UConn Battles Past Fresno State

Saturday, October 1

East Hartford, Conn.

3:30 p.m.

University of Connecticut

2-4 , 0-0

Fresno State

1-3 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Fresno St.

UConn

Photo by: Clarus Multimedia Group

10/1/2022 8:24:00 PM | Football

Box Score Full Stat Book

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – UConn sophomore running back Devontae Houston (Roanoke, AL) capped a 100-yard rushing day with the go-ahead touchdown with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter to lift the Huskies to a 19-14 win over visiting Fresno State at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field Saturday afternoon.

The Huskies (2-4) snap a three-game slide and earn the programs first-ever win over a team from the Mountain West conference in the process.

The UConn defense led the way, holding the Bulldogs to 187 total yards of offense, 157 through the air and 30 yards on the ground, all season-lows. The Bulldogs were 0-for-7 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down while the Huskies finished with two sacks, 6.0 tackles for a loss while forcing three turnovers, a season-best.

Houston finished with a career-best 105 yards, his first career 100-yard effort, on 23 carries.

The Huskies held a 3-0 lead after the first quarter, but the Bulldogs jumped up at 9:33 in the second as Nikko Remigio returned a punt 87-yards for a touchdown and a 7-3 lead. UConn's Noe Ruelas (West Hartford, CT) kicked his second field goal of the first half to cap a nine-play, 76-yard drive with 4:37 left to send UConn into the half trailing 7-6.

Fresno State took the second half kick-off to their 38-yard line and needed just five plays to cover 62 yards with Jordan Mims plunging in from a yard out to put the Bulldogs up 14-6 early in the third quarter. From there, the UConn defense took over, keeping Fresno off the scoreboard, getting an interception, and forcing three-straight punts to give the Husky offense a chance.

UConn freshman quarterback Zion Turner (Fort Lauderdale, FL) hit sophomore Aaron Turner (Ellicott City, MD) for a five-yard score at 5:18 in the third, but the two-point try failed leaving the Huskies trailing 14-12 into the fourth. A third-straight Bulldog punt was downed at the UConn six-yard line with 8:26 left and Turner put together an 11-play drive over the next 6:06 to put the Huskies on top.

The Huskies converted three third downs on the 94-yard drive and Houston capped it off breaking off right tackle and scampering up the sidelines for a 17-yard score for a 19-14 lead with 2:18 left. The Husky defense took over, forcing a turnover on downs as junior linebacker Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, CT) created a fourth-and-13 with a sack on third down. UConn ran out the clock with grad student Robert Burns (Miami, FL) sealed the win picking up a clinching first down on a fourth-and-two, seven-yard.

Turner finished eight-of-15 for 130 yard and a touchdown. Mitchell made eight tackles with a sack while senior linebacker Ian Swenson (Wilmette, Ill.) had five stops and an interception.

Fresno State's Logan Fife completed 16-of-22 for 157 yards and threw two picks. Jalen Moreno-Cropper caught five passes for 76 yards.

Up Next:

The Huskies are back on the road and will travel to FIU next Saturday night, October 8 at 7 pm. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The game will be televised on ESPN3.