Media Coverage

Television: CBS Sports Network (pxp) Jordan Kent (analyst) Logan Ryan (sideline) Keiana Martin

Radio: UConn Sports Network from Learfield Flagship Station -  Fox Sports 97-9 FM (Hartford) (pxp) Mike Crispino (color) Wayne Norman (sideline) Adam Giardino

Affiliates - WAVZ 1300 AM (New Haven), WGCH 1490 AM (Greenwich), WILI 1400 AM/95.3FM, (Willimantic); WICH 1310 AM/94.5 FM (Norwich)

Online: The Varsity Network App

SiriusXM 383 and on the Sirius XM App

Website: UConnHuskies.com

Live Stats: UConn.Statbroadcast.com

UConn Game Notes   Rice Game Notes

Quick Hits

It's Homecoming Weekend for the UConn Huskies as they play host to the Rice Owls at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field Saturday afternoon.  Kick-off is slated for 3:30 pm on CBS Sports Network.

Saturday's match-up marks the second all-time meeting between UConn and Rice. The Huskies took the first-ever meeting, 38-31, last fall at Rice Stadium in Houston. The two schools are scheduled to meet again next fall, at Rice, and again in 2028 at UConn. This is the third of four games against teams from The American this season with the Huskies already owning wins over FAU and Temple. UConn is 3-3 against their former conference since the program began play as an independent.

The Huskies are looking to bounce back from last week's 23-20 loss to Wake Forest, their first loss at home this season and ending a five-game home winning streak that dated back to last season. UConn is still in the midst of a six-game homestand, the longest home consecutive home stretch in the program's history of playing at The Rent. The Huskies will close out their seven-game home slate next Friday hosting Georgia State before hitting the road in November for three-straight on the road to close the regular season.

Last Meeting vs. Rice

Oct. 7, 2023 - UConn 38 -- Rice 31 - Houston, TX

UConn r-junior quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson threw for 215 yards and a pair of touchdowns and the defense forced four turnovers as the Huskies went on the road and earned their first win of the 2023 season, beating Rice, 38-31, at Rice Stadium. UConn fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter but scored 28 unanswered points into the third to take a lead they would never relinquish.  Senior linebacker Jackson Mitchell had a fumble return for a 50-yard touchdown and r-junior Jelani Stafford scored twice from the one-yard line for the Huskies. Rice quarterback JT Daniels threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns while Luke McCaffrey caught seven for 100 yards and both of his scores. UConn sophomore tight end Justin Joly finished with seven catches for 96 yards while sophomore Victor Rosa rushed for 89 yards on 18 carries to pace the ground game.

Scouting the Owls... The Rice Owls come to town on Saturday coming off a 24-10 loss to AAC foe Tulane last weekend.  The Owls are 0-3 on the road this season as they make their first-ever trip to Connecticut. Offensively, quarterback E.J. Warner has thrown for 1573 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. He has completed 160-of-263 passes. 60.8 percent, and ranks 15th nationally averaging 22.9 completions per game.  He ranks 43rd in passing yards and 52nd in passing touchdowns. The Rice offensive line has done a nice job protecting Warner, ranking seventh in sacks allowed (0.71 pg). Running back Dean Connors is a threat both on the ground and catching the football.  Connors average 107.7 all-purpose yards per game, ranked 50th nationally. He has 472 yards on 74 carries, average 6.3 yards per rush, 23rd among national leaders. He leads the team with 41 catches for 282 yards. He has seven total TDs this season. Defensively, the Owls rank 35th in total defense, allowing 326.4 yards per game. The Owls have been solid against the pass, giving up 169.3 yards per game, 17th best in the nation. They've also done a great job of getting after the quarterback, ranking 11th nationally with 22 sacks (3.14 pg).  

UConn vs. The American... UConn is 3-3 against teams from the American Athletic Conference since becoming an independent starting in the 2021 season.  The Huskies won their first two of four match-ups against the league this season, beating Florida Atlantic, 48-14, and Temple, 29-20, both at home.  After today's meeting with Rice, the Huskies will travel to UAB.  UConn was 1-1 against their former conference last season, winning at Rice but falling at home to USF.  In 2021, UConn was 0-2, falling at UCF 49-17, and falling at home to nationally ranked Houston, 45-17 when the two schools were still members of the conference. The Huskies were a member of the AAC from 2013 through 2019.

Offensive Notes from Wake Forest... UConn wideout Jasaiah Gathings had his most productive day as a Husky on Saturday, hauling in seven passes on 11 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown, all season-high marks...Tight End Louis Hansen caught his first career touchdown in the loss, hauling in a 25-yard strike from Nick Evers in the fourth quarter...Quarterback Nick Evers set new career-highs, completing 26 of 43 pass for 264 yards and two touchdowns. As a team, the 43 attempts and 26 completions also marked season-highs...The Huskies ran the ball 25 times in the loss, totaling 40 yards, both season-low numbers. UConn has been held under 100-yards rushing in each of the last two games...UConn had 304 yards of total offense, also a season-low.

Defensive Notes from Wake Forest... Corner Cam Chadwick notched his first career-interception, picking off the Wake Forest quarterback in the end zone right before halftime. The UConn defense has gotten an interception in five-straight games. Chadwick also made a career-high five tackles...Linebacker Jayden McDonald posted 13 tackles, posting double digit tackles for the third time this season.  McDonald and defensive tackle Jevon Banks each recorded a sack for the Huskies. UConn has posted two or more sacks in four games this season.

Special Teams Notes from Wake Forest... Place kicker Chris Freeman continued to stay hot in the kicking game, hitting both of his field goal attempts to push his streak to 11-straight over the past four games.  He started the season missing three-straight kicks but hasn't missed since. Freeman connected from 35-yards in the first quarter then nailed a 53-yarder in the second quarter, a new career-long.  Freeman's kick also marks the longest field goal made at Rentscher Field by a UConn Husky. The previous long was 52 yards by Dave Teggart vs USF in 2010. Freeman also posted four touchbacks on his five kick-offs...Running back Mel Brown had a strong afternoon returning kick-offs, taking three for 93 yards including a long of 46 yards...The Huskies also blocked their field goal this season, a third quarter attempt that defensive tackle Dal'Mont Gourdine batted down. It was Gourdine's first career blocked kick.

Husky Rankings... On special teams, the Huskies rank eighth in the nation in kick-off returns, averaging 26.3 yards per return and 54th in punt returns, averaging 8.16 per return. Place kicker Chris Freeman is 23rd in field goals per game (1.57), 28th in scoring per game (8.7) and 23rd in total points (61). Wideout TJ Sheffield is 26th nationally in punt return average at 8.5 yards per return. Punter Conor Stutz is ranked 45th with a 42.94 average...On offense, the Huskies are ranked 33rd in scoring (33.6), 42nd in total offense (428.9), 36th in passing yards per completion (13.12), 33rd in rushing offense (194.6) and 39th in first downs (153). In the red zone the Huskies rank 29th on offense (.917) and continue to be among the best at protecting the quarterback, ranking seventh in sacks allowed per game (.71)...On defense, UConn is sixth in the nation in 3rd down conversion percentage defense (.274) and 21st on fourth down (.375). UConn ranks 44th in pass yards allowed (203.3), 21st in red zone defense (.750), 47th in scoring defense (21.9), 35th in team pass efficiency defense (119.03) and 52nd in total defense (346.6)...Linebacker Jayden McDonald ranks 23rd averaging 9.0 tackles per game.

Evers Back and Posts Career #s... Starting quarterback Nick Evers was back under center in last week's game vs. Wake Forest after injury forced him to miss his second game of the season in the Temple win.  Evers returned and had a career day passing the football, completing 26 of 43 for 264 yards and touchdown throws to Jasaiah Gathings and Louis Hansen. In five games this season, Evers has thrown for 611 yards on 63-of-115 passing with four touchdowns and three interceptions.