University of Connecticut Athletics
Football Gains Share of First BIG EAST Championship
12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, CONN. (Dec. 1, 2007) - The University of Connecticut football team (9-3, 5-2 BIG EAST) became co-champions of the BIG EAST Conference on Saturday night. The Huskies gained a share of the league crown when Pittsburgh upset No. 2 West Virginia, 13-9, in Morgantown, dropping the Mountaineers to 5-2 in league play.
It is the first BIG EAST Championship for the Huskies who joined the league in 2004. The last league title for UConn came in 1989 when the team finished in a three-way tie for the Yankee Conference Championship. The Huskies won or shared YanCon crowns in 1949, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1982, 1983, 1986 and 1989. UConn also won the Atlantic 10 Conference New England Division title in 1998.
“This is another great landmark to achieve in only our fourth year in the BIG EAST," head coach Randy Edsall said. "It is something that nobody thought could have happened four years ago or even at the start of this season. To have it happen in year-four in the league is a great compliment to the hard work of our student-athletes, assistant coaches and staff. It has been a season of milestones for us with our first national ranking, first undefeated home record, first win over a ranked team, the winningest regular season in school history and a bid to a great bowl game in Charlotte. Our first BIG EAST title is yet another incredible milestone on top of the many others that we reached during the 2007 season."
Although they are co-champions with UConn, the Mountaineers receive the league's berth in the Bowl Championship Series by virtue of their win over the Huskies on Nov. 24. The BIG EAST co-champion Huskies will face a to be announced team from the ACC in the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Dec. 29 at 1:00 p.m. in Charlotte. For ticket and travel information, go to .
It caps a successful fall campaign for UConn as a whole in BIG EAST action. The Husky men's soccer and field hockey teams both won their respective BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles.
