UConn football captured its ninth win of the regular season, a feat last accomplished in 2007 that matches the FBS program record for wins in a season, after taking down Florida Atlantic, 48-45, in a game that came down to the wire.
The Huskies jumped out to a 24-3 lead in the first quarter as Joe Fagnano threw touchdown passes to John Neider, Shamar Porter, and Alex Honig as the defense forced a turnover on downs and made an interception in the first quarter to give them extra possessions.
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The Owls roared back in the second quarter, scoring two straight touchdowns on prolonged drives before UConn managed a field goal and a stop to go into halftime up 27-17.
FAU scored a touchdown on the opening drive and UConn punted on its first drive of the second half, pinning the home team at its own one-yard line to start the next drive. On a 4t & 1 play, Caden Veltkamp hit Dom Harris for a 90 yard touchdown on a slant to give them their first lead of the game, 31-27.
UConn answered back with a touchdown drive as Cam Edwards reached the end zone from a yard out after he took a quick pass 29 yards to get there. FAU fumbled on its next possession and the Huskies took advantage as Mel Thomas, returning from a collarbone injury, broke the first tackle and cut through the defense for a 44-yard touchdown to put the Huskies up 41-31 in the fourth quarter.
Zach Kittley’s squad was undeterred and had been moving the ball well all day. This pattern continued as they scored a touchdown, again on a 4th down play, as Veltkamp found a wide open Easton Messer for a 33-yard touchdown, Messer’s second of the day after a 39-yard rushing TD earlier.
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The Owls forced a UConn three-and-out and ran the ball four times in a row to get near midfield. They ran it three more times before a Veltkamp keeper put them ahead once again, 45-41, with 2:11 left in the game.
Needing a touchdown, Fagnano hit Louis Hansen for 16 yards on the first play of the drive. He hit Hansen again three plays later on 3rd & 3 for a first down to get into FAU territory. After two incompletions, Mel Brown ran for 9 yards to set up a 4th & 1 with the game on the line. Edwards ran through the yard and then some to keep the drive alive. Fagnano hit Reymello Murphy for 10 yards on 3rd & 10 before Cam Edwards took it home with three runs and what would be the game-winning touchdown.
FAU got the ball back with 22 seconds left, starting at its 26 after a face mask by the Huskies on the kick-off. Veltkamp hit completions of 27 and 29 yards on the first two plays to set up a 36-yard field goal attempt to tie.
The kick hooked wide left, giving the Huskies the win. Fagnano finished with 446 passing yards to move into second place in the UConn single-season passing record book. Bell finished with 125 receiving yards to end the regular season with 1,278, while Edwards finished with 101 rushing yards on 16 carries (6.3 ypc) to end with 1,132 and 14 touchdowns on the season. He passed Walt Trojanowski on the program’s career rushing TD leaderboard.
The Huskies await their bowl fate, which will not be settled until after next weekend, as conference championships are played and the playoff and other placements are settled.
