UConn Locks Down Boston College for Homecoming Win

Saturday, October 29

East Hartford, Conn.

12 p.m.

University of Connecticut

4-5 , 0-0

Boston College

2-6 , 1-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Boston College

UConn

Photo by: Clarus Multimedia Group

10/29/2022 5:06:00 PM | Football

Box Score Final Stat Book Photo Gallery

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – UConn junior linebacker Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, CT) turned in a dominant defensive performance to lead the Huskies to a 13-3 win over Boston College on Homecoming Weekend Saturday afternoon at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.

Mitchell finished the game with 12 tackles, a sack and an interception while also forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble to lead a UConn defense that held BC to just three points and 76 yards rushing. The Huskies posted five sacks on the afternoon and turned the Eagles over five times in the win.

UConn (4-5) posted the program's first-ever win over Boston College (2-6) in 15 head-to-head matchups and ended an eight-game losing streak against teams from the ACC, dating back to the 2016 season.

The Huskies burst out of the gates and took a lead they would never relinquish on their third play of the opening drive. After a holding call negated a Zion Tuner (Fort Lauderdale, FL) 20-yard pass to sophomore Keelan Marion (Atlanta, Ga.), the freshman quarterback ripped off a 23-yard run on the ensuing play. Turner then hit classmate Justin Joley (New Rochelle, NY) on the right sideline and the rookie tight end slipped a tackle and burst 62-yards for the score and a 7-0 lead just 1:05 into the game.

UConn forced a turnover on downs on BC's first possession to get the ball at the Eagle 34-yard line and settled for a 31-yard field goal from sophomore Noe Ruelas (West Hartford, CT) to lead 10-0 at 8:42 in the first.

The only BC points came early in the second quarter as the Husky defense stalled out the Eagles on the seven-yard line and forced a Connor Lytton field goal. UConn snuffed out another BC scoring chance with 3:11 left in the half as junior safety Durante Jones (Atlanta, Ga.) picked-off Phil Jurkovec in the endzone.

Mitchell and the UConn defense took over and the junior linebacker sealed the win in the fourth quarter. Mitchell forced a fumble to set the Huskies up on the BC 32-yard line, leading to a 43-yard Ruelas field goal for a 13-3 lead with 6:26 left.

On BC's next drive, Mitchell picked-off quarterback Emmett Morehead to halt an Eagle drive at the UConn 28. The Huskies were forced to punt on the next drive, but Mitchell came up big again, recovering a fumble by Zay Flowers with 4:06 left to put the stamp on a dominant defensive day.

Jones finished with eight tackles and an interception, his first on the season. Jones and the rest of the UConn secondary held BC standout receiver Zay Flowers to just two catches for 35 yards, a season low. Flowers came into the game fifth in the NCAA in catches per game (7.4).

R-Freshman Pryce Yates (San Antonio, Texas) had seven tackles, 4.0 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks, while also forcing a fumble.

Offensively, Tuner finished 11-fo-19 for 173 yards and a touchdown while rushing 10 times for 32 yards. R-Sophomore Kevens Clercius (Montreal, Quebec) caught five passes, a new career-high.

Up Next:

UConn is right back at home on Friday night, November 4 playing host to the UMass Minutemen. This will be the 76^th all-time meeting between the two school with UMass holding a 38-35-2 lead in the series. Last season, the Minutemen dealt the Huskies a 27-13 loss in Amherst.