UConn is back at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field on Saturday afternoon with a new coach, a new quarterback and a familiar Big Ten opponent waiting on the other sideline. The Huskies host Maryland at 3:33 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, looking to build on a statement-opening win and keep the momentum rolling in Jason Candle’s first season.
The start under Candle could hardly have gone better. UConn rolled past Lafayette 56-7 in the season opener, piling up a school-record 671 yards of total offense and improving to 23-2 against FCS opponents since the 2002 season. The offense looked loose, fast and in control from the jump.
At the center of it was Kalieb Osborne, the junior transfer from Toledo who won a three-way quarterback battle in camp and answered with a huge debut. Osborne produced 355 total yards and four touchdowns in the win, going 19-of-26 for 265 yards and two passing scores while also running eight times for 90 yards and two more touchdowns. His first-quarter touchdown throws helped set the tone, and his legs were a major part of a UConn rushing attack that finished with 301 yards.
Saturday brings a tougher test, and Maryland has already shown what it can do in 2026. The Terrapins opened with a 62-0 win over Hampton, extending their nation-leading winning streak against non-conference opponents to 19 games.
That victory came behind a ground game that churned out 365 yards and six rushing touchdowns. DeJuan Williams had the best day of his career, finishing with 116 yards and two scores.
Maryland’s defense was just as sharp in that opener. The Terps held Hampton to 85 total yards and collected five sacks.
They also bring back a defense that returned 74 percent of its production, a figure that ranks No. 4 nationally. Among the returnees are 2025 leading tackler Daniel Wingate and freshmen All-American Sidney Stewart.
The Terps also have their quarterback back in place. Malik Washington returns to the starting role after completing 273 of 473 passes for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2025, his freshman season.
This is also a rematch of sorts from last fall, when Maryland handled UConn 50-7 in the 2024 season opener in College Park. In that game, Maryland piled up 629 yards, with Billy Edwards Jr. throwing for 311 yards and two touchdowns. The Terrapins struck quickly, scoring on their first two drives and taking a 14-0 lead before the first quarter was halfway over.
UConn’s offense managed one touchdown that day, with Joe Fagnano finding Skyler Bell for a 27-yard score late in the third quarter. Bell finished with five catches for 141 yards in his first game with the Huskies, while TJ Sheffield caught two passes for 32 yards and the lone UConn touchdown. Fagnano ended 8-of-16 for 149 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Maryland’s run game did plenty of damage in that meeting too, with Roman Hemby and Nolan Ray combining for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Edwards finished 20-of-27, and backup Cameron Edge also threw for a score. Felton was a big-play threat throughout, catching seven passes for 178 yards and finishing the afternoon with a 75-yard touchdown reception.
For Candle’s Huskies, Saturday is another chance to show that last week’s opener was no fluke. The setting is familiar.
The opponent is not one UConn can overlook. And after one explosive performance, the next step comes against a Maryland team that has already looked sharp in every phase.
In Other News...
Jordan Hawkins Gets The Fresh Start UConn Fans Were Hoping For
Jordan Hawkins is heading into another NBA stop after a couple uneven years with New Orleans, where the former UConn standout spent three seasons trying to settle in after being taken 14th overall in 2023. The latest move sends him out of the Pelicans rotation picture and into a new environment with the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that has been reshuffling its backcourt ahead of the upcoming season.
For UConn fans, the appeal is obvious because Hawkins now lands in a guard room that already includes another Huskies product in Cam Spencer. Memphis gives Hawkins a fresh start and a familiar name nearby, and it also sets up a small but notable UConn thread to follow once the season gets going. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Gets An Early Jolt Of Bulletin Board Material For Maryland
Maryland is still in the early stages of getting ready for UConn, but Mike Locksley offered a little extra fuel during his Wednesday update on the matchup. He said the Terps were reviewing their last game and working through recovery before turning full attention to the Huskies, and he also took a moment to note the home-field environment UConn can create with its fan support.
Locksleys remarks got a little more attention than usual because of a slip of the tongue while discussing UConn coach Jason Candle. He initially referred to the Huskies by Candles old school before correcting himself, then went on to show respect for Candle and the roster and staff he has assembled in Storrs, a reminder that Maryland is preparing for a team it does not plan to take lightly. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Enters A Bigger Test Than UConn With Distractions Building
Maryland heads into its road game against UConn trying to keep the focus on football, even as the Terps navigate a busy week off the field. Coach Michael Locksley said the challenge starts with containing Huskies quarterback Kalieb Osborne, whose dual-threat ability can stress a defense in a hurry, and it extends to staying sharp on both sides of the ball against a UConn staff he made clear the Terps are taking seriously.
The bigger backdrop for Maryland is a program still trying to reinforce its culture while dealing with personnel and legal matters that have added another layer of attention around the team. Locksley pointed to the emergence of leaders and the program's "Championship Mindset" as signs the Terps are trying to steady themselves, but the question is whether that approach can hold up once they get to Storrs and face a UConn team that has been framed as a tougher test than it may first appear. [Read more 🡒]