Fourth Quarter Charge Lifts USF Over UConn

Saturday, October 21

East Hartford, Conn.

3:30 PM

University of Connecticut

1-6 , 0-0

USF

4-4 , 2-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Fla.

UConn

Photo by: Clarus Multimedia Group

10/21/2023 8:49:00 PM | Football

Box Score

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – The South Florida Bulls scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the fourth quarter to erase a 21-10 UConn lead and come away with a 24-21 win over the Huskies in front of 21,704 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field Saturday afternoon. USF running back Nay'Quan Wright scored twice, his second coming with 4:02 left to provide the winning score.

UConn falls to 1-6 overall with the loss while USF evened their record at 4-4. Wright piled up 186 yards rushing on 26 carries while the Bulls finished with 260 yards on the ground. Quarterback Byrum Brown ran for 61 yards and a touchdown and completed 27-of-39 for 203 yards in the win.

The Huskies ran for 193 yards on the ground and were led by sophomore Cam Edwards (Norwalk, Conn.) who had his first career 100-yard rushing game, totaling 149 on 22 carries. Edwards ran for a score and then caught four passes for 15 yards including a touchdown.

UConn got off to a slow start as a fumble on their second play from scrimmage gave the Bulls the ball on the eight-yard line and just two plays later Wright ran in from a yard out for a 7-0 lead. UConn lost starting back Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn.) on the first series to injury and Edwards stepped in to carry the load. The Huskies tied the game up early in the second quarter after quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson (Orange, N.J.) led an eight-play drive over 84 yards, running it around the right side, beating a linebacker and scoring from 24 yards out.

South Florida's final points of the first half came on a John Cannon 45-yard field goal with 6:48 left to go up 10-7. The Huskies answered on the ensuing possession as Edwards ripped off a 39-yard run on the drive and Roberson ended with find the running back in the back of the end zone for a 14-10 lead with 3:40 left in the half.

Defensively, the Huskies kept the Bulls off the scoreboard for the entire third quarter and came up with an interception. UConn cashed in early in the fourth as Edwards made it 21-10 off 33-yard run off right tackle that found the end zone at 12:45.

The USF offense reignited on their next possession as Brown led them down the field 75 yards in nine plays, capping it off with a six-yard TD run up the middle to pull within 21-17 with 9:51 left. The Bulls forced a UConn punt and took the ball back at their own 10-yard line. Brown again led the Bulls down the field, helped by a 47-yard run by Wright to set up a first and goal. The grad student plowed in from four yards out with 4:02 left to give his team the lead for good, 24-21.

Roberson and the Huskies had a chance to answer but on a third and six scramble, linebacker Mac Harris forced a fumble on the quarterback and corner Daquan Evans recovered at midfield. UConn was able to use their timeouts and force one last punt, getting the ball back with nine seconds left at their own 28-yard line but a trick play on the final snap resulted in a fumbled lateral attempt ending the game.

UConn's Roberson finished 19-of-34 for 175 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Senior Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, Conn.) made 15 tackles, nine solo, with a tackle for loss and a half sack. R-junior Malik Dixon-Williams (Orlando, Fla.) had a season-high 10 tackles and forced a fumble.

Up Next:

The Huskies begin a three-game road stretch next Saturday with a trip up to Boston College on October 28. The game will kick-off at 12 noon on ACC Network.