UConn will go bowling for the second consecutive season. The last time the Huskies (6-3) were bowl-eligible in back-to-back seasons were the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Connecticut shook off its devastating double-overtime loss at Rice with a 38-19 win over the UAB Blazers (3-5, 1-4 American).
Skyler Bell set the program career receiving touchdown record in the FBS era with his first touchdown of the game, which was a 26-yard touchdown reception with 5:13 left in the first quarter.
He followed up with his second touchdown of the game with a 9-yard grab with 4:39 left in the second quarter. With 5:24 left in the third quarter, he tied the single-season program record for receiving touchdowns in any era with his 11th of the season, a 39-yarder. The only other player to accomplish that feat was Carl Bond in 1998.
Bell finished the day with eight catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns.
“He’s disappointed because he didn’t have four,” UConn head coach Jim Mora said. “He gets open — doesn’t matter if people double him or not — he gets open. Joe [Fagnano] has a lot of confidence in him… He’s having one of those years. He’s got to keep doing it.”
Joe Fagnano had a historic day, as he passed the 10,000 career passing yard mark on Saturday. The former Maine quarterback finished the game with 267 passing yards and four touchdowns with a completion rate of 23-30.
“We haven’t had a practice in weeks where there hasn’t been at least one or maybe several NFL scouts there,” Mora said. “They’re there, obviously to see Skyler. Now, they’re there to see Joe.”
The only non-Bell touchdown thrown by Fagnano went to Juice Vereen, who now has four touchdowns in the last three games. Fagnano now has 2,529 passing yards and 22 touchdowns with zero interceptions with a 68.8% completion rate.
“The number one trait you’re looking for in a quarterback is a guy that can make decisions with the football in his hands that are going to help his football team and not hurt his football team,” Mora said. “When you look at Joe’s numbers, whether it’s his completion percentage or his interception-touchdown ratio or even some of the times when he takes off and runs with it, you’re seeing a guy that’s making really good decisions with the ball in his hands, and that’s what your quarterback has to do.”
Cam Chadwick had the best game of his career, finishing the game with seven total tackles, one sack, one pass break-up and a career-high three interceptions (also ties the program record). The last time a Husky had three interceptions in a game was on Nov. 1, 2014, which was exactly 11 years ago on Saturday. Andrew Adams had three picks against UCF on that day.
“It’s definitely one of the biggest games I’ve ever played in my life,” Chadwick said. “I’ve never had stats like that ever…I’ve never had three [interceptions] in one game.”
In addition to Chadwick’s career game, the Huskies’ defense looked much better than it had in the past two games. Despite UConn giving up 372 total yards, the Huskies looked more determined both in the air and on the ground. After giving up 300 yards on the ground to Rice last week, Connecticut gave up only 154 yards rushing against UAB.
UAB quarterback Jalen Kitna started at quarterback, but it did not take long for interim head coach Alex Mortensen to make the switch to Ryder Burton. Burton passed for 209 yards and two touchdowns with a 21-30 completion rate.
Mora emphasized that the tackling needs to be better on defense, especially when he still has concerns about the two-minute defense despite not getting into that type of scenario on Saturday.
“We do two-minute [drills] twice a week, and it’s competitive,” Mora said. “We just got to keep working on it, and we will, and we will get better and get more consistent and more confident in that. But still, I think a lot of it comes down to tackling. We got to tackle better, and we will.”
The key play on defense in the first half was forcing a turnover on downs that sent UAB into the locker room with a donut on the scoreboard.
“That was really important for us to go into the locker room with zero [points allowed],” Mora said. “I think that was something that gave us some motivation. It gave us energy, for sure. We came into the locker room pretty energized.”
Cam Edwards also found the end zone with a goal-line touchdown run early in the second quarter that gave UConn a 14-0 lead.
The Huskies had 374 total yards, with 107 on the ground. While there was promise in Connecticut’s rushing offense early, that did not seem to hold up as the game continued.
“Balance isn’t an equal number,” Mora said. “It’s just when it’s time to run it, you have the ability to run it. When the situation calls for you to throw it, you have the ability to throw it.”
UConn is now 2-0 against UAB, with a more convincing win than last year’s 31-23 win in Birmingham, Ala.
The Huskies are now bowl eligible but expect no celebrations with a tough game at home against Duke, a team that just beat Clemson on Saturday.
“It means a lot,” Chadwick said on becoming bowl eligible. “But, once again, we’re focused on the next game at hand, and then we’ll focus on the bowl game once the regular season is done.”