University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Slip Up at West Virginia, 45-13
11/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (November 2, 2005) – West Virginia limited UConn to four first downs and 61 yards of total offense in the first half and took a commanding 35-3 halftime lead to post a 45-13 BIG EAST Conference football victory before a crowd of 52,808 at Mountaineer Field on Wednesday night.
The loss was the third in a row for UConn and drops the Huskies record to 4-4 and 1-3 in the BIG EAST. West Virginia is 7-1 and continues to be in first place in the BIG EAST at 4-0.
Freshman Steve Slaton led the way for the Mountaineers with 17 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown – all in the first half. Redshirt freshman Pat White was 7 of 16 in the air for 106 yards and one touchdown. White also carried the ball 12 times for 63 yards.
Connecticut struggled to move the ball in any way during the first half as junior Terry Caulley (Lusby, Md.) carried the ball seven times for 18 yards in the period while freshman quarterback Dennis Brown (Miami, Fla.) was 7-of-13 in the air for 73 yards. Brown was 10 of 19 for 97 yards for the entire night while Caulley rushed for 20 yards.
West Virginia led 14-3 after the first quarter and then scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to take a commanding 35-3 halftime lead.
White connected with junior Brandon Myles on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 12:07 left in the second quarter and redshirt freshman Pat White then scored on a pair of 14-yard runs for the Mountaineer scores. The second White touchdown was setup by a WVU interception by senior Anthony Mims that put the ball at the UConn 14
West Virginia broke into the scoring column on its second possession of the game as Steve Slaton rushed the ball three-straight times, including a 32-yard run and a one-yard run for the touchdown, to make it 7-0 with 11:06 left to go.
Connecticut scored its only points of the half on a 41-yard field goal by Matt Nuzie with 8:17 left in the quarter. West Virginia followed with a 10 play-65 yard drive that was completed by a 15-yard TD rush by Owen Schmitt.
The two teams traded a pair of field goals for the only scoring of the third quarter as Nuzie hit a 39-yarder for the Huskies with 2:46 left in the period.
West Virginia scored a touchdown with 8:28 left in the game on a 11-yard run by Jason Colson.
The Huskies scored their only touchdown of the game with 5:38 left to play as redshirt freshman Lou Allen (Salem, Conn.) scored on a one-yard run.
The Huskies return to action on Sat., November 12, when it travels to Pittsburgh for a 12:00 p.m. game at Heinz Field. That contest will be televised by ESPN Regional Television and will be seen in Connecticut on WTXX-Channel 20.
CONNECTICUT FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES
NOVEMBER 2, 2005 - AT WEST VIRGINIA
TEAM NOTES
w Tonight’s attendance of 52,808 is the fourth largest crowd in UConn football history and the largest since 65,115 saw UConn play at Virginia Tech on Sept. 27, 2003. UConn’s Sept. 11, 1999 game at Kentucky had 63,879 witnesses while the Huskies and Hokies played before 53,662 at a pre-expanded Lane Stadium in Blacksburg on Sept. 1, 2001.
w With a 4-4 record, it is the first time that UConn has stood at .500 since the Huskies beat Iowa State, 37-20, on Nov. 23, 2002 in Ames to end their inaugural Division I-A season at 6-6.
w The Huskies have lost four straight games for the first time since dropping four in a row from Sept. 28-Oct. 26, 2002, losing in succession to Ball State, Miami, Temple and Vanderbilt.
w This game was UConn’s eighth game on a week day in its last 18 contests. UConn is 5-3 in those games and 2-1 this season.
w Of UConn’s 17 Division I-A losses, 11 have come on the road.
w UConn dips to 0-6 all-time against Division I-A ranked teams. UConn has scored 13 points in three of its last four losses to ranked teams.
w WVU’s 45 points tonight are the third most surrendered by UConn in the Division I-A era. UConn surrendered 48 points at Miami on Oct. 5, 2002 and 47 at Virginia Tech on Sept. 27, 2003.
w The 32-point scoring margin marks UConn’s largest loss since a 47-13 (34 points) loss at Virginia Tech on Sept. 27, 2003.
w UConn’s 12 rushing yards is a Division I-A era low. The Huskies had rushed for 20 yards at Georgia Tech on Nov. 13, 2004. UConn’s 129 yards of total offense is also a I-A era low. UConn gained 190 yards at Miami on Oct. 5, 2002..
w WVU’s 35 first half points are the second most that UConn has allowed in the Division I-A era. The previous high was 42 points on Oct. 5, 2002 against No.1 Miami at the Orange Bowl in a game that the Huskies lost 48-14.
w UConn’s first quarter field goal represented its first points scored in the opening stanza since the Syracuse game on Oct. 7 when Terry Caulley had a four-yard touchdown run. It was only the second time this year though that UConn has allowed multiple first quarter scores. Georgia Tech also recorded two touchdowns against the Huskies on Sept. 17 in Atlanta.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
w Danny Lansanah’s interception was his second of both this season and his career.
w Matt Nuzie’s first quarter field goal was the milestone 40th of his career. He is the school record holder. It is his third multiple field goal game of the year. He also connected twice at Georgia Tech (Sept. 17) and against Syracuse (Oct. 7).
w Dennis Brown’s 25-yard completion to Dan Murray in the first quarter was the longest of his young career.
w Linebacker Ryan Henegan made his first career start tonight. Due mainly to injuries, UConn has started a different lineup on defense in each of the past six games.
