UConn had a chance to hang around, and for a stretch in the fourth quarter it looked like the Huskies might pull it off. But Air Force slammed the door late, and UConn left Colorado Springs with a 35-26 loss that sent it back to .500 at 4-4.
The game started with UConn in a hole. Air Force jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, then kept leaning on the Huskies with a style that never really changed: run, run, run, and run some more.
By the end, the Falcons had piled up 366 rushing yards on 74 carries, good for 4.9 yards per attempt. They threw only three passes all game and completed none of them.
Kemper Hodges was the engine. He carried 35 times for 200 yards and scored four touchdowns, powering an offense that controlled the game from start to finish.
That control showed up in the clock, too. Air Force held the ball for more than 41 minutes, leaving UConn with less than 19 minutes of possession. Even so, the Huskies made their limited chances count.
Kalieb Osborne finished 17-of-33 for 263 yards and two touchdowns, while UConn added 21 rushing attempts for 105 yards and two scores on the ground. The Huskies protected the ball, didn’t turn it over and punted only three times. Kenji Christian also delivered a big fourth-quarter touchdown run that kept UConn within striking distance.
UConn had clawed all the way back to 28-26 in the fourth quarter, but Air Force answered with the kind of drive that breaks a team’s back: 19 plays, 75 yards and nearly 12 minutes off the clock before the Falcons added another score to seal it.
The only real blemish for UConn beyond the loss was a missed extra point.
Next up, the Huskies return home next Saturday at noon ET for one of the season’s most anticipated matchups. North Carolina comes to East Hartford, where Bill Belichick will make his first return to New England since being fired from the New England Patriots after the 2023 season.
The Tar Heels enter that game at 4-3 and will face No. 1 Miami on Saturday night first.
In Other News...
UConn Freshmen Are Already Forcing A Rotation Shakeup
UConns incoming freshman class is giving the staff something to think about before the season even gets rolling. Colben Landrew, Junior County and Egor Amosov were brought in to add depth and upside, but each has already shown a different kind of value. Landrew brings physicality and versatility, County offers steady playmaking and defense, and Amosov arrives with a track record from European basketball that suggests he can eventually help as a shooting option.
The early read is that this group may not fit neatly into a simple developmental plan. Landrew has looked capable of forcing his way into the conversation for a larger role, while County has provided the kind of reliable presence coaches trust in exhibition settings. Amosov, meanwhile, looks like the longer-term piece of the trio, even with the kind of production that made him an intriguing addition in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Faces A Brutal Test Against One Of College Footballs Toughest Ground Games
UConn is staring at one of the toughest stylistic challenges on its schedule this week, with Air Force bringing a ground game that has frustrated defenses all season. The Huskies have been solid against the run, but this matchup is different, because the Falcons do not rely on a conventional attack and instead lean on a triple-option system that can force even disciplined defenses into a long day of tackling and assignment football.
Jason Candle said the priority is simple: slow down Air Force on the ground and keep UConns own offense steady enough to help control the tempo. That is easier said than done against a team built to wear opponents down, especially when the Falcons can keep the rushing threat coming from multiple directions and multiple quarterbacks. For UConn, the test is not just stopping one runner - it is staying sharp snap after snap against an offense that rarely gives a defense the same look twice. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Portnoy Put Connecticut Pizza In The Spotlight During UConn Weekend
Dave Portnoys latest trip to Connecticut turned into more than just a stop for a live Barstool College Football Show at Rentschler Field. The Barstool Sports founder, whose One Bite pizza reviews have become a traveling side project of their own, spent time checking out local spots in Middletown and Manchester, giving Connecticut pizza another burst of national attention during UConn weekend.
Among the places he visited, Mulberry Street Pizza and Apizza Heaven came away with favorable early buzz from Portnoys ratings, adding to the growing conversation around the states pizza scene. He also made additional stops at other Connecticut pizzerias, though those reviews have not been published yet, leaving a few local owners and fans waiting to see how the rest of the trip shakes out. [Read more 🡒]