UConn’s first road trip of the season turned into a statement night in Hattiesburg.
The Huskies went more than 1,300 miles and played in near 100-degree heat, but they came home with a 48-20 win over Southern Miss on Saturday night. After spending the week locked in on improvement following the loss to Maryland, UConn answered with its most complete performance of the season and moved to 2-1 in Jason Candle’s first year at the helm.
That 2-1 start also gives the program its first such opening since 2016.
Kalieb Osborne was the engine for everything UConn did well. The quarterback accounted for 435 total yards for the offense, with 223 through the air and 212 on the ground.
He finished 16 of 22 passing for 214 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 32 rushing yards and two more scores on 10 carries. The Huskies were clean and efficient in the red zone, scoring on all four of their trips, and they sharpened up on third down too, going 8 of 14 after managing just 3 of 11 against Maryland a week earlier.
The defense made sure the lead kept growing. UConn forced two interceptions and got one of them back for a touchdown from defensive lineman Anas Luqman. Even with Southern Miss piling up 401 total yards, the Huskies held the Golden Eagles to 20 points.
UConn came out sharp from the start. The opening drive featured a steady run game before Osborne broke loose from the pocket and, while taking a hit, delivered a 38-yard touchdown pass to Shamar Porter. Porter had to fight through the catch, juggling the ball before securing it with one hand in the end zone.
The next big break came from the secondary. Braedyn Moore, a transfer from Toledo, grabbed UConn’s first takeaway of the season when he intercepted Ethan Hampton on the second throw of the game. That turnover gave the offense a short field, and Osborne finished the possession with a five-yard touchdown run to push the Huskies ahead 14-0.
By halftime, UConn had already put together 124 rushing yards, and the biggest chunk came on Cyncir Bowers’ 41-yard touchdown run in the second quarter after the teams traded field goals. Bowers led the Huskies on the ground with 84 yards on 11 carries. Kenji Christian added 64 yards on 15 attempts, and Trey Cornist chipped in 18 rushing yards on six carries, plus a 1-yard touchdown catch.
Freshman kicker Jack O’Connor also made his mark. He drilled the first two field goals of his career, from 46 and 29 yards, helping send UConn into the break with a 27-6 cushion.
The Huskies didn’t ease up after halftime. Their defense opened the third quarter with a turnover on downs, and the offense answered with a 59-yard drive capped by Osborne’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Cornist out of the backfield. About five minutes of real time later, Luqman stepped in front of a throw and returned it for a touchdown, the first interception of his career.
Southern Miss got a response from Landry Lyddy, who entered at quarterback in the second half after Hampton was hurt and threw the pick-six. Lyddy connected on a 56-yard pass that set up a touchdown. But Osborne had one more scoring run in him, breaking in from 11 yards out to make it 48-13 with less than nine minutes left.
The Golden Eagles added a late touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Lyddy to Jaylen Himes with 23 seconds remaining.
UConn stays on the road next week, with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Miami (Ohio) on Saturday.
In Other News...
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Jon Scheyer has spent much of the summer talking about the shape of Dukes next group, his bond with Coach K and the challenge of keeping the program on its usual standard. On the Inside College Basketball Now podcast with Jon Rothstein, he also revisited the Blue Devils NCAA Tournament loss to UConn, a result that still hangs over a matchup between two teams that have now crossed paths in a very meaningful spot.
For UConn, it is another reminder of how much that March win mattered, and how quickly the calendar turns back toward the next chapter. Duke and UConn are slated to meet again in the regular season on Nov. 25, with both sides navigating roster turnover and, for the Huskies, a reported season-ending wrist injury to Solo Ball adding another layer to an already interesting early-season setup. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Just Showed Why This Team Feels Different Early
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The defense did plenty of its own heavy lifting, too, with two interceptions and a ground effort that limited Southern Miss to 102 rushing yards. One of those takeaways turned into points in a big way, and it fit the larger feel of the afternoon for UConn: the Huskies were sharp, opportunistic and comfortable making a statement away from home. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Faces A Real Early Test In Jason Candles First Road Game
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For the Huskies, the challenge is more than just travel. Both sides have been searching for more from the ground game after limited success in recent outings, so this one could hinge on which team can establish some control up front and stay on schedule. UConn will also be dealing with the normal first-road-game issues under a new coach, from communication to composure, and that makes this a useful measuring stick even before the result is known. [Read more 🡒]