Huskies Lose Exciting Contest vs. Illinois, 31-23

Saturday, September 7

East Hartford, Conn.

3:30 p.m.

University of Connecticut

1-1

University of Illinois

2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

ILLINOIS

UConn

Photo by: Stephen Slade

9/7/2019 8:32:00 PM | Football

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EAST HARTFORD – UConn football coach Randy Edsall brought out an old football cliché after last week's 24-21 win in the season opener against Wagner that a football team improves the most between Week 1 and Week 2.

The Huskies didn't quite reach the level where they could defeat Big 10 opponent Illinois on Saturday, bowing 31-23, at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, but having possession with just over 3:00 remaining with at least the chance to tie the game gives the team plenty of reason for optimism.

"I've said all along that I really like this team and there were things that I saw out of them that led me to believe that we can continue to develop and do some things," Edsall said. "I think they are getting it. They respond. Now, we have to keep getting better. This isn't good enough – we don't like losing. We have to throw everything we've got into it each and every week.

"But if we get that kind of effort and that kind of fight, we've got a chance."

The Huskies looked much improved on both sides of the ball, with the offense sparked by three new faces who did not play in the opener. True freshman quarterback Jack Zergiotis threw for 275 yards, completing 21 of 31 in his first college game, and receivers Ardell Brown and Cam Ross combined for 11 catches and 166 yards.

"The kid's just got something, he's got that 'it' factor," Edsall said of his surprise choice to start at QB. "I went with my gut. He had some turnovers, but he'll learn from them. I thought he handled himself very, very well. Now, we'll do things to help him. There is no quarterback controversy, he's our guy."

Zergiotis shook off some early nerves to keep the Huskies (1-1) in the game against the Illini (2-0).

"It's a game we could have won," he said. "There were a couple of plays I could have made that would have impacted the outcome of the game. But we're going to move on and we're going to get better. The coaches trusted in me."

Defensively, the Huskies couldn't have started the game much better, as Tyler Coyle picked off a pass from Illinois quarterback Brandon Peters on Illinois' second series and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown.

"The coaches had shown me that play all week," Coyle said. "I saw it and read it and just made a play on the ball. It's not often on defense that you see that much green grass in front of you."

Two field goals by Clayton Harris later, UConn had a 13-0 lead in the early minutes of the second quarter. But Illinois dominated the rest of the quarter to take a 24-13 lead at halftime and looked ready to put the game away in the second half.

Instead, it was the Huskies who responded, as Zergiotis led a seven-play drive that ended with a Kevin Mensah two-yard TD and UConn was within 24-20. The UConn defense allowed the Illini just one score in the second half, but it was enough for a 31-20 lead.

Although a third field goal by Harris cut the deficit to 31-23 and UConn got the ball back, a final interception by Illinois clinched its victory.

UConn, however, will clearly take a lot from the loss.

"The big difference for us on defense is I think we're focused on each and every play," said linebacker D.J. Morgan, who had 11 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. "We're making the plays when we need to. There are some that we should make that we don't, but that will come."

After a bye week, UConn will return to action against another Big 10 opponent, traveling to Indiana on Sept. 21.