The UConn football team (8-3) will travel south to face the Florida Atlantic Owls (4-6) for its 2025 regular-season finale on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Heading into the match, the Huskies are favored to win as they own an undefeated 2-0 record against the Owls, dating back to 2002. In the pair of meetings, the Huskies blew FAU out.
The last time the programs met was last September, when Connecticut handed Florida Atlantic a 48-14 loss. Throughout its history, this is the smallest margin of victory for UConn.
Last year, quarterback Nick Evers took the snaps and completed nine of 14 (64.3%) passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. With slightly under 10 minutes left in the battle, backup shot-caller Joe Fagnano took the field and did not disappoint.
On his lone drive, Fagnano connected with wide receiver Shamar Porter for a 33-yard endzone appearance. Outside of Porter, star wideout Skyler Bell was the only other weapon to gain 30-plus receiving yards. In total, the Owls’ defense held Bell to 43 yards and zero goal-line crossings.
In the backfield, running backs Mel Brown and former Husky Durell Robinson powered Connecticut’s offense. The duo collectively rushed for 312 yards, with Robinson punching in two touchdowns. As for Cam Edwards, the junior struggled and finished with 33 rushing yards.
With Brown most likely not returning to action from a broken collarbone on Saturday, Edwards will need to step up for UConn. However, seeing him exceed expectations should come as no surprise, as the powerful runner is performing at an all-time high this year. Currently, the Connecticut native has earned 1,031 rushing yards and 12 house calls.
Defensively, stopping the run game is something that Florida Atlantic has faced challenges with throughout the 2025 campaign. Within 10 matchups, the program has conceded nearly 214 rushing yards per meeting. This ranks the Owls as the seventh-worst team when it comes to average rushing yards allowed per outing.
Turning to Florida Atlantic’s offense, the squad thrives in the air, as they accumulate almost 329 yards per contest. In the pocket for the Owls, gunslinger Caden Veltkamp has thrown 2,971 passing yards for 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Additionally, the junior places No. 6 nationally with about 296.5 yards per match.
“Offensively, they present completely different challenges than what we just faced,” said head coach Jim Mora. “This team throws it around. They’re outstanding, throwing the ball and they’re balanced.”
When it comes to the deep ball, watching out for receiver Easton Messer is a must. In the past two games, Messer has hauled in 14 catches for 216 yards and broken the plane four times.
As the Owls look to bounce back from a 35-24 loss to the Tulane Green Wave, the Huskies plan on ending the 2025 regular season on a good note. Fans can tune into the clash on ESPN+ with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m.
Correction on the headline: Last season, the UConn football team owned an 8-4 record