Media Coverage

Television: ESPN+ - (pxp) James Westling, (analyst) Leger Douzable, (sideline) Maria Trivelpiece

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 386 and on the Sirius XM App

Live Stats: UConn.Statbroadcast.com

UConn Game Notes  UAB Game Notes

Quick Hits

The UConn Huskies begin a three-game road swing to close out the 2024 regular season starting Saturday afternoon at UAB. The Huskies are 0-2 on the road this year as they make their first road trip since a September 14 game at Duke. Kick-off is slated for 2:30 pm EST on ESPN+.

Saturday marks the first-ever match-up between the Huskies and Blazers.  The two teams will face each other again next fall on November 1st at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in Connecticut.  The Huskies are 3-0 this season when facing teams from the American Athletic Conference this season, beating Florida Atlantic, Temple and Rice, all at home.

UConn comes in off a 34-27 win over Georgia State that gave the Huskies their sixth win to gain bowl eligibility for the second time in the last three seasons. The Huskies are 6-3 for the first time since the 2008 season when UConn five-straight to open the year on the way to an 8-5 season.

The Huskies closed out a six-game home stretch beating the Panthers to finish 6-1 at home at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field this season. Their 6-1 mark is the team's most home wins since a 6-0 2010 campaign.  Since playing at The Rent in 2003, this is the ninth time the Huskies have played seven home games. UConn was 7-0 in 2007 and 6-1 in 2004 and 2024. The UConn offense dominated in their seven home games, scoring 258 points, the most in their history in the stadium, while averaging 36.9 ppg, second only to the 2010 season when they averaged 38.5 ppg in six games.

Scouting the Blazers... The UAB Blazers welcome the Huskies to town fresh off a 59-21 win over Tulsa last Saturday, ending a six-game losing streak and grabbing their first win since the season-opener. Quarterback Jalen Kitna turned it one of the nation's top performances of the season against Tulsa by completing 25-of-32 passes for 404 yards and a FBS school record six touchdown passes. Kitna has started four games, throwing for 1,269 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions and is averaging 317.3 passing yards per game. Kitna stepped in for injured starter Jacob Zeno. Wider Receiver Kam Shanks had 311 all-purpose yards against Tulsa, which was the most all-purpose yards in the FBS this season. He had five catches for 153 yards and three touchdowns, along with 139 punt return yards, and 19 rushing yards. He leads the nation in punt return average (25.6) and punt return touchdowns (2). On defense, the Blazers have excelled against the pass this season, allowing just 156.5 yards per game to rank fifth among national leaders. Linebacker Michael Moore is the team's top-tackler, making 61 stops

UConn vs. The American... UConn is 4-3 against teams from the American Athletic Conference since becoming an independent starting in the 2021 season. The Huskies won their first three of four match-ups against the league this season, beating Florida Atlantic, 48-14, Temple, 29-20, and Rice, 17-10, all at home. 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 Georgia State... For the second-straight week a UConn running back hit the 100-yard mark as Mel Brown went for 138 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown to lead a running attack that hit for 277 yards as a team. It was the fourth time this season UConn ran for 200 or more yards as a team.  For Brown, it was his second 100-yard effort on the year. He ripped off his longest run of the season, a 52-yard burst to set up the game's first touchdown, then closed with a 31-yard touchdown run, his second score this season...Fellow back Cam Edwards ground out 88 yards on 13 carries and had his longest run of the season as well, a 46-yard burst up the gut of the defense to help set up a score...The Huskies threw for only 75 yards, their lowest passing total of the season. It marked the first time going under a 100-yards passing since throwing for 60 in a home win over UMass in 2022...Quarterback Nick Evers completed 10-of-16 passes, five going to tight end Louis Hansen, a new career-high for the junior.  Hansen finished with five catches for 22 yards and a touchdown, his second this season.

Defensive Notes from Georgia State... For the first time since the Buffalo game, and second time this season, the Huskies won the turnover battle. UConn got a pair of interceptions in the win as D'Mon Brinson got his first career interception and Malik Dixon-Williams got his second pick of the season and the sixth of his career...Linebacker Tui Faumuina-Brown matched his career-high with 12 tackles in the win, his second-straight game recording double digit tackles and the fourth time this season he has made 10 or more stops...Linebacker Langston Hardy and defensive tackle Dal'Mont Gourdine each had a half sack as the Huskies recorded a sack in their fifth-straight game.  Hardy is tied for the team lead with linebacker Jayden McDonald, each with 2.5 sacks on the season.

Special Teams Notes from Georgia State... UConn punter Connor Stutz need to punt just three times in the win but posted a career-best 49.0 per punt average as well as unleashing a career-long 69 yard punt. He put two inside the GSU 20-yard line...Place kicker Chris Freeman converted both his field goal tries in the first half, connecting from 42 and 28 yards.  Since seeing a streak of 11-straight makes snapped against Rice, he has made his last three kicks.

Husky Rankings... Defensively, UConn ranks fifth in the country in third down conversion percent (.281).  The Huskies rank 22nd in passing efficiency defense (128.86) and 38th in passing yards allowed per game (197.3). The Huskies defense is 40th in first down defense (155), 37th in red zone defense (.793), 32nd in scoring defense (21.1) and 37th in total defense (330.9).  The Huskies also rank 41st in tackles for a loss per game (6.3). Linebackers Tui Faumuina-Brown and Jayden McDonald rank 35th (8.4) and 37th (8.3) in tackles per game...On offense, UConn is ranked 12th nationally in sacks allowed (1.0 pg) and 24th in tackles for loss allowed (4.11). The rushing game is 25th at 201.6 yards per game and 54th in total offense (406.3) with back Durell Robinson ranking 61st in rush yards (586) and 83rd in yards per game (65.1). UConn is 69th in time of possession, averaging 30:16 per game...On special teams, the Huskies are 10th in kick-off returns at 25.91 per return. The punt return unit is 59th averaging 8.88 yards per return and is led by TJ Sheffield who is 27th with an 8.4 return average. Kicker Chris Freeman ranks 21st in field goals per game (1.56), 48th in field goal percentage (.778), 24th in total points (76), and 39th in scoring (8.4). Punter Connor Stutz is 41st with a 42.7 punting average.

Red Zone Success... The UConn offense ranks 14th in the NCAA in red zone success converting at .933 percent. The Huskies have scored on 28 of 30 trips into the red zone this season and have 18 touchdowns on their 30 trips.  The Huskies have gotten points on their last 16 trips to the red zone dating back to the Florida Atlantic game.