UConn upsets Liberty to attain bowl eligibility for very first time
USATSI UConn stunned Liberty 36-33 on Saturday to earn bowl eligibility for the very first time considering that 2015. The Huskies relocate to 6-5 under first-year coach Jim L. Mora, matching the overall number of wins former coach Randy Edsall had during his second stint with the program. It is just UConn’s second season with a minimum of 6 wins since it appeared in the Fiesta Bowl following the 2010 season.
Liberty was riding high after beating Arkansas 21-19 for the very first win against an SEC opponent after moving to the Football Bowl Neighborhood simply 5 years back. However, the Flames’ generally strong run defense enabled UConn to rush for 208 backyards on 5.5 lawns per bring. Running back Robert Burns created a 100-yard performance, consisting of a 58-yard breakaway scuttle.
Freshman quarterback Zion Turner created another strong game with 103 lawns passing and a touchdown after taking control of the beginning task from injured Ta’Quan Roberson. Star linebacker Jackson Mitchell added a 31-yard scoop-and-score to get the Huskies out to a 14-3 start and build some momentum.
The Huskies remained in among the most significant holes in college football when Mora took over the program. Coming off a 1-11 effort in 2021, UConn did not play football in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and won 3 games combined in 2019 and 2018. In addition to assembling maybe the 4 worst seasons in program history, UConn departed the American Athletic Conference after the 2019 season and struggled to discover any identity as an independent.
Mora snapped a three-year losing streak against FBS challengers versus Fresno State on Oct. 1. Ever since, the Huskies have actually won 5 of their last 6 games, that included a Power 5 victory over Boston College. The effort ought to suffice to make Mora a spot on postseason nationwide coach of the year lists.
While the Flames were not part of the current CFP Rankings, their No. 23 AP ranking implies the Huskies topped a ranked challenger for the very first time because beating No. 13 Houston 20-17 in 2015– the exact same year it went to the St. Petersburg Bowl.