University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
2-9 , 0-0
Sacred Heart
2-9 , 2-5
Roberson leads UConn Past Sacred Heart, 31-3
11/18/2023 5:20:00 PM | Football
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – UConn r-junior quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson (Orange, N.J.) threw four touchdowns to lead the Huskies to a 31-3 win over Sacred Heart University Saturday afternoon in front of 19,053 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
The Huskies (2-9) ended a four-game losing streak with the win and improved to 20-2 against FCS opponents since the 2002 season. The Huskies had 209 yards rushing in the win led by sophomores Cam Edwards (Norwalk, Conn.), 90 yards, and Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn.), 70 yards, in the win.
Defensively, the Huskies held the Pioneers (2-9) to 224 total yards of offense, just 78 on the ground, and just 2-of-11 on third downs. Senior Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, Conn.) made 11 tackles, 1.5 for a loss, and moved up to third all-time in the UConn record book with 433 career tackles. R-sophomore Pryce Yates (San Antonio, Texas) had six tackles, 4.0 for a loss including a sack.
UConn got off to a fast start scoring points on their first three possessions Saturday afternoon. R-sophomore Joe McFadden (Grapevine, Texas) got the Huskies on the board first, hitting on a 50-yard field goal attempt, the longest of his career to cap an eight-play drive. Roberson capped the first quarter with a pair of touchdown throws to r-junior Cam Ross (Newark, Del.) and sophomore Justin Joly (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
Roberson went over the top of the defense to find Ross on a 46-yard scoring throw to make it 10-0at 5:45. Ross finished the afternoon with three catches for 56 yards. Roberson made it 17-0 hooking-up with Joly in the left corner of the end zone with 38 seconds left in the opening quarter. Joly hauled in a career-high nine passes on 11 targets for 73 yards and the lone score.
Sacred Heart's lone points came with 2:02 left in the first half as quarterback Rob McCoy put together a 12 play, 68-yard drive that culminated in a Sam Renzi 24-yard field goal. UConn would strike once more before the end of the half as Roberson found r-freshman Kylish Hicks (Pikesville, Md.) from 14-yards out for his first career-touchdown with 17 seconds on the clock. Roberson led the Huskies' longest drive of the day, covering 74 yards in 13 plays.
UConn finished out the scoring in the fourth quarter as Roberson threw his career-best fourth touchdown of the day to grad student Brett Buckman (Park Ridge, N.J.) at the right pylon to make it 31-3. Roberson finished 22-of-35 on the day for 201 yards, completing passes to eight different receivers, while also running it four times for 30 yards.
Up Next:
The Huskies will close out the 2023 season next Saturday, November 25 with a trip to New England rival UMass. Kick-off is scheduled for 12 noon on ESPN+
Team Stats
SHU 0, UCO 3
UCO - McFadden,Joe 50 yd field goal 8 plays, 30 yards, TOP 04:25
SHU 0, UCO 10
UCO - Roberson,Ta'Quan 46 yd pass from Roberson,Ta'Quan (McFadden,Joe kick) 4 plays, 68 yards, TOP 02:10
SHU 0, UCO 17
UCO - Joly,Justin 12 yd pass from Roberson,Ta'Quan (McFadden,Joe kick) 6 plays, 35 yards, TOP 03:39
SHU 3, UCO 17
SHU - Renzi,Sam 24 yd field goal 12 plays, 68 yards, TOP 05:16
SHU 3, UCO 24
UCO - Hicks,Kylish 14 yd pass from Roberson,Ta'Quan (McFadden,Joe kick) 13 plays, 74 yards, TOP 01:38
SHU 3, UCO 31
UCO - Buckman,Brett 11 yd pass from Roberson,Ta'Quan (McFadden,Joe kick) 10 plays, 67 yards, TOP 04:50
