UConn Football Upcoming Opponents Rundown: Week 9 Recap

Tulane (2-6): L to Memphis, 41-13

Tulane got blown out- shocking, I know. Out of six losses, the Green Wave's closest one has been by 17 points. To its credit, Tulane was able to keep Memphis close for a while. They led 6-0 after the first quarter and were only down by 2 at the half. Memphis took over the second half, scoring 26 unanswered points to put the game away.

UConn should beat Tulane, though the Huskies are currently underdogs according to the Vegas oddsmakers. The Green Wave's two wins have come against the FCS Maine Bears and the winless punching bag known as the UCF Knights.

#18 Houston (8-0): W over Vanderbilt, 34-0

Greg Ward Jr. guided the Cougars over Vandy, scoring a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown. Houston's defense set the tone for this rout, eliminating the Commodores offense by holding them to 185 yards and forcing four turnovers. Vanderbilt didn't even run a play in Houston territory until the 3rd quarter.

This Houston team continues its unlikely run for the American championship in their first year under Tom Herman. The Cougars are one of only 2 FBS teams to win by 21 points six times this season. Next week, they face their first real challenge against the Cincinnati Bearcats. They will trek up to Pratt & Whitney Stadium on November 21 after UConn's bye week.

#23 Temple (7-1): L to Notre Dame, 24-20

For the second time this season, Notre Dame has given an AAC team its first defeat. Two weeks after beating Navy, the Irish took down the Temple Owls in a very close game. The game went back-and-forth the whole time, featuring 6 lead changes. Temple took a three-point lead with 4:45 remaining in the 4th quarter, but the Owls' defense could not hold DeShon Kizer and the Irish out of the end zone, and Notre Dame took the final lead with 2 minutes left.

Despite the loss, Temple is a great example of how much the American Conference has grown since its inception. ESPN's College Gameday was in Philadelphia for the game, the first time any team in the conference has been featured. While a Temple win would have been nice for the conference, the American is definitely rising.