This week:
After being off last week, the UConn Huskies return to action on Saturday as they’ll host the Louisville Cardinals at 12 p.m. at Rentschler Field.
Here are the rosters for the Huskies and the Cardinals.
The Line/Prediction:
According to Rivals.com odds, UConn is favored by one point. The over/under is 40.5 points.
My prediction is UConn 31 Louisville 24.
Tickets:
According to Ticketmaster.com, there are still some tickets available for the game.
Getting To The Game:
Here is link for the weather report. Here is all the parking info you will need for the game, this link includes directions to Rentschler Field. Here is a Rentschler Field seating chart and here is some general information for Rentschler Field.
The parking lots will open up 4 hours before kickoff. Here is a list of the tailgating rules at the Rent.
At UConn home games, FanFest takes place starting four hours before kickoff up until 30 minutes before the game. This year, it moves to between Gates A and B outside the stadium gates.
The offerings change each game, but activities typically include inflatable games for children, live bands, promotional vehicles and UConn student-athletes from various team signing autographs.
The “Husky Walk” is a chance for fans to welcome the UConn teams as they get off the team buses and head to the stadium. That takes place at approximately two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff between Gates A and B.
Once again this season at the end of home games, the UConn team will sing the “UConn Husky” fight song in front of the student section at Rentschler Field.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television:
Saturday’s game will be broadcast locally on SNY. Mike Gleason (play-by-play), John Congemi (analyst) and Eamon McAnaney (sidelines) will call the game. The game will be available on 46 television stations across the country on the Big East Network.
Radio:
For the 20th consecutive season, WTIC 1080-AM in Hartford serves as the flagship station for the UConn Radio Network. WTIC is the state’s only 50,000 watt signal and can be heard in 23 states and parts of Canada.
Veteran UConn announcers Joe D’Ambrosio (play-by-play) and Wayne Norman (color commentary) return to call the action with Kevin Nathan on the sidelines.
The UConn pregame show begins 90 minutes prior to kickoff, while home games, the UConn Tailgate Show will air two and a half hours prior to the game with Arnold Dean.
UConn football games are also broadcast over the internet at WTIC.com. Here is a full list of stations on the WTIC/UCONN radio network.
Louisville Radio:
Louisville football games are broadcast on the Nelligan Sports Network (790 WKRD/101.7 FM). Paul Rogers (play-by-play), Tony Stallings (analyst) and Doug Ormay (sidelines) have the call.
To continue reading the Louisville Cardinals @ UConn Huskies preview, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
Last Week:
The Huskies were off last week. They beat the Syracuse Orange 28-21 their last time out. The Cardinals lost week 21-14 to the Pitt Panthers.
History:
Saturday’s game will be the eighth meeting between UConn and Louisville and the Cardinals lead the series 4-3 — although the Huskies have won three of the four last meetings.
Connections:
UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni has a 1-1 head coaching record against Louisville from his time at Syracuse…the Orange won at Louisville 15-9 on Oct. 3, 1992 and lost to the Cardinals 30-20 on Sept. 13, 2003 in the Carrier Dome.
UConn does not have any players from the state of Kentucky on its roster nor does Louisville have any Connecticut players on its roster.
Other UConn News:
Here is the video of UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni’s press conference. If you don’t have time to watch, here are the quotes from Pasqualoni’s press conference as well quotes from some of the players.
Here is UConn’s depth chart for the game.
Here’s a pretty cool video about tailgating at UConn football games.
UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni has won more BIG EAST Conference games (league contests only) than any other coach in history. Pasqualoni has 64 league wins from 1991-2004 and 2011 while Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech is second with 57.
With his four wins this year, Pasqauloni is also first in league history in overall wins with 111 to top the mark of Beamer with 108. The distant third is Don Nehlen of West Virginia at 61.
Pasqualoni became the first Husky coach since 1923 to win his UConn coaching debut. The last coach to win a Husky debut was Sumner Dole in 1923.
A number of members of the 2011 Huskies were named to preseason “Watch Lists” for 2011. They are:
- Sophomore Tight End Ryan Griffin (Londonberry, N.H.)
- John Mackey Award Watch List/Midseason Watch List
- Senior Kicker Dave Teggart (Northborough, Mass.)
- Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award
- Senior Defensive Tackle Kendall Reyes (Nashua, N.H.)
- Outland Trophy, given to the best interior lineman in the country
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the best defensive player in the country;
- Lombardi Award, given to the best offensive or defensive lineman in the country.
- Senior center Moe Petrus (St. Laurent, Que.)
- Outland Trophy
- Lombardi Award
- Senior offensive tackle Mike Ryan (Tamaqua, Pa.)
- Lombardi Award
With four wins on the season, the Huskies need two more to become bowl eligible. The 2010 UConn football team won the BIG EAST Championship and advanced to play in the school’s first-ever BCS game — the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. UConn has made the bowl eligible mark for the sixth time in the past eight seasons — and the fourth consecutive.
UConn owns an all-time mark of 24-28 in BIG EAST Conference games since joining the league for football in 2004. The Huskies posted their best conference record with a 5-2 mark in 2007 and ‘10.
UConn had a five-game BIG EAST Conference games win streak broken on Oct. 8 at West Virginia. It was the longest in school history.
Here are the categories where UConn is ranked in the top 40 in the 2011 NCAA statistics:
- Rushing Defense – 6th at 89.89 yards (Second in BIG EAST)
- Scoring Defense – 38th at 22.33 (Fourth in BIG EAST)
- Sacks – 24th at 2.56 (Seventh in BIG EAST)
- TFL – 34th at 6.77 (Seventh in BIG EAST)
Individual leaders:
- Rushing – Lyle McCombs, 16th at 109.00 (2nd in BIG EAST)
- FGoals – Dave Teggart, 11th at 1.56 (Second in BIG EAST)
- Sacks – Trevardo Williams, t18th at 0.72 (t3rd in BIG EAST)
- TFL – Kendall Reyes, 27th at 1.28 (Third in BIG EAST)
Sio Moore, -t45th at 1.17 (t6h in BIG EAST)
Redshirt freshman running back Lyle McCombs needs 19 yards to become just the second Husky freshman to rush for 1,000 in a season.
McCombs is looking for the 14th Husky season in school history of 1,000 yards of rushing. He would become the 13th Husky to reach that mark as Jordan Todman rushed for that mark in both 2009 and ‘10.
Notes from this week’s opponent Louisville:
Here is the video of Louisville head coach Charlie Strong’s press conference. If you don’t have time to watch, you can read the quotes from Strong’s press conference.
Here’s are quotes from Louisville DT Brandon Dunn.
Louisville recorded its first-ever BIG EAST shutout with a 26-0 win over the Huskies last season at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
Louisville is 1-2 all-time at Connecticut.
The Cardinals are 3-3 against the Huskies as a member of the BIG EAST Conference.
Louisville is 48-68-1 all-time against current members of the BIG EAST.
The Cardinals are 22-25 in conference play as a member of the BIG EAST. Louisville is looking for its fourth conference win for the first time since the 2006 campaign when they went 6-1 and went on to the Orange Bowl.
Louisville was the BIG EAST Champion in 2006 when they finished 6-1 in conference play.
The Cardinals are 14-10 all-time in BIG EAST home games.
The Cardinals are 8-15 all-time in BIG EAST away games and are 1-1 this season with a win over West Virginia and a loss to Cincinnati. The Cardinals are 3-2 on the road in the league under head coach Charlie Strong.
Louisville won three straight BIG EAST games for just the second time in their history when they defeated Rutgers, Syracuse and West Virginia.
The Cardinals are 4-0 this season when scoring more than 20 points and also 4-2 when allowing 20 or fewer points.
The Cardinals are 1-5 this season when scoring under 20 points in a game and are 1-8 in two seasons under head coach Charlie Strong when not reaching the 20-point plateau.
Louisville is 3-3 in the month of November under head coach Charlie Strong after wins over Syracuse (28-20) and Rutgers (40-13) and losses to South Florida (24-21) and West Virginia (17-10) in 2010. Louisville won its first game in the month of November this season with a 38-35 win over West Virginia and dropped a 21-14 decision to Pittsburgh last weekend.
Predictions: Big East Week 12 [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]
What to watch in the Big East: Week 12 [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]
Big East coaching salaries [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]
Big East: Did you know? [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]
Game Preview – Louisville Cardinals at Connecticut Huskies [BigEast.org]
UConn RB Recruit Montrell Dobbs Of Ansonia Won’t Attend UConn [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
For A Few Days In 1998, Cliff Snow Was The UConn Football Coach [Hartford Courant]
UConn Still Waiting On Cornerback Wreh-Wilson [Hartford Courant]
Nick of time: Williams wants to get involved [Journal Inquirer]
Trevardo Williams’ pass-rushing ability no secret [New Haven Register]
Louisville football needs to shore up rushing defense before taking on Huskies [Louisville Courier-Journal]
Next Week:
The Huskies will play their final home game next Saturday at 12 p.m. when the Rutgers Scarlet Knights come to Rentschler Field.
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