EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – The UConn defense came up with a fourth and goal stop with three seconds left in the game, capped by cornerback Jordan Wright (Memphis, TN) scooping a fumble and returning it 96 yards for a touchdown to put the final stamp on a 29-20 win over Temple Saturday afternoon in front of 28,921 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
The Huskies earn their third-straight victory and improve to 4-2 on the season heading into the bye week. UConn has won four-straight at home, five-straight dating back to last season.
R-Senior TJ Sheffield (Thompson's Station, TN) caught nine passes for 141 yards, both career-highs, with a 58-yard touchdown, the longest catch of his career. R-Fr. Running back Durell Robinson (Seat Pleasant, MD) ran for a team-high 52 yards and a go-ahead fourth quarter score. Senior quarterback Joe Fagnano (Williamsport, PA) finished 24-of-41 for 272 yards a score and two picks.
Temple's Maddux Trujillo made a pair of field goals, including a 60-yarder, the longest field goal ever made at Rentschler Field. Running back Terrez Worthy finished with a game-high 95 yards on 12 carries.
Trujillo's back-to-back third quarter field goals gave the Owls (1-5) a 13-9 lead with 2:43 left in the quarter. Fagnano would hook-up with Sheffield for a short gain but the wideout broke free of a tackle and flew up the right sideline for a 58-yard score to put UConn in front 16-13.
Temple took the lead back early in the fourth quarter, turning a Fagnano interception into a 44-yard drive that ended with quarterback Forrest Brock scampering in from eight yards out for a 20-16 lead with 9:52 left.
Fagnano was able to put together a 10-play scoring drive, keeping the drive alive with one of the biggest plays of the night. Fighting his way out of a sack, the senior quarterback was able to find Brett Buckman (Park Ridge, NJ) all alone up the sidelines for 32 yards on a third-and-10 play that set up the Huskies on the Temple 38. From there, Robinson pounded the ball down to the one before plunging in on the next play for a 23-20 lead with 3:46 left.
Temple took over on their own 25-yard line after the touchback and drove the ball all the way to the UConn one-yard line to set up the late game drama. On second and goal, Antwain Littleton came up just short of the goal line and was then stuffed on third and goal at the one. The Owls let the clock run down to three seconds before using their final time-out on fourth and goal, setting up the final play for the win. Quarterback Tyler Douglas tried to push in over the right tackle but the ball popped loose before he could get anywhere with Wright there to scoop it at the four and fly up the field to seal the win and celebration.
Defensively, linebacker Jayden McDonald (Suwanee, GA) had 14 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, with a sack. Fellow linebacker Tui Faumuina-Brown (Pittsburgh, PA) made 11 tackles, two for a loss. Safety Malik Dixon-Williams (Orlando, FL) had nine stops and his first interception of the season.
Kicker Chris Freeman (Zionsville, PA) was responsible for all the UConn scoring in the first half, hitting field goals of 43, 24, and 35 yards. Since starting the season 0-for-3, Freeman has nine-straight.
Temple's lone score in the first half came off a blocked punt in the endzone, recovered by John Adams.
Up Next:
The Huskies will have a week off before returning home to Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field to host Wake Forest on Saturday, October 19. Kick-off is at 12 noon on CBS Sports Network.
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