Well this sucked.
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but this game was a loss from start to finish (or, I guess from when UConn took a 7-0 lead a couple minutes in to finish).
The final count was a 37-13 loss at Cincinnati, the Huskies’ fifth defeat in six games, dropping them to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the American.
Watching it, you almost got the sense that the final score could have been whatever Cincinnati wanted it to be. The Bearcats moved the ball at will. UConn could move the ball nowhere. Bryant Shirreffs was off his game while Gunner Kiel had all the time in the world and took full advantage.
For a while, UConn’s best offense was Cincinnati penalties or miscues. Three of UConn’s 19 first downs came on Bearcat penalties, including two in the fourth quarter as the Huskies desperately tried to mount a comeback. There was also an airmailed snap from Cincinnati that set UConn up at first and goal, but the Huskies were only able to manage a field goal.
Despite an utter monsoon in Cincinnati, nothing was able to slow down the Bearcat offense. The Huskies allowed 612 total yards to Cincinnati and let the Bearcats convert on three-of-four fourth down chances.
From here, UConn returns home to face East Carolina on Friday night. The Pirates are 4-4 on the season and lost at home to Temple this week.
The Good:
- UConn’s first drive, which went nine plays for 58 yards was pretty nice.
- It was pouring rain all afternoon, so while it was miserable for us to watch, fans in Cincinnati couldn’t have had much fun either.
- The Huskies have never won at Cincinnati, so it’s not like this was a huge letdown.
- UConn kept the penalties down, so yay.
- Cincinnati wore hideous new Under Armour uniforms, while UConn is still happily #TeamNike
The Bad:
- Everything else:
- Cincinnati’s unstoppable offense (helped by a UConn defense full of breakdowns and missed assignments): 612 yards, 327 through the air and 9.1 yards per pass.
- UConn’s refusal to take what was given to them, including that gift-wrapped possession that began on the Cincinnati 6 and ended in a field goal.
- UConn allowed an 84-yard rush to Hosey Williams, which was the second-longest run in Bearcat history. Williams also capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, because of course.
- Shirreffs’ refusal to ever slide cost UConn a possession when he fumbled late in the first quarter. That came right after Cincinnati tied the game with a touchdown and cost the Huskies a chance to answer back after bringing the ball to the Bearcats’ 39.
- UConn gave up 285 rushing yards, by far a season high against teams not named Navy. Williams and Mike Boone combined for 257 of those yards.
Bowl eligibility watch:
9/3 vs. Villanova
9/12 vs. Army
9/19 at Missouri
9/26 vs. Navy
10/2 at BYU
10/10 at UCF (Civil ConFLiCT)
10/17 vs. USF (Homecoming)
10/24 at Cincinnati In order to go to a bowl game, UConn will have to beat ECU, Tulane and EITHER Houston or Temple. So yeah. Not happening.
10/30 vs. East Carolina (non-conference)
11/7 at Tulane
11/21 vs. Houston
11/28 at Temple
Bob Diaco sums it up:
Best Diaco answer of the night? “What were you most disappointed in?” Answer: “The score.”
— Neill Ostrout (@NeillOstrout) October 25, 2015
Good old fashioned unflavored cereal website “The Boneyard” hysteria:
