UConn football takes the field for the first time in 21 months on Saturday, taking a trip to the west coast to face Fresno State at 2pm ET. Nearly a four touchdown underdog, the Huskies are a relative unknown, having not played in 2020 due to COVID-19.
We previewed the Huskies a bit last week, re-acquainting ourselves with Randy Edsall's bunch. Now let's turn our attention to the other sidelines. We'll preview each of the 12 opponents on the 2021 schedule and rank on a 1-12 scale where each falls.
August 28 - @ Fresno State: The Bulldogs aren't the best team UConn will face by any stretch, but what Fresno State is good at is exactly what the Huskies struggle with. In last year's 3-3 campaign under first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer the Bulldogs finished fifth nationally in passing, averaging 356 yards per game through the air. And quarterback Jake Haener brings back his top five wide receivers from that group, along with running back Ronnie Rivers (seven TDs in six games). Connecticut, it's well-established, has struggled recently in the secondary, and the 2021 unit is young.
Defensively the Bulldogs gave up a lot of big plays, but were third nationally in sacks and the top 20(!!) tacklers from 2020 are back. This is an experienced team that will prove a tough test in 106 degree heat on Saturday. Opponent rank: 4/12
Sept. 4 - vs. Holy Cross: It's an FCS squad, but don't just assume it will be an easy UConn win. The Crusaders won their first conference title in a decade in 2019, then during the FCS's spring season made their second straight playoff appearance. Once again the Patriot League favorites, basically everybody for the Crusaders returns in 2021, led by dual-threat quarterback Matthew Sluka, a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award (given to the best FCS freshman). This is a team that only lost in East Hartford 27-20 back in 2017. The 2021 edition of the game could be just as difficult, though UConn will be expected to win. Opponent rank: 10/12
Sept. 11 - vs. Purdue: Another team that brings back a lot of experience, the Boilermakers lost all-world wide out Rondale Moore, but nine other starters are back on offense for a team that led the Big Ten in passing in 2020. Whether it's Jack Plummer or Aidan O'Connell under center, Purdue will be able to throw the ball around the field - again, will UConn stop it? David Bell is an all-conference performer, with 53 grabs and eight touchdowns in only six games last year, and will pose a major problem for the secondary.
Conversely, points are there to score for Connecticut. The Boilermakers allowed over 30 points per game and have a new defensive coordinator in Brad Lambert. In what could be a shootout, the game will likely come down to whether UConn's defense can make enough stops. Opponent rank: 5/12
Sept. 18 - @ Army: First off, for anyone looking to travel to a game this year, there are few cooler experiences than Michie Stadium. As for the on-field product, Army is about as good as it can be right now, given its limitations. The Black Knights are buzzing under Jeff Monken, fresh off a 9-3 season in 2020. Of course, the rushing attack is the bread-and-butter for the academy, finishing fourth best in the nation last year. Quarterback Tyhier Tyler has blazing speed, though he only threw four passes last year, and running back Tyrell Robinson averaged seven yards per carry a season ago, in addition to leading the team in receptions. If UConn can't get third down stops, Army might hold the ball for 40 minutes. Opponent rank: 3/12
Sept. 25 - vs. Wyoming: After four straight seasons finishing at least .500 (with three eight-win campaigns in that span) the Cowboys took a step back in 2020, finishing just 2-4. Their quarterback Sean Chambers should be back after getting hurt last season, and he leads a run-first offense that, in addition to having mobile QBs, has a 1-2 punch of Trey Smith and Xazavian Valladay who combined for over 1,000 yards in 2020 and all five offensive lineman back.
But where the Cowboys really thrive is on defense. Wyoming allowed just 21 points per game, and all but Nevada (37 in overtime) and Colorado State (34) scored 17 or fewer points... and the Cowboys bring back all 11 starters (notice a trend, here?) Opponent rank: 7/12
Oct. 2 - @ Vanderbilt: UConn has two wins all-time against SEC schools, and one was Vandy, who the Huskies smoked 40-21 in the Fiesta Bowl season of 2010. A 19-point win might not be in the cards, but this is an extremely winnable game for the Huskies. The Commodores might be the worst Power 5 team in the country, with a new head coach in Clark Lea. Against an all-SEC schedule in 2020 the team went 0-9, averaging just 14.8 points per game. Sophomore quarterback Ken Seals is okay, but he has very few weapons around him. Defensively Vandy only picked off two passes last year, and basically every sack from last year is gone. Opponent rank: 8/12
Oct. 9 - @ UMass: If Vandy is in the running for the worst Power 5 program in the country, then UMass is in the running for the worst program in all of FBS. The last time UConn played its neighbors to the north the Huskies cruised to a 56-35 victory, the second-most points ever scored against an FBS team in program history. The Minutemen played four games last year, and they weren't pretty, with final scores of 41-0, 51-10, 24-2 and 45-0 -- for those keeping track at home, that's one touchdown in four games. If UConn gets past Vanderbilt, you're talking about a win streak for the first time since 2017. Opponent rank: 11/12
Oct. 16 - vs. Yale: If it's been four years since a two-game win streak, you have to go back to 2015 to find the Huskies' last three-game win streak. But it could be on the table, though like Holy Cross, the Bulldogs won't be an easy FCS out. Like UConn it's been two years since we last saw the Elis, but they finished 2019 with a 9-1 record and an Ivy League championship. They could score at will, averaging 50.2 points per game over its final five victories. Most of those weapons are gone, but running back Zane Dudek isn't. Though we're ranking them last of UConn's 12 opponents, it's because of the uncertainty of having to replace a load of talent. Opponent rank: 12/12
Friday, Oct. 22 - vs. Middle Tennessee State: Realistically, this could be UConn's last shot at a win in 2021 - which is far more of a statement about the opponents than it is the Huskies. A perennial bowl team for most of last decade, the Blue Raiders are coming off 4-8 and 3-6 seasons and have question marks on both sides. Offensively they'll have a new quarterback in Chase Cunningham or NC State transfer Bailey Hockman -- either way they'll be able to sling it -- but there's no discernable run game. Defensively 11 starters are back, but from a unit that allowed nearly 450 yards and 35 points a game against opponents made up of Conference-USA and Sun Belt schools (and Army). Opponent rank: 9/12
Nov. 13 - @ Clemson: After a bye week, UConn is getting a seven-figure payday to go to Death Valley and take on the six-time defending ACC champions. That's... about the only positive that might come from this. Sure, Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne are off to the NFL, but DJ Uiagalelei showed last year he'll step right in and have the Tigers in the national title conversation. UConn even hanging around in this one will likely raise eyebrows. I mean, just look at this tweet... Opponent rank: 1/12
Nov. 20 - @ UCF: UConn will face UCF like normal, but instead of doing so in an American game, it will come with another $1 million check (that's right, UCF is paying UConn seven-figures for a game that, two years ago, was free). That's the good (and somewhat amusing) news. The bad news, is that while UCF isn't Clemson, the Huskies chances of pulling an upset aren't drastically better. Dillon Gabriel is getting darkhorse Heisman hype after leading the nation in passing yards per game last year (357, ever so slightly more than Kyle Trask averaged in 2020). The offense averaged over 42 points a game, but if there is a saving grace for UConn, it's that the defense allowed over 33 itself. Still, the ConFLiCT will be a tall task. Opponent rank: 2/12
Nov. 27 - vs. Houston: It's a big year for the Cougars, now entering Year 3 under Dana Holgorsen. The first two were, frankly, incredibly disappointing. The redshirting strategy of 2019, when the team went 4-8, proved a debacle when quarterback D'Eriq King transferred out anyways, paving the way for a 3-5 finish in 2020. The 2021 edition of the Coogs should be better, with quarterback Clayton Tune entering his second full year as the starter and having some weapons around him, especially at running back. Defensively there are a bunch of returners back. The individual pieces are there... but will it all come together? Opponent rank: 6/12