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UConn game notes UMass game notes

Quick hits

The UConn Huskies conclude the 2024 regular season and a three-game road swing with a trip to New England rival UMass on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies and Minutemen will face off at noon on ESPN+.

Saturday’s match is the 78th in the all-time series between the Minutemen and Huskies in a series that dates back to 1897. UConn and UMass have met six times in the FBS era since 2012, with the Huskies winning four of those matches. Oops. UConn is 2-1 in those matchups at UMass, including a 31-18 win at Amherst last fall.

The Huskies saw their three-game winning streak end last Saturday when they lost 31-24 on the road at Syracuse. UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano threw for 228 yards and two scores in the loss, completing 10 passes each to wideouts Skyler Bell And TJ Sheffield. Run back Cam Edwards managed a 71-yard touchdown run, the longest play from scrimmage for the Huskies this season. The loss was UConn’s third this season against teams from the ACC.

The Huskies earned their seventh win of the season with the win at UAB, guaranteeing the program’s first winning season since the 2010 season. Seven wins are also the most since the 2010 season, when UConn finished 8-5. It is also the fastest record since the 2008 season at seven wins. If the Huskies can get win number eight, they would have the fourth-most wins in program history at 10 times. During the program’s FBS era (2002), UConn has won eight games six times and nine games twice.

UConn offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis has been named a nominee for the 2024 Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches, the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation announced Tuesday. Sammis is one of 65 nominees in this class, selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 131 FBS programs across the country.

Last meeting against UMass…Nov. February 25, 2023 – UConn 31 – UMass 18 – Amherst, MA

UConn running back Cam Edwards finished with 102 yards and two touchdowns last fall and the Husky defense forced three turnovers en route to a season-ending 31-18 win at UMass before 12,291 fans at McGuirk Alumni Stadium last fall. Not only did the UConn defense force three turnovers, but it also held UMass to just 59 yards rushing and 289 total yards in the win. Edwards eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the second time this season, needing 19 carries to do so. guy back Victor Rosa ran for 71 yards and a touchdown in the victory. The Huskies forced turnovers on UMass’ first two possessions and sophomore corner Mu-Mu Bin Wahad gave UConn its first points of the game by returning an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. UConn quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson finished 16 of 28 for 174 yards, finding tight end Justin Jolly for six degrees. In defense, senior Jackson Mitchell made seven tackles and forced a fumble. Mitchell finished his UConn career with 438 total tackles, third all-time at UConn. UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh went 18 of 30 for 230 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Anthony Simpson caught six passes for 107 yards.

Exploring the Minutemen…The UMass Minutemen enter the season finale at 2-9 and suffered a 59-21 loss at No. 10 nationally ranked Georgia last weekend. The Minutemen have lost three straight, with their last home win coming against Wagner 35-7. Taisun Phommachanh spent most of the season under center, completing 132 of 234 passes for 1,590 yards and eight touchdowns, but an injury sidelined him for the final two games. AJ Hairston took over as signal manager and threw for 346 yards and two scores. On the ground, Jalen John is the team’s best runner with 505 yards and four touchdowns, an average of 5.4 yards per carry. Wideout Jakobie Keeney-James has 45 catches for 771 yards and five scores. He averages 17.13 yards per catch. On defense, linebacker Jalen Stewart leads the team with 72 tackles. Defensive end Louce Julien is the team’s leading pass rusher with 5.0 sacks per year.

Offensive notes from Syracuse… UConn went to Joe Fagnano at the start of Saturday’s game at Syracuse and the R senior completed 27 of 48 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns. His 27 completions marked a new career high for the signal-caller. The 27 completions and 48 pass attempts were a season high for the UConn passing attack. The UConn running game averaged 7.3 yards per rush but had a season-low 17 rushing attempts in the loss…Running Back Cam Edwards Had a 71-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-one play in the first quarter, marking the longest run of his career and the longest offensive play from scrimmage for a UConn…UConn receiver this season Skyler Bell And TJ Sheffield Each caught 10 passes in the game, marking the first time a UConn receiver caught double-digit passes since Aaron Turner (10) against Liberty in the 2022 season. Bell’s 10 catches tied a career high and he finished the game with 113 yards receiving, marking his fourth 100-yard reception attempt of the season and fifth of his career. For Sheffield, his 10 catches also marked a new career high…tight end Louis Hansen posted a career-high 33 yards receiving and his third touchdown grab of the season.

Defense notes from Syracuse… For the third time this season, the UConn defense held an opponent under 100 yards rushing and held the Orange to 68 yards on the ground, the lowest total by an opponent this season… at linebacker Jayden McDonald He recorded 12 tackles in the loss, his fourth game this season with double-digit stops. McDonald also added a sack to his game totals… Defensive Backs Rante JonesLee Molette and Cam Chadwick all had season highs in tackles. Jones made nine stops, with Molette and Chadwick contributing seven tackles each…The Huskies allowed 470 yards passing, a season high, only the second time this season a team has beaten the Huskies for 300 or more yards through the air.

Syracuse Special Teams Notes… player Connor Support His career-high 69-yard rushing came against the Orange. It matched the 69-yard punt he had in the Georgia State game…Place Kicker Chris Freeman scored his only field goal attempt, a 42-yarder, in the third quarter. It was his 16th goal of the season, the most by a UConn kicker since the 2015 season. It also ranks sixth on the list of most makes in a season.