This week:
The UConn Huskies will be looking to end a 2-game losing streak when the Cincinnati Bearcats come to Rentschler Field on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 noon.
Here are the rosters for the Bearcats and the Huskies.
The Line/Prediction:
According to Yahoo! Sports odds, Cincinnati is favored by 1.5 points. The over/under is 45 points.
My prediction is UConn 20 Cincinnati 17.
Tickets:
The game is sold-out
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.
The parking lots will open up 4 hours before kickoff. Here is a list of the tailgating rules at the Rent. And some alternative tailgating rules can be found here.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television:
The UConn vs. Cincinnati game will be televised on the BIG EAST Network by ESPN Regional Television. Mike Gleason is on play-by-play while John Congemi is the color announcer. Quint Kessenich is on the sidelines. The game will be shown on ESPN360.com.
Radio:
For the 16th 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.
WTIC offers 10 hours of Husky football talk on home game Saturdays on WTIC’s powerful signal. Ray Dunaway, the popular co-host of WTIC’s morning drive show “Mornings with Ray & Diane,” and Scott Gray start things off at 5:30 a.m. live on Saturdays from Rentschler Field with “Ray at the Rent.” That tandem then yields to the duo of Arnold Dean and Kevin Nathan at 9:30 a.m. prior to the contest with “The Tailgate Show,” which runs for one hour followed by UConn Football Magazine with Bob Joyce from 10:30 a.m. until kickoff. Nathan will also serve as a features producer for “UConn Football Magazine,” the halftime show, and also play host to a post-game call-in show after home games with Joyce filling that role for road contests. UConn football games are also broadcast over the internet at WTIC.com. For a full list of stations on the WTIC/UCONN radio network, click here.
Cincinnati Radio: Radio: 700 WLW & XM Channel 173. Games are also streamed at GoBearcats.com.
Last Week:
The Huskies fell to Rutgers 12-10 for their first Big East loss of the season. The Bearcats were off last weekend and beat Rutgers on October 11th 13-10.
History:
Cincinnati owns the series between the two teams as they are 4-0 and 3-0 in Big East games. UConn lost last year in Cincinnati 16-3.
Connections:
The UConn roster has two players from Ohio on it. Lindsey Witten of Cleveland and freshman defensive end Ted Jennings of Dayton.
The Cincinnati roster does not have a Connecticut native on it.
UConn’s assistant head coach for defense Hank Hughes coached defensive line for the Bearcats in 1993 under Tim Murphy.
Other News:
Here are some quotes from the press conference of Randy Edsall.
UConn junior tailback Donald Brown enters Saturday’s game leading the nation in rushing at 167.71 yards per game.
Brown has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the Huskies’ seven games this season.
Brown is also tied for eighth in the country in scoring at 10.29 points per game. He is eighth in all-purpose running.
Donald Brown is the leading rusher and scorer in the BIG EAST and is sixth in total offense. He is also first in all purpose yards (175.4) per game.
UConn has won 14 of its last 19 games dating back to the beginning of 2007.
The Huskies return home for the first time since September 19. UConn has a 10-game home winning streak at Rentschler Field.
Here’s the categories where UConn is in the top 30 in the latest NCAA statistics:
Rushing Offense 16th at 223.86
Pass Defense 29th at 182.57
Pass Eff. Def. 29th at 108.93
Total Defense 28th at 308.14
Scoring Defense 23rd at 17.29
Interceptions t26th with 9
Sacks Allowed t24th at 1.14
The Huskies made three trips to the red zone against Rutgers and scored a field goal on those possessions.
Since 2002, UConn has scored on 252 of 300 (84.0 percent) of its red zone possessions. Of the 48 non-scoring drives, 27 have been missed field goals.
The UConn scoring defense is ranked 23rd in the country and second in the Big East at 17.29 points per game and is 28th in the nation and fourth in the Big East in total defense, giving up just 304.14 yards per game.
UConn sophomore linebacker Scott Lutrus currently leads the Huskies in tackles with 51 and also has an interception and two pass break-ups this year.
Husky senior defensive end Cody Brown has six sacks on the season for a total loss of 39 yards. He is second in the Big East in that category and is 18th in the NCAA.
He is fourth in the Big East in total tackles for loss (1.21 per game) and 35th in the country.
Zach Frazer will be a game-time decision for the Huskies on Saturday. If he can’t go, Cody Endres will start.
Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant wonders if Zach Frazer is really a game-time decision.
Cincinnati isn’t concerned right now about being ranked.
The Bearcats will try to use their All-American punter Kevin Huber to take advantage of the Huskies.
Rob Lunn says bring on Cincinnati over at Thoughts From a Fat White Guy. He also tells us not to fart in front of your girlfriend.
Neill Ostrout of the Connecticut Post gives us his weekly edge chart for the game.
Tony Pike gets another chance at quarterback for the Bearcats.
Next Week:
The Huskies are home again next Saturday, November 1st when their nemesis the West Virgina Mountaineers comes to Rentschler Field. Kickoff is scheduled for high noon.
