University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Pick Up Seventh Win at Rutgers
11/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (November 25, 2004) – Senior quarterback Dan Orlovsky threw three touchdowns passes and the University of Connecticut football team amassed 487 yards of total offense as the Huskies concluded the 2004 regular season with a 41-35 win over Rutgers before a Thanksgiving Day crowd of 20,224 at Rutgers Stadium.
The Huskies now stand at 7-4 on the season and anticipate receiving their first-ever bowl invitation. The Scarlet Knights end their season at 4-7.
UConn sophomore Cornell Brockington rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns – and caught another TD pass – but had did not play in the second half after suffering a shoulder injury.
Husky sophomore tight end Dan Murray made six receptions for 135 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Murray became the first UConn tight end to go over 100 receiving in a game since Brian Kozlowski had 151 yards at Boston University in 1992.
After the game was tied at 21-21 at halftime, UConn drew first blood in the second half as senior Chris Bellamy, playing for the injured Brockington, scored on a two-yard run that capped a 12 play-81 yard drive to make it 28-21 Huskies with 10:01 to play. Rutgers came right back with a 76 yard-seven play drive as Tres Moses scored on a 16-yard TD pass from Scarlet Knight QB Ryan Hart to tie the game with 7:14 to play.
The Huskies took the lead for good late in the third quarter as Murray caught a 32-yard pass for a touchdown from Orlovsky as the Huskies finished a two-play 52-yard drive to take a 35-28 lead. UConn scored its final touchdown on another pass from Orlovsky to Murray – this time a three-yarder – to make it 41-28 with 2:28 to play. UConn missed the extra point and it almost proved costly.
Rutgers threatened at the end as Willie Foster returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown to make it 41-35 with 2:14 remaining. Keron Henry recovered a Rutgers on-side kick and the Scarlet Knights were able to stop UConn and received the ball one more time on a punt but was unable to get a first down.
Rutgers took the opening drive of the game and scored on a one-yard TD rush by Brian Leonard. UConn then scored the next three touchdowns – all by Brockington, two on rushes and on a pass. Rutgers scored the last two TDs of the half on a 87-yard pass from Terence Hart to Tres Moses and the second on a 13-yard pass from Hart to Marcus Daniels.
Hart was 26 for 34 in the air for 279 yards and two TDs while Moses had six receptions for 168 yards. Leonard had 70 rushing yards on the day and six catches for 37 yards.
For UConn, Bellamy came off the bench to rush for 53 yards and a TD on 17 carries while junior Deon Anderson (Providence, R.I.) had a career-high seven carries for a career-high 48 yards.
TEAM NOTES
* In each of UConn’s last five games, at least one team has scored on its opening possession. Rutgers did so today.
* The 87-yard touchdown pass from Terrance Shawell to Tres Moses was the longest play run against the Huskies in the Division I-A era.
* This is the first time this season that UConn has won when the opponent scores first. Entering the game, UConn was 6-0 when scoring first and 0-4 when the opponent scores first.
* The Huskies have clinched a .500 or better season for the third straight year. UConn is just the fifth school to move up to the Division I-A level and finish .500 or better in its first three seasons, joining Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Nevada and future BIG EAST member South Florida…It is the first time UConn has posted three straight .500 or better seasons since a run of five straight from 1986-90.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
* Dan Orlovsky’s 14-yard first quarter scramble was his longest of the season. He had a 10-yard run against Murray State (Sept. 4).
* Orlovsky had a career-long string of 116 consecutive passing attempts without an interception snapped by Ron Girault in the first quarter.
* Cornell Brockington’s first quarter TD run was his 10th of the season and the 20th of his career. He becomes the second Husky to ever to have two 10-touchdown seasons in his career, Wilbur Gilliard did it in both 1992 (10) and 1993 (17)…With 21 career rushing touchdowns, he ties Jeff Gallaher (1985-88) for eighth place in school history…He moved into fifth place on the UConn seasonal rushing chart with 1,146 yards on the season.
* Brockington became the ninth different Husky to catch a touchdown pass this year.
* Dan Murray’s TD reception in the third quarter was his fourth of the season, tying him for the fourth post TD passes in a single season by a UConn tight end. The record is eight by Allan MacLellan in 1973. Tommy Collins had six in 2002, as did Ken Miller in 1981.
* The 100-yard receiving game is the first of Murray’s career. It is the first time a UConn tight end has gone over the 100-yard receiving plateau since Brian Kozlowski had 151 at Boston University on Nov. 14, 1992.
* Deon Anderson’s carries and rushing yards are both career highs.
* Chris Pavasaris punted for the first time since the Murray State game (Sept. 4).
