UConn Football Future Opponents in Week 3

The UConn Huskies once again had fans on the edge of their seats, eeking out the victory over Virginia for their 19th win over current ACC teams in program history.

Here is an overview of how the remainder of UConn’s schedule performed in Week 3.

Syracuse (1-2), L 45-20 to USF (3-0)

Two of UConn’s future opponents faced off at the Carrier Dome Saturday in a game which started off in surprising fashion but ended the way most thought it would.

The Orange jumped out to a 17-0 lead in this one, which is how the first quarter would end. Quarterback Eric Dungey marched Syracuse upfield on a 16-play touchdown drive before hitting Brisly Estime deep for a 47-yard touchdown to quickly go ahead by two scores. Dungey finished with 350 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions.

USF fired back with four touchdowns in the second quarter to take the lead and never looked back. Senior wide receiver Rodney Adams finished with 106 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns, all coming in the second quarter. The Bulls completed their trampling of the Orange with 17 points in the second half to reach the final score.

Syracuse is definitely going to present a unique challenge for Bob Diaco and the Huskies this weekend. Virginia was able to move the ball well against the Huskies with a quick-pass approach, the Cavaliers just couldn’t keep it up. Though UConn has been resilient, coming back from early deficits in all three games, falling behind to this Syracuse team could spell trouble.

USF is real good, probably should be ranked, a very well may be when the Bulls host the Huskies on October 15th.

Houston (3-0), W 40-16 over Cincinnati (2-1)

Another two future Husky opponents met in Houston on Thursday night. This was a wild one— Cincinnati was winning in the 4th quarter and then somehow lost by 24.

Cougars quarterback Greg Ward Jr. completed 24 of 36 pass attempts for 326 yards as a dormant Houston attack exploded in the final 15 minutes. He ended two long drives with touchdown runs before two Houston interception returns for a touchdown made it a late blowout. The dual-threat senior ran for 78 yards as well.

Ward is obviously a dangerous talent, and this Houston team, currently ranked 6th in the country, is a legitimate threat for a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Cougars continue to impress as we get closer to their home date with UConn on Thursday, September 29.

Cincinnati ain’t bad either, as keeping up with Houston for three quarters is no small feat. What seems to be the difference for the Bearcats this year is that we have seen solid performances from the defense. They will also bring a serious challenge to UConn in the middle what will be a trying three-game stretch preceded by the road date at Houston and before the road game at South Florida.

UCF (1-2), L 30-24 to Maryland (3-0)

Scott Frost’s team put up a surprisingly competitive performance against Maryland at home, taking the Terrapins to overtime before falling. Freshman quarterback McKenzie Milton played well, finishing with 260 passing yards and two touchdowns.

The Knights will be visiting the Huskies as UConn celebrates its homecoming festivities culminating with the game on the weekend of October 22nd.

ECU (2-1), L 20-15 to South Carolina (2-1)

A week after beating in-state “power five” rival North Carolina, the Pirates trailed the entire way in a loss to their P5 neighbors to the South.

Quarterback Philip Nelson already has over 1,000 yards on the season after a 400-yard outing against the Gamecocks. His favorite target has been Zay Jones, who leads to ECU in receiving with 39 receptions and 443 yards. Jones caught 22 passes for 190 yards on Saturday.

UConn rode a stellar defensive performance to a surprising win at home against ECU last season. The Huskies will need one again on the road in Greenville at the end of October.

Temple (1-2), L 34-27 to Penn State (2-1)

A year after beating the Nittany Lions soundly, Temple fell on the road at Happy Valley. Penn State jumped out to an early lead but Temple brought the deficit back to within one score on two separate occasions.

Temple is a mixed bag, as the loss to Army in the season opener remains perplexing after two solid games. UConn has struggled against the Owls the past two years, losing by a combined 63-13 so nothing should be assumed in what will be a Friday night home game. The last Husky win in this series came in the historic inaugural season of American Athletic Conference football.

BC (1-2), L 49-0 to Virginia Tech (2-1)

LOL

Tulane (1-2), L 21-14 to Navy (3-0)

The Green Wave held their own against Navy at home this past weekend, but a fourth-quarter touchdown put the Midshipmen ahead for good.