With one dominant game after another, the UConn football team (7-3) comes into Senior Day with one final home game after winning the first five games of the 2025 season. On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Huskies will face the Air Force Falcons (3-6, 2-4 Mountain West) at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
The Huskies are coming off a program-defining win over the Duke Blue Devils on Nov. 8, making it the first time Connecticut has defeated multiple power conference opponents (excluding the Big East) in the same season since 2009.
That win elevated UConn on the national stage even more than it initially was. Earlier this week, Joe Fagnano was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, awarded to the top quarterback in college football.
Fagnano has been one of the best statistical quarterbacks in the country. He ranks second nationally in passing yards (2,840), third in passing touchdowns (25), seventh in points responsible for (164), 10th in passing yards per game (284), 11th in completions per game (23.6) and passing efficiency (162.4) and 19th in completion percentage (68.8%)
Fagnano is coming off his fifth 300-yard passing game of the season, throwing for 316 yards and three touchdowns against Duke. He joined former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow in throwing for at least 250 yards and at least three touchdowns in each of the last five games.
“[Expletive] Heisman Trophy,” UConn men’s basketball head coach Dan Hurley said about how great Fagnano has been this season.
Along with that, Bryun Parham was named a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, which is awarded to the best player in college football. Parham has been one of the top defensive players in the country, ranking third nationally with 10.5 sacks and seventh in sacks per game, averaging 1.05. Parham has recorded a sack in eight of UConn’s 10 games this season.
He is coming off a career-high 16-tackle performance against Duke, along with a sack, an interception and a game-sealing forced fumble.
Air Force is coming off a 26-16 win at San José State last Saturday, Nov. 8. The second quarter was vital in the Falcons’ win, with 16 points, which led to a 16-3 halftime lead. Air Force was terrific on the ground, rushing for 261 yards. Owen Allen led the rushing offense with 109 yards on 20 carries; it is the third game he has hit the 100-yard rushing mark in the last four games. The Falcons are notorious for their rushing offense, with a streak of 94 games of over 100 yards on the ground as a team. They rank second in the country in rushing yards per game, averaging 269 yards.
“They’re not like Rice, but there are some similarities,” UConn head coach Jim Mora said on Tuesday. “What helps us is preparing well during the week and going out and playing well. At least there’s a little bit of familiarity, but these guys are polished.”
Air Force is also one of the hottest teams on defense. In the last three games, the Falcons have held each of their last three opponents to 21 points or less.
The player to watch is quarterback Liam Szarka, leading the way on the ground with 903 yards and 13 touchdowns on 183 carries.
The Huskies are 1-7 against Mountain West opponents, with the lone win coming in 2022 against Fresno State. This is the first time UConn will face Air Force in program history, with a home-and-home series ending on Halloween next season.
UConn will honor many players on Saturday, including Fagnano, Aaron Key, Chris Freeman and Stephon Wright.
“I’m proud of them,” Mora said. “I’m proud of the things that they’ve worked so hard to accomplish and the resilience that they’ve shown and the toughness that they’ve shown.”
Kickoff from The Rent is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15, at noon and is available to watch on CBS Sports Network.