University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Massachusetts
Huskies Head to UMass to Close 2023 Season
11/24/2023 8:00:00 AM | Football
TV: ESPN+
Radio: UConn Sports Network from Learfield - ESPN 97.9  Affiliates - WAVZ 1300 AM (New Haven), WGCH 1490 AM (Greenwich), WILI 1400 AM/95.3FM, (Willimantic); WICH 1310 AM/94.5 FM (Norwich) Online: The Varsity Network App
Quick Hits
The UConn Huskies will close out the 2023 season on the road as they head 73 miles up I-91 to face the UMass Minutemen in a New England rivalry match-up Saturday afternoon on ESPN+
Saturday's game will be the 77th all-time meeting between the Huskies and Minutemen in a series that dates back to 1897. UConn and UMass have met five times in the FBS era since 2012 with the Huskies winning three of the five match-ups. UConn's last trip to Amherst was in 2021, a 27-13 UMass win.
The Huskies head into the season finale off a 31-3 win at home over Sacred Heart University last week, snapping a four-game losing streak and picking up their second win on the season. The Huskies improved to 20-2 against FCS opponents in their FBS era (2002). Defensively, the Huskies held the Pioneers to 224 total yards of offense, just 78 on the ground, and just 2-of-11 on third downs. The Huskies had 209 yards rushing in the win led by sophomores Cam Edwards, 90 yards, and Victor Rosa, 70 yards, in the win.
R-Junior quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson led the Husky offense against the Pioneers, tossing a career-high four touchdown passes in the win. Roberson led scoring drives on the Huskies first three possessions and 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.
R-sophomore Joe McFadden jumped back into the place kicking role against Sacred Heart and connected on the longest field goal of his career. McFadden capped off the Huskies' initial drive with a 50-yard field goal, the longest this year by UConn and is tied for the 12th longest field goal in program history.
Senior Jackson Mitchell made 11 tackles, 1.5 for a loss, against SHU and moved up to third all-time in the UConn record book with 431 career tackles.
Last Meeting vs. UMass
Nov. 4, 2022 - UConn 27 -- UMass 10 - Rentschler Field
UConn freshman running back Victor Rosa ran for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Huskies to a 27-10 win over UMass at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Rosa fueled a UConn rushing attack that piled up 274 yards in the win. Sophomore Devontae Houston had 84 yards on seven carries including a 75-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, the longest scoring play for the Huskies on the season. The Huskies led 13-10 at the half then Rosa and the defense took over in the second half to seal away the win. Rosa ran for 73 of his game-high 87 yards in the second half, including both of his touchdowns, a five-yard plunge in the third and a 12-yard run in the fourth quarter with 6:64 left to put the Huskies up 27-10. The Husky defense held the Minutemen scoreless over the final 30 minutes as sophomore Durante Jones led the way with a career-high 14 tackles and a forced fumble.
Scouting the Minutemen...
The UMass Minutemen will close out their season on Saturday as well, coming in at 3-8 on the year. The Minutemen lost at unbeaten and No. 25 nationally ranked Liberty last Saturday, 49-25, ending a two-game win streak that featured wins at Army and at home over Merrimack. The UMass offense is fueled by their running game and r-junior back Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams who has 1106 yards on the season with 10 touchdowns. Lynch-Adams is averaging 5.1 yards per carry on the year and he comes in ranked 14th in the NCAA in rushing yards and 15th in yards per game (100.5). He has four games rushing for over a hundred yards this season with the highlight being a 234 yard, three touchdown effort in the win over Army. Defensively, the Minutemen are allowing 38.5 points per game, 130th in FBS.
