University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn-Syracuse Football On ESPN2; Branch Honored
11/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, CONN. (Nov. 5, 2007) – The BIG EAST Conference announced on Monday that the University of Connecticut's football game against Syracuse on Nov. 17 at Rentschler Field will kick off at 12:00 p.m. and be broadcast live by ESPN2.
Additionally, the league office also announced on Monday that Tyvon Branch has been named its Special Teams Player of the Week. UConn has now had a student-athlete recognized three weeks in a row as each of the previous two weeks the league's Defensive Player of the Week honor went to linebacker Scott Lutrus.
Branch returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against Rutgers on Saturday afternoon, part of a school-record 184 kickoff return yards on the day for the senior from Cicero, N.Y. Branch also led UConn with 13 tackles in the contest. It is Branch's second kickoff return touchdown this season with the other, also from 97-yards away, coming against Akron on Sept. 29. Branch's two kickoff return touchdowns set both a season and career school record. It also ties the BIG EAST seasonal record, matching a feat which has previously been done six times and not since 2002.
Branch leads the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 36.14 yards per return.
In addition to Branch's award, tailback Donald Brown was named to the league's weekly Honor Roll. Brown came off of the bench to lead UConn with 154 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 38-19 win over Rutgers. It was his fifth career 100-yard rushing game and his first of 2007.
Both Brown and Branch earned game balls in the win. Rob Lunn got the team's defensive game ball while Terry Baltimore shared the special teams game ball with Branch. Baltimore made an astounding seven special teams tackles in the game (four solo). Lunn had seven tackles, including 1.5 for loss with a sack, as he helped shut down star tailback Ray Rice of Rutgers.
No. 16 UConn (8-1, 4-0 BIG EAST) will face a stern challenge on Saturday when the team travels to the banks of the Ohio River to face Cincinnati (7-2, 2-2) at Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats just narrowly missed this week's Top 25 polls and are 3-0 all-time against the Huskies.
