UConn football dropped by Delaware in overtime, 44-41

For the second straight week, UConn football couldn’t hold onto a lead late in the fourth quarter and fell in overtime, this time losing at the hands of Delaware, 44-41.

The Huskies led by three with 2:17 remaining and opted to go for it on 4th-and-2 from the 23 yard line but failed to convert and turned the ball over on downs. On the ensuing defensive possession, UConn backed the Blue Hens into 2nd-and-19, 3rd-and-17, and 4th-and-9 but ultimately gave up the first down on a pass interference penalty. Delaware then drove down and forced overtime with a game-tying field goal as time expired.

In overtime, the Huskies had a first-and-goal opportunity from the two-yard line but were stuffed on three straight plays and settled for a field goal. The Blue Hens needed just four plays to find the end zone and with it, the victory.

UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano went 28-38 for 346 yards and two touchdowns. Cam Edwards ran the ball 23 times for 116 yards and two scores while Victor Rosa put up 40 yards and a touchdown after Mel Brown went down with an injury. The Huskies’ defense was gashed for 512 yards, split between 265 yards through the air and 247 yards on the ground.

Both teams gained over 300 yards in the first half as they traded scores through the opening quarters. They each hit big plays to get into the end zone — UConn’s defense allowed touchdowns of 70 yards and 68 yards on broken plays while the offense clicked as well. Edwards broke a 51-yard run for their first touchdown and Rosa ran one in from 31 yards out. The latter made it 21-17 and after the first Husky stop of the game, Fagnano and the passing game activated to take a 24-21 lead in the second quarter.

Delaware re-took the lead going into halftime on a long pass heaved up by Nick Minicucci for Kyre Duplessis, who came down with the ball as defensive back Lee Molette fell to the ground trying to make a play. Duplessis had nothing but open field to make it 28-24, which would hold until halftime.

UConn got the first touchdown of the second half on a drive where two turnovers were negated by Delaware penalties. Fagnano rolled right and found Reymello Murphy in the end zone to put the Huskies up 31-28 in the third quarter.

Delaware responded with a gritty drive capped off by an 18-yard Jo Silver run, his second of the day after breaking the 70-yarder, to make it 35-31 going into the 4th quarter. UConn answered right back with a string of completions to set up a play-action TD from Fagnano to TE Alex Honig from the 1-yard line.

That score held deep into the fourth quarter. Delaware missed a field goal with 6:50 left to give the visitors the ball back. The Huskies moved down the field but the drive stalled when they went for it on 4th-and-two from the Delaware 22 and came up one yard shy.

Delaware had a final chance with under two minutes remaining and knocked in a field goal to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, UConn made it to the goal line but saw a second-down pass fall incomplete to an open Louis Hansen before Fagnano was sacked on third down. The Huskies settled for a field goal to make it 41-38. Delaware gained nine yards on first down then moved the chains with a tough three-yard run. Two plays later, Minicucci ran it in from 13 yards out to hand UConn its second consecutive overtime defeat.

After two weeks on the road, the Huskies will head back to the Rent for their first home game against an FBS opponent. They’ll take on Ball State on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

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