As part of TheUConnBlog’s 2011 Football Preview Weekish, we’re counting down the days until the Huskies’ season-opener against Fordham Sept. 1. Today, we take a look at the Fordham Rams.
The last time UConn played Fordham, the Rams humiliated the Huskies 35-0. Of course, that game was 95 years ago and things have changed quite a bit since then. The Huskies are going to win this game, and that won't tell us much of anything. Sure, the 60 minutes against a live opponent will be useful for the team as they adjust to life under Paul Pasqualnoi (I hope you love the option!) and he tries to pick which one of his four quarterbacks will lead the team this year.
Other than that though, there shouldn't be much to watch here. As Meacham noted back in February, this is "a game for those who thought Texas Southern was too terrible to justify actually playing in a regular-season game, but thought Hofstra wasn't terrible enough." If UConn looks good, it means nothing, because they're playing Fordham. You won't be able to get excited about players looking good solely because of the level of competition. Even if someone looks bad -- normally a cause for serious concern -- you won't be able to read into it too much because of all the changes on the team.
Still, it is a real game, and it does count. More than anything it means that football -- and UConn sports in general -- is back and we can all put the long, hot, terribly boring summer behind us. Go Huskies.
Opponent: Fordham Rams
Date / time / TV: Thursday, Sept. 1 / 7:30 p.m. / ESPN3
Site: Rentschler Field, East Hartford
Coach: Tom Masella (sixth season; 26-30 at Fordham)
Official Website: http://www.fordhamsports.com/sports/m-footbl/ford-m-footbl-body.html
On SBNation: n/a
2011 schedule:
S. 1 at UConn
S. 17 Columbia
S. 24 at Rhode Island
O. 1 at Colgate*
O. 8 at Penn
O. 15 Lehigh*
O. 22 at Lafayette*
O. 29 at Army
N. 5 at Georgetown*
N. 12 Bucknell*
N. 19 Holy Cross*
Series vs. UConn: 1-0
Last meeting: Fordham 35, UConn 0 (October 1916, site unknown)
2010 record: 5-6 overall (3-3 Patriot League)
Best 2010 win: Fordham 24, Georgetown 19 (Oct. 30 at Bronx, NY).
Worst 2010 loss: Assumption 30, Fordham 24 (Sept. 25 at Bronx, NY). Assumption is a Division II school whose conference opponents include New Haven and Southern Connecticut State. Yikes.
2010 team offensive stats: 21.3 PPG, 176.0 rush yds/game (4.1 per rush), 207.5 pass yds/game (6.5 per pass)
2010 team defensive stats: 24.5 PPG, 136.5 rush yds/game (3.5 per rush), 232.1 pass yds/game (7.2 per pass)
Of note: 2010's primary starting quarterback, Blake Wayne, shifted over to wide receiver this summer. Either junior Ryan Higgins or sophomore Griffin Murphy figure to take the first snaps of the season in East Hartford.
UConn wins if: Any one of the four potential quarterbacks shows up to play and Paul Pasqualoni hasn't forgotten how to coach a football team.
Fordham wins if: Fordham will not win.
Bottom line: The Huskies will be using this as a tune up, and if the starting quarterback position hasn't been filled yet, this will be a great time to do it.