The UConn Huskies ran for 265 yards behind running back Cyncir Bowers who notched his second 100-yard game of the season on the way to a 35-16 win over the UMass Minutemen Friday night in front of 32,106 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
The Huskies (4-3) have won four-straight over their New England counterpart and have edged in front in the all-time series, 39-38-2. UMass evens their record at 4-4 and have lost four in a row.
Bowers had 131 yards on 15 carries and scored on a 70-yard run to lead the UConn rushing attack. Quarterback Kalieb Osborne turned in another strong two-way performance, completing 14-of-19 for 173 yards and two touchdowns while running it 15 times for 66 yards and a score. The Huskies finished with 438 yards of total offense and held the ball for 34:15 in the win.
Defensively, the Huskies put the clamps on the UMass running game, holding the Minutemen to just 53 yards on the ground and 303 yards of total offense. UMass was just 2-of-14 on third down.
Opening drive for UMass ends with a 24 yard field goal from Derek Morris for a 3-0 lead as the Minutemen 13-play drive stalled out with a Anas Luqman sack of Watson on third and goal from the field. The Huskies answered with a 13-play drive of their own on their first possession, capped by an Osborne to Shamar Porter five-yard touchdown strike on third and goal to go up 7-3 at 1:13 in the first.
Both offenses would go quiet until the Huskies struck for the second touchdown just before the half. A Husky punt pinned UMass down at their one-yard line and UConn would take advantage of a flip in field position after forcing a three and out, their fourth straight since the opening drive. The Huskies got the ball on the 45-yard line and needed just four plays before Osborne hit JD Willoughby on a 20-yard over the shoulder touchdown to the left corner of the endzone for a 14-3 lead at 1:36.
The Huskies tacked one more on before the halftime horn. Another UMass three and out gave the UConn offense the ball back on their 30-yard line with 1:16 to go. One play was all it took as Bowers ripped through the right side of the line and bolted free for a 70-yard score, his second longest run of the season. The Huskies went to the half leading up 21-3.
UConn got their first special teams’ touchdown of the season to extend their lead in the third quarter. Midway through the third, the Husky defense forced a three and out and UMass’s sixth punt of the game as Porter burst up the middle, got the block and recovered it in the endzone for six and a 28-3 lead with 6:44 on the clock.
UMass cut into the lead early in the fourth quarter as quarterback Pop Watson III hit Curtis Kimmons IV for a seven-yard score to end the scoring drought and pull withing 28-9 with 14:17 on the clock. The UConn defense tuned UMass over on downs and Osborne put the game away with a nine play drive that he finished off with a 13-yard touchdown run for a 35-9 lead with 3:04 left. The Minutemen produced the final score, 35-16, with a late touchdown, a Justin Williams-Thomas six-yard run with 1:09 left.
The UConn defense was led by linebacker Hayden Pegg who had seven tackles and fellow backers K’Von Sherm and John Lista who chipped in with six tackles apiece. As a team, UConn forced seven UMass three-and-outs and turned them over on downs once in the win.
Up Next: The Huskies are back on the road next Saturday as they head out west for a match-up with the Air Force Falcons. Kick-off is 3 pm streaming on Mountain West+.
