Head coach Bob Diaco had some sky-high expectations heading into the 2015 season for the Connecticut Huskies, giving some notable quotes that were turned into punchlines at some media outlets. But it appears Diaco might be getting the last laugh as the Huskies have had a strong start to the season thus far, and almost pulled off a major upset win over an SEC team this past weekend against the Missouri Tigers.
The UConn defense was very much ready for the matchup, posting a first-half shutout on the road at Faurot Field (the Tigers had two points at half, thanks to a safety produced against the offense). But a third-quarter touchdown run by Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk was all the Tigers needed, en route to a low-scoring 9-6 victory. The UConn defense held the Tigers to 185 yards passing and 85 rushing in what was a true defensive struggle.
The offense just couldn’t put anything together, totaling 233 yards and completing only 2-of-13 third-down attempts. Bryant Shirreffs completed 17-of-26 passes for 156 yards and the offense only gained 77 yards on the ground on 33 carries. But the Huskies went on the road against an SEC team and performed admirably, something to hang their hat on for the rest of the season. UConn is riding high even after the loss and have another tough test against Navy this Saturday.
Navy is 2-0 this season with wins over Colgate and East Carolina. Their triple-option rushing attack requires an opposing team’s full attention and discipline, or they’ll have big plays up and down the field all game. UConn football tickets on the secondary market have an average price of $37 with a get-in price of $21, according to TiqIQ.com. It is the second least expensive game remaining on the schedule, only above the game against Temple on November 28.
UConn is a perfect 2-0 at Rentschler Field and are looking to add another tally in the win column. Hipmunk.com has Hartford hotels for out-of-town Huskies fans looking to attend a game in person, as this football season is shaping up to be one of the top seasons in the program’s extensive history. Cheap airline tickets are also available from every major city and airport to make a visit back to the UConn campus.
Currently, Navy leads the nation in rushing and have been outplaying preseason expectations of their own. With a terrific defensive showing thus far by the Huskies, it should be an interesting encounter when both teams square off this weekend.
