On Saturday, the UConn football team (2-2) defeated the Ball State Cardinals (1-3) for their first FBS win of the year.
Running back Cam Edwards set a new career-high in rushing yards with 194, eclipsing his previous career-best of 149 against South Florida during the 2023 season. In addition, the Norwalk, Conn. native found the end zone twice during the mid-afternoon game.
“I have a lot of trust in Cam [Edwards],” UConn head coach Jim Mora said. “I think we all do, and we all should. I mean, he’s dependable, he’s a warrior, he’s tough, he’s gritty, he’s resilient. You want guys like that on your team.”
Wide receiver Skyler Bell carried the receiving corps with 14 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. The Bronx, N.Y. native was a reception short of the single-game program record, which remains 15 receptions by Geremy Davis against Memphis during the 2013 season. To put it into perspective of how much Bell carried the receiving corps, the rest of the receivers combined for six receptions total.
“My mindset is more [about] just making plays,” Bell said. “I feel like when I’m myself and I have that mindset, nobody can stop me.”
After a three-and-out by the Cardinals on their opening drive, Jackson Harper returned the punt 25 yards to the Ball State 19-yard line, where the Huskies failed to find the end zone but settled for a 30-yard field goal made by kicker Chris Freeman to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead with 9 minutes and 48 seconds left in the first quarter.
After a second consecutive three-and-out by Ball State, Connecticut finally had a successful drive against a low-tier pass defense. Quarterback Joe Fagnano completed a 46-yard pass to Bell that got the Huskies quickly across midfield at Ball State’s 37-yard line.
UConn was aggressive on this drive. On 4th-and-8, wide receiver John Neider reeled in a one-handed catch for 26 yards that put the Huskies goal-to-go at the 9-yard line.
“I was just going off the book, the analytics book,” Mora said on the aggressive playstyle on fourth down. “Figure we spend money on it, might as well follow what the book says.”
That set up a 2-yard touchdown pass from Fagnano to Bell to give UConn a 10-0 lead with 2:30 left in the first quarter.
Ball State would keep up the pace on the following drive. On 2nd-and-8 from their own 19-yard line, quarterback Kiael Kelly completed a pass to Qian Magwood for 53 yards that put the ball at Connecticut’s 28-yard line. To open the second quarter, Ball State did their own version of the Philly Special as Magwood found a wide-open Kelly for 19 yards and a touchdown on 4th-and-1.
Ball State punted after moving the sticks once to open the second half. UConn increased its lead with its first drive of the second half. On 4th-and-6, Fagnano found wide receiver Shamar Porter for 33 yards and nearly got into the end zone before Ball State defensive back Ashton Whitner saved the play and downed him at the 1-yard line.
On 3rd-and-goal from the Ball State 3-yard line, Fagnano could not complete a pass short to Porter but was bailed out by a roughing the passer penalty on linebacker Jack Beebe. So, instead of kicking a field goal with Freeman again, the Huskies took advantage of a massive mistake by Ball State by handing the ball off to Terrence Smith for a 1-yard touchdown run. The ball popped out on that play, and the touchdown was under review but was upheld moments later. UConn was now up 17-7 with 6:04 left in the third quarter.
Ball State marched down the field on the following drive but had to settle for a field goal thanks to an illegal block in the back penalty negating a 37-yard touchdown run by TJ Horton.
UConn had the ball to start the fourth quarter, where Fagnano made up for 3rd-and-14 by finding Bell for 19 yards to get near midfield and continue the drive.
Agent Zero, as coined by teammate Reymello Murphy, gave the Huskies a cushion with a 32-yard touchdown run with 10:24 left to play, making it a 24-10 Connecticut lead.
Kelly’s one critical error came with 9:06 left in the game as his pass was picked off defensive back Lee Molette III at UConn’s 42-yard line.
However, even with all that momentum, the door stayed open for the Huskies as they punted on a three-and-out following a holding penalty on a 52-yard touchdown run by Edwards.
That is where Ball State came in with nothing to lose. They moved the chains on both of their first two plays of the drive, but the biggest play was a 28-yard reception from Kelly to Eric Weatherly that put the ball at Connecticut’s 1-yard line thanks to a touchdown-saving tackle by Molette.
Running back Qua Ashley would make it a one-score game with a 1-yard touchdown run that made it 24-17 Huskies with 3:28 left to go.
Edwards seemingly put the nail in the coffin with a 67-yard touchdown run on 3rd-and-9 with 1:50 left.
“In those types of situations, I’m just trying to put the game to bed,” Edwards said.
However, the defense did not back up that touchdown drive with any support as Kelly found Dahya Patel for an 11-yard touchdown with nine seconds left. That was set by a 27-yard run by Kelly to the Connecticut 11-yard line.
“We have not yet got a stop this season in a two-minute situation,” Mora emphasized. “So, that cannot continue to go on, and it makes a game that shouldn’t have been close, close.”
The onside kick was easily recovered by UConn, sealing the Huskies’ first FBS win of the season.
UConn, now 2-2 for the second consecutive season, is back on the road next week against Buffalo on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.