It was a night to remember for the Huskies as they finished 29-20 in their fourth straight win at home on a game-stealing 96-yard fumble return touchdown with just seconds left.
If there’s one word to describe the 2024 Connecticut campaign, it’s grit. Week in and week out, UConn has protected The Rent and proven themselves a dominant competitor with an explosive lineup of athletes. This week was a little different, however, as the Huskies were put to the test as they got off to a slow start against Temple.
Although UConn’s determination ultimately paid off, they struggled to find their rhythm for the better half of the match. UConn, typically led by starting quarterback Nick Evers, suffered a rough hit in last weekend’s matchup against Buffalo and handed the torch to senior Joe Fagnano.
Fagnano’s season started off with a bang when he threw for five touchdowns and 328 passing yards against Merrimack in the Huskies’ home opener. Since then, Fagnano has remained steady; when stepping in during Buffalo’s match, the senior threw for 217 yards.
Though Fagnano has proven his arm and shown off his running game, he struggled to find his footing in the beginning of Saturday’s contest. Throughout the early moments in the campaign, he struggled to connect with receivers and many of Connecticut’s efforts were stopped by the Owls’ defense as they struggled to get into the red zone.
Though Temple’s defense gave up 417 yards to Army just last week, the Huskies fought to generate the momentum and the same offensive efficiency previously seen in their latest appearances.
Despite the unusually slow start, wide receiver TJ Sheffield made dominant plays critical to guiding UConn down the field. Sheffield ultimately finished with a season high of 141 yards and led Connecticut in receiving.
For much of the first half, it was a nailbiter as UConn, though favored by 16 points, struggled to assert dominance and left both sides fighting for a chance in the red zone. Even though UConn earned three points on a field goal for the lead in the first quarter, their dominance was short-lived as Temple completed a touchdown to snag a 7-3 authority.
While the majority of the first half can be categorized by both UConn and Temple finding their footing, the Huskies eventually took back the lead with two field goals to close out the half 9-7.
Across the board, Connecticut appeared to have a slow start as the dynamic running back duo Durell Robinson and Mel Brown struggled to put up any yardage. Just two weeks ago, the pair rushed for a combined 312 yards against Florida Atlantic. In comparison, by the half against Temple, the duo earned just 16 rushing yards.
Although something needed to change for the Huskies, that change didn’t come about in the third. Coming out of the half, the UConn defense put up an uncharacteristic performance, and while they managed to sack Temple quarterback Forrest Brock twice, the Owls snagged their largest lead, 13-9, thanks to 60- and 42-yard field goals.
The Huskies, now faced with their largest deficit since Duke, needed to change the narrative. With just over two minutes left in the third, Sheffield nailed a 58-yard reception from Fagnano to take back the scoreboard 16-13. However, the Huskies weren’t in the clear yet as Temple earned the 20-16 lead on an eight-yard rush into the endzone to begin the fourth.
As the final quarter continued, UConn slowly but surely made progress and inched its way closer to Temple territory. Success didn’t come until the very end, as UConn finally got into red zone territory with just under four minutes left.
The Huskies got a chance to demonstrate their offensive efficiency as they quickly snapped the ball to make incremental progress down the field. On a one-yard rush, Robinson was finally able to steal a Husky lead 23-20 as he pushed into the endzone.
With just under three minutes left, the campaign was far from over as Temple had possession. After inching their way down the field, Temple stood threateningly on UConn’s one-yard line on a fourth down. Needing only six points to win the contest, the Owls opted to go for the touchdown rather than tie the campaign with a field goal.
As UConn fans held their breath hoping for a miracle, that’s just what happened. To UConn’s advantage, Temple fumbled the ball on the one-yard line which was immediately scooped up by defensive back Jordan Wright who ran 96 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
The Huskies couldn’t have had a better ending for a challenging campaign and finished in picture-perfect fashion. While Temple’s critical mistake promptly ended their game, the Huskies enjoyed a sweet victory.
“I’m just so proud of our guys for fighting and believing. We talk about defending every blade of grass and that was how it felt tonight,” said Head Coach Jim Mora.
The Huskies are headed into a bye week but will be back at The Rent on Oct. 19 in hopes of continuing their 4-0 record at home.