmeg State. Yale will play in-state FCS counterpart Central Connecticut State in their first meeting. This marks the second straight year Yale will play an inaugural matchup against a Connecticut FCS school. Last season, they met Sacred Heart at home and won 31-3.
While some may view Yale’s first games against Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut State as a wholesome development, there could be a disheartening aspect beneath the surface.
Naturally, Central Connecticut State and Sacred Heart would be easy road games for the Bulldogs to schedule. Both schools are within 40 miles of Yale’s campus and give Yale a game with state bragging rights at stake. However, Yale scheduled both schools as one-off games without return trips. Could Yale think their fellow Connecticut FCS schools are beneath them?
At the very least, Yale’s agreements with Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut should have had visits to both schools. The atmospheres at Central Connecticut State’s Arute Field and Sacred Heart’s Campus Field would be unforgettable. Fans of both schools would soak in the moment of mighty Yale finally visiting their little brother. Atmospheres like that make college football unmatched.
Furthermore, any possible air of superiority over Central Connecticut State and Sacred Heart is unjustified. Other Ivy League schools like Columbia, Dartmouth, and Princeton have played multiple road games against weaker conferences like the Northeast Conference and Pioneer Football League. Yale should not be averse to traveling to a Northeast Conference school within their state.
Central Connecticut State’s Arute Field and Sacred Heart’s Campus Field are suitable venues for Yale road game crowds. Yale fans hardly show up for their home games. A road game at Sacred Heart or Central Connecticut State does not require a larger, neutral venue.
Arute Field holds 5,500 fans, while Campus Field seats just over 3,300. Three of Yale’s ten home games in the last two seasons saw capacities of less than 4,000 fans. Any perceived notion that Yale would not sell enough road tickets at Campus Field or Arute Field is delusional.
For all we know, there could be no sense of superiority preventing Yale from visiting Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut State. After all, the Blue Devils got a sweet deal from Yale for their 2024 game. Yale will give Central Connecticut State a $10,000 check and 1,000 complimentary tickets. Blue Devils fans will surely take advantage of the tickets to see their team play in one of college football’s most storied battlegrounds.
Still, overlooked programs receiving the opportunity to host brand-name programs within their state is one of the things that makes college football the amazing game it is. The lack of a return game robs Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut fans of this feeling. No matter what the reason may be, Yale’s reluctance to visit Central Connecticut is a net loss for northeastern college football.
