UConn Continues to Dominate at Home
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – UConn wideout Skyler Bell (Bronx, N.Y.) hauled in six passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Huskies to a 47-3 win over the University at Buffalo Saturday afternoon in front of 20,347 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
The UConn (3-2) offense had another big performance, running for 257 yards and passing for 280, while the defense was equally impressive, allowing a season-low three points and 198 total yards in the win. The Huskies have lit up the scoreboard to the tune of 95 points over the last two games, the most in program history in back-to-back games against FBS opponents and the most since 2009 (89 – 33 at Notre Dame; 56 vs Syracuse). UConn also improved to 3-0 at home thus far this season and have outscored opponents 158-34.
For Bell, it was a career-high for receiving yards and touchdown catches and marked his third game this season hitting the 100-yard mark. His three touchdown grabs is a new school FBS record and marks the first Husky to catch three touchdowns in a game since the 1996 season (Dak Newton 3 vs. Villanova). He has four career 100-yard receiving games.
Defensively, the Huskies recorded three sacks and grabbed an interception while holding Buffalo to just 12 first downs, 1-of-14 on third down while forcing eight three-and-outs. Linebacker Langston Hardy (Jacksonville, Fla.) had a pair of sacks and fellow linebacker Tui Faumuina-Brown (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had the other as well as six tackles. Safety Rante Jones (Atlanta, Ga.) got his first interception of the season and the third of his career.
The Huskies built a 23-0 lead late into the second quarter as kicker Chris Freeman (Zionsville, Ind.) made three of his four field goals in the first half. Running back Cam Edwards (Norwalk, Conn.) scored the game's first touchdown, a 43-yard tackle off the left end for a 10-0 lead after the first.
UConn's starter Nick Evers (Flower Mound, Texas) was forced from the game in the second quarter with an injury leaving back-up Nick Fagnano (Williamsport, Pa.) to take over play-calling duties. Fagnano finished 11-of-19 for 217 yards and three touchdowns in relief, all three to Bell.
Fagnano and Bell found pay dirt in the second quarter on a 40-yard catch-and-run to make it 23-0. Buffalo (3-2) the first half a seven-play drive that was capped by a 47-yard Upton Bellenfant field goal as time expired, their only points of the day.
Fagnano hit Bell for two third quarter scores, the first a 70-yard score, the longest-scoring play by the Huskies this season. The two finished off the trifecta on a 12-yard strike into the endzone to make it 37-3 with 5:33 left in the third.
UConn had a balanced running game with Edwards leading the way 97 yards on 10 carries with a score. Durell Robinson (Seat Pleasant, Md.) had eight rushes for 73 yards and Mel Brown (Stone Mountain, Ga.) had 10 carries for 53 yards and a fourth quarter touchdown.
Freeman connected on field goals of 26, 39, 22 and 27 yards, tying the UConn school and FBS record for field goals in a game. His 4-for-4 effort marks the first time a UConn kicker had four makes since Dave Teggart did it at Cincinnati in 2011.
Up Next:
UConn is at home next Saturday, October 5 to take on the Temple Owls. Kick-off is at 3:30 on CBS Sports Network
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