After 78 matchups dating back to 1897, UConn football finally pulled ahead in its rivalry with UMass.
The Huskies pummeled the Minutemen 35-16 on Friday night, Oct. 23, behind a stout defensive performance and an offense that refused to stay out of the end zone. UConn is now 39-38-2 against its New England rival.
UConn has inched closer to bowl eligibility with the win as the Huskies sit at 4-3 with five games remaining in the regular season.
Here’s how we graded UConn’s performance:
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UConn football offense: B+
UConn relied heavily on the big plays to move the ball, but the Huskies connected on just enough of them to put up points.
UConn had three plays of 15 or more yards and nine plays of 10 or more yards. Running back Cyncir Bowers had the longest play of the night with his 70-yard rushing score.
Quarterback Kalieb Osborne had an efficient game, completing 14 of 19 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Eight different receivers caught a pass from Osborne, and he also rushed for a score.
But even in a night where they won comfortably, the Huskies stalled at multiple points. Penalties certainly played a part, but Osborne’s receivers also struggled to get open on critical downs.
Defense: A
Even with starter Pop Watson back under center for UMass, the Minutemen couldn’t move the ball against UConn’s defense.
Watson had pressure in his face all night as he was sacked two times while getting hurried four times. He finished completing 22-of-38 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown
The Huskies held UMass to 53 yards on the ground on 22 attempts — an average of 2.4 yards per carry.
Special teams: A
Punter Tommy Warner has proven to be a weapon for UConn.
The Australian-born punter flipped the field multiple times, forcing UMass’ to begin possessions deep in its own territory. Warner had a punt downed on the 1-yard line in the second quarter.
Special teams also played a big part in the win as Shamar Porter blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown late in the third quarter to give UConn a 28-3 lead.
Coaching: A-
UConn’s defensive game plan to stop Warner was executed to perfection.
The Huskies kept the speedy QB in the pocket, forcing him to make throws near the sideline. Linebackers K’Von Sherman and John Lista did a solid job making sure he didn’t get in the open field while the defensive line kept him caged in the pocket.
While the offense looked stale at times, coach Jason Candle dialed up the big plays at the right moments.
The only blemish in the coaching performance was the penalties, which continued to be a problem. The Huskies were called for 11 infractions that led to 100 penalty yards.
Game MVP: Ryan Manalac, defensive coordinator
It was a full defensive effort from everyone on the field, including defensive coordinator Ryan Manalac.
UMass had multiple three-and-outs. The Minutemen couldn't take advantage of their speed, as UConn bottled up every running lane and were solid keeping UMass receivers in front of them.
The players deserve a lot of credit for following the game plan, but Manalac deserves his flowers for mapping out a scheme that kept UMass at bay.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: UConn football vs UMass: Grading Huskies’ win over the Minutemen