University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
3-9 , 0-0
Massachusetts
3-9 , 0-0
Huskies Close Season With Win at UMass
11/25/2023 4:23:00 PM | Football
AMHERST, Mass. – UConn running back Cam Edwards (Norwalk, Conn.) finished with 102 yards and two touchdowns and the Husky defense forced three turnovers on the way to a season-ending 31-18 win at UMass in front of 12,291 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
UConn finished the season with two-straight wins to cap off 2023 at 3-9 overall. In addition to forcing three turnovers, the UConn defense held UMass to just 59 yards rushing and 289 total yards in the win. Edwards eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the second time this season, needing 19 carries. Fellow back Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn.) ran for 71 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Huskies forced turnovers on the first two UMass possessions and sophomore corner Mu-Mu Bin Wahad (Atlanta, Ga.) gave UConn the game's first points, returning an interception 45-yards for a touchdown at 10:04 in the first quarter. The extra point try was blocked putting the Huskies up 6-0. It was the Huskies first pick-six since Malik Dixon-Williams (Orlando, Fla.) returned one against Houston in the 2021 season.
The UConn defense forced their third turnover of the first quarter in the closing seconds as Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, Conn.) forced a Kay'Ron Adams fumble setting the Huskies up on the UMass 28-yard line. UConn picked-up a first down but the offense stalled out in the red zone and settled for a 31-yard Joe McFadden (Grapevine, Texas) field goal to make it 9-0 at 13:42 in the second quarter.
The UConn defense set up the Huskies with great field position on the next Minutemen drive as well, holding UMass on a fourth-down try on their won 45-yard line to get the ball back on the plus side of the field. McFadden put the Huskies up 12-0 at 8:46 with his second field goal of the afternoon, hitting from 30-yards out.
UConn's special teams chipped in as linebacker Noah Plack (Bridgeville, Pa.) got pressure and a partial block on a UMass punt and with a holding call added in on the play, UConn took over on the UMass 27-yard line. This time the UConn offense cracked the end zone as Rosa broke off left tackle up the sidelines, plowing in for six at 6:02 to go up 19-0. It was Rosa's first touchdown since the season opening loss to NC State.
The Huskies got the ball to start the second half but turned it right over to UMass on the first play, a Ta'Quan Roberson (Orange, N.J.) fumble to set up the Minuetmen on the UConn 37-yard line. Quarterback Taisun Phommachanh needed six plays to convert, finding Gino Campiotti over the middle for a 10-yard touchdown. The two-point try failed leaving the Huskies up 19-6 in the opening minutes of the third quarter.
UConn missed a chance for more points on their next drive as a McFadden 48-yard field goal try missed its mark but Roberson led a nine-play drive that covered 70 yards to give the Huskies a 25-6 lead with 1:08 left. Edwards capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run, his third touchdown on the season.
UMass pulled within 25-12 at 11:52 in the fourth as Phommachanh hit Anthony Simpson on a 40-yard big play to fuel a Minutemen drive finished off by a one-yard plunge by Adams.
UConn answered right back and put together a 12-play drive that covered 77 yards and over eight minutes on the clock to help seal the win. Edwards carried it eight times on the drive and finished it off, bursting in from eight yards out for his second score of the day and a 31-12 lead.
The Minutemen got a quick score on an Adams one-yard rush but couldn't come up with an onside kick allowing the Huskies to close out the win and the season. UConn's Roberson finished 16-of-28 for 174 yards, finding tight end Justin Joly (New Rochelle, N.Y.) for six completions.
On defense, senior Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, Conn.) made seven tackles and force a fumble. Mitchell ends his UConn career with 438 total tackles, third all-time at UConn.
Team Stats
CON 6, UMA 0
CON - Bin-Wahad,Mumu 45 yd interception ()
CON 9, UMA 0
CON - McFadden,Joe 31 yd field goal 6 plays, 15 yards, TOP 01:27
CON 12, UMA 0
CON - McFadden,Joe 30 yd field goal 7 plays, 33 yards, TOP 02:29
CON 19, UMA 0
CON - Rosa,Victor 17 yd run (McFadden,Joe kick), 3 plays, 27 yards, TOP 01:14
CON 19, UMA 6
UMA - Campiotti,Gino 10 yd pass from Phommachanh,Taisun () 6 plays, 37 yards, TOP 02:50
CON 25, UMA 6
CON - Edwards,Cam 4 yd run (), 9 plays, 70 yards, TOP 05:45
CON 25, UMA 12
UMA - Adams,Kay'Ron 1 yd run (), 6 plays, 73 yards, TOP 01:33
CON 31, UMA 12
CON - Edwards,Cam 8 yd run (), 12 plays, 77 yards, TOP 08:12
CON 31, UMA 18
UMA - Adams,Kay'Ron 1 yd run (), 4 plays, 78 yards, TOP 01:25
