EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – The UConn offense ran for a FBS school record 421 yards as the Huskies posted a 48-14 win over Florida Atlantic Saturday night in front of 20,144 fans at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.

The Huskies (2-2) ran wild Saturday night as r-freshman Durell Robinson (Seat Pleasant, Md.) and junior Mel Brown (Stone Mountain, Ga.) both went for 156 yards to pace the rushing attack.  It marked the first time since the 2019 season two Huskies ran for over 100-yards (vs UMass 10/26/2019). The 421 yards was the second most rushing total in program history (437 – vs UMass, 1956).

For Robinson, it was his first career 100-yard rushing game, carrying the ball 16 times on the night and finding the end zone twice.  For Brown, he topped his career-high, needing 21 carries to hit 156 yards, while marking his third career 100-yard effort

UConn r-sophomore Nick Evers (Flower Mound, Texas) finished with a career-high 78 yards rushing on 18 carries and two touchdowns.  Evers completed nine-of-14 for 88 yards and a touchdown. He led the UConn offense to 542 total yards on 81 plays while picking up 32 first downs, the first time getting 30 or more first downs since the 2018 season (vs. SMU – 34).  The Huskies also did not punt on Saturday night, a first since a game at Syracuse during the 2004 season. 

The Huskies ran their way to a 17-0 lead at the half, pounding the ball at the FAU defense to the tune of 31 rushes for 169 yards while holding the football for 20:36.  The Huskies ran 42 total plays to 20 for the Owls in the first half.

After forcing a three-and-out on the game's first possession, the UConn offense put the first points on the board as grad student kicker Chris Freeman (Zionsville, Ind.) converted on his first field goal of the season, a 34-yarder, to cap a 10-play drive.  Freeman snapped a 0-for-3 streak to start the season with the make.

The Huskies orchestrated a pair of 12-play drives in the second quarter to put a pair of touchdowns on the board.  Evers converted on a second-and-goal try at 11:32, finding junior Mel Brown (Stone Mountain, Ga.) out of the backfield for a 10-0 lead.  Evers then led UConn's longest scoring drive of the season, pacing the offense 91-yards, running on 10 of the 12 plays, capped by an eight-yard burst up the middle by Robinson at 1:50 for a 17-0 lead.

The UConn running attack picked right up to open the second as Evers ran in his first career rushing touchdown, a three-yard plunge, to cap of a 14-play drive which featured 12 runs to cover the 75 yards.  UConn got their first turnover of the night on the Owls next possession as linebacker Jayden McDonald (Suwanee, Ga.) picked-off a tipped pass to set up the Huskies on FAU 23-yard line.  Freeman drilled home his second field goal of the night at 5:57, a 35-yard attempt, to extend the lead to 27-0.

The Owls ended UConn's bid at a shutout with 2:17 left in the third as CJ Campbell Jr. ran in from three yards out. UConn's Evers and Robinson opened the fourth quarter each posting their second scores of the night to push the UConn lead to 41-7 with just under 12 to play.  Senior quarterback Joe Fagnano (Williamsport, Pa.) came on and threw a 33-yard touchdown to r-freshman Shamar Porter (Nashville, Tenn.) for the Huskies final score.

UConn's defense gave up a season-low 250 total yards in the win, just 87 yards through the air.  Senior linebacker Tui Faumuina-Brown (Pittsburgh, Pa.) led the defense with nine tackles. 

Up Next:

The Huskies are back at home next Saturday, September 28 when they play host to the Buffalo Bulls at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.  Kick-off is slated for 12 noon on CBS Sports Network.