On Saturday, Sept. 13, it will feel like the 1990s again as the UConn football team (1-1) faces the Delaware Blue Hens (1-1) for the first time since the 1998 season. To put it into perspective, both teams were at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level that year.
It will be the 28th meeting between the two programs, but the first with both teams at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, with Delaware playing their first season at the level. Despite UConn playing at a higher level since 2000, Delaware is seen as the superior team in the series, leading 20-7.
“I don’t care that they just came up from FCS level,” UConn head coach Jim Mora said during Tuesday’s weekly press conference. “It doesn’t matter. They’re a really good football team.”
The last time these two teams met, Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field did not exist. On Nov. 7, 1998, the two former Atlantic-10 foes met up at the old Memorial Stadium on campus in Storrs. Delaware got the last laugh against the Huskies, handing them the most lopsided loss in the all-time series with a 59-17 defeat. Connecticut has not had a win against Delaware since Nov. 4, 1989, as part of a three-game winning streak from 1987 to 1989. Since then, Delaware is sitting on a five-game winning streak against UConn.
Last Saturday saw the Huskies’ undefeated hopes end at the JMA Wireless Dome. Against former Big East rival Syracuse, the Huskies blew a 17-6 lead in the fourth quarter and had to force overtime, where they lost 27-20.
The loss was so stunning for all involved with the UConn football program, from the players and coaches to the media, that Mora’s postgame press conference lasted exactly 90 seconds.
“It was a very difficult loss, and it lingered, and then [the players] flushed it,” Mora said. “They didn’t flush it without learning the lessons and then working to apply them, because that’s the only way that you get better.”
The glaring part about the loss was the six consecutive drives ending in punts in the second half, opening the door for the Orange to get back into the game and eventually win it.
The Blue Hens are coming off their first loss of their FBS era, falling to Colorado, 31-7. Quarterback Nick Minicucci set a career high in passing yards with 312 yards and a touchdown. He has trended in the right direction as he has set a new career high in back-to-back weeks.
Like last week’s matchup against Syracuse, UConn will face another running back named to the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List. Jo Silver — who has 81 rushing yards through the first two games, which included a 35-17 season-opening win over Delaware State.
“They’ve got a really good running back,” Mora said. “So going on the road imposes on us a pretty significant challenge.”
Through the first two weeks (and including Week 0), Delaware is one of the top pass-rushing teams in the country. They are averaging 3.5 sacks per game, including a five-sack performance against Colorado last week. With that average, they are tied for 11th nationally in sacks per game.
Leading the pack is defensive end Noah Matthews. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), he has the best run defense grade among Conference USA defensive ends (80.5). That is good for 15th in the country.
Mora is impressed by left tackle Anwar O’neal, but center Fintan Brose is just as impressive, boasting the highest pass-blocking grade in the Conference USA according to PFF (83.7).
Delaware will be the first of two opponents Connecticut will face from Conference USA. On Oct. 4, the Huskies will host Florida International at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. UConn is 1-4 against teams currently in Conference USA. That includes a 1-1 record against Florida International and a 0-3 record against Middle Tennessee. They have faced teams who used to be in the conference at the time of the game, including Cincinnati (0-1), Florida Atlantic (1-0), Louisville (0-1), Marshall (0-1) and South Florida (0-2).
UConn will travel to face the Blue Hens at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Del. on Saturday at 3 p.m., and will be available to watch on ESPN+.