Huskies Fall To NC State in Home Opener

Thursday, August 31

East Hartford, Conn.

7:30 PM

University of Connecticut

0-1 , 0-0

NC State

1-0 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

NC State

UConn

Photo by: Brian Foley for Clarus Multimedia

8/31/2023 11:23:00 PM | Football

Box Score

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – NC State quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw for 155 yards and ran for 96 and a pair of touchdowns as the Wolfpack came to Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field Thursday night and dealt the UConn Huskies a 24-14 loss in the 2023 season opener for both teams.

Thursday night's home opener for the Huskies was played in front of 36,526 fans, the biggest opening night at The Rent since the 2010 opener against Texas Southern which had 37,359. It was the largest home crowd since the Huskies 2013 match-up with Michigan which drew 42,704.

The Huskies (0-1) got the night off with a bang, after taking the opening kickoff then marching 75 yards in 12 plays for the season's opening score and a 7-0 lead thanks to an 18-yard scamper to the right corner of the endzone by sophomore running back Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn.). Newly named starting quarterback Joe Fagnano (Williamsport, Pa.) hit on his first three passes of the night and picked-up a key third down conversion on the drive.

NC State (1-0) answered right back, needing nine plays to cover 66 yards on the ensuing drive with Armstrong capping it off with a four-yard run off tackle for six to knot it at 7-7. The Wolfpack defense put UConn in check the rest of the first half, limiting the Huskies to just 45 yards of offense and took a 10-7 lead into the locker room.

The Wolfpack used an 11-play drive that covered 91 yards and 6:27 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 17-7 as Delbert Mimms plunged in from a yard out.

The UConn offense sparked to life on the ensuing drive with Rosa blazing his way on the first play up the left sidelines for a 71-yard touchdown, the longest score of the young back's career. Rosa was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for flipping into the endzone, forcing the Huskies to kick off from their own 20. Julian Gray had a 40-yard return and an unnecessary roughness call on UConn tacked on 15 more yard to set up NC State at the UConn 27-yard line.

Armstrong need just four plays to extend the lead, running in from eight-yards out for his second score on the night and a 24-10 lead with 34 seconds left in the third.

The UConn defense got a fourth down stop at midfield early in the fourth quarter but couldn't capitalize and a late eight-play drive was cut short as Fagnano was intercepted with 2:20 left to seal the win for NC State.

NC State finished with 209 yards on the ground led by Armstrong's 96 on 19 carries. The Wolfpack held the ball for 34:00 minutes on Thursday night and defensively held UConn to 273 yards of offense and just 4-of-12 on the third down.

Rosa ran for 99 yards on nine carries and a pair of scores. Fagnano completed 14-of-26 for 113 yards and was sacked twice in the loss.

Defensively, senior linebacker Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, Conn.) finished with 15 total tackles, 1.5 for a loss. Junior safety Durante Jones (Atlanta, Ga.) matched his career-high with 14 tackles, 10 solo.

The Huskies will get their first road test of the season next Saturday, September 9 when they travel to Georgia State for a first-ever match-up with the Panthers. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 pm on ESPN+.