EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — UConn football will look to protect the Rent when the Huskies host the Florida Atlantic Owls at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
UConn and FAU are both 1-2 entering the game, which will be televised on CBS Sports Network. The two teams are meeting for the first time since 2002, when UConn won 61-14 in its final season at Memorial Stadium on the UConn Storrs campus.
Despite a 26-21 loss to Duke, the Huskies enter Saturday with considerable momentum that began with a 63-17 dismantling of Merrimack on Sept. 7. Few people expected UConn to hang with Duke last Saturday, and the script mirrored the narrative early on, as the Huskies trailed 17-0.
UConn then surged to take a 21-17 lead entering the fourth quarter but couldn’t secure a victory, allowing a field goal and touchdown to the Blue Devils in the final frame.
The Huskies are set to begin their largest homestand since a four-game stretch at Rentschler Field in 2004. UConn is playing seven home games this season for the first time since 2016.
FAU enters the contest coming off their first victory of the season, a 38-20 victory over Florida International University. Running back Zuberi Mobley carried the ball for 134 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Owls. The FAU rushing attack averages 144.3 yards per game.
FAU QB Cam Fancher has thrown for 470 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions over the Owls’ first three games.
The FAU defense is coming off a stellar performance last week, when they forced five turnovers in the win over FIU. LB Jackson Ambush is the team’s leading tackler with 21 so far in 2024, and safety CJ Heard has 20 stops and two fumble recoveries on the season.
UConn is led by QB Nick Evers, a transfer from Nebraska, who completed 15 of 29 passes for 135 yards last week against Duke. He threw an interception and a touchdown in the game. Evers missed the Merrimack game after being knocked out of the season opener against Maryland with an injury. The Huskies lost that game 50-7.
The Huskies’ most explosive offensive threat is WR Skyler Bell, who has caught 14 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown thus far this season, emerging as one of the nation's best at his position. He eclipsed 100 yards receiving both in the season opener against Maryland and home opener versus Merrimack.
The UConn ground game is led by RB Cam Edwards, who rushed 21 times for 106 yards last Saturday against Duke. Entering Week 4, he leads the Huskies with 153 yards on 32 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Edwards also leads the team with three touchdowns in 2024, recording two on the ground and one through the air.
FAU represents the American Athletic Conference, which UConn participated in for seven seasons before becoming independent in 2021. Since then, UConn is 1-3 against teams from their old conference.
Last season, the Huskies were 1-1 against American Athletic Conference teams, falling to USF before defeating Rice. UConn has three games scheduled against teams from the conference this season. In addition to FAU, the Huskies will host Temple and travel to Alabama to play UAB.
UConn will travel to play FAU on their Florida campus next season.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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