The UConn defense gave itself a chance early, but North Carolina kept turning mistakes into points and walked out of East Hartford with a 38-21 win Saturday afternoon at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
Three turnovers by the Huskies led directly to 21 Tar Heel points, and that was the difference in front of 36,901. UConn dropped its second straight and fell to 4-5, while UNC moved to 5-4 behind quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns. Linebacker Timir Hickeman-Collins was a major factor for the Tar Heels, scoring on an interception return and adding a fumble recovery.
UConn quarterback Kalieb Osborne finished 17 of 35 for 245 yards with two touchdowns, but his night also included two interceptions and a lost fumble. Ryder Treadway was his top target, catching four passes for 82 yards and a touchdown.
The Huskies actually struck first in the turnover battle. After a three-and-out, Hayden Pegg picked off Edwards at the UConn 23 and returned it to the Carolina 48, giving the offense a short field. But the drive stalled at the 35, and Jack O’Conner’s 45-yard field-goal attempt hooked left, leaving the game scoreless.
North Carolina broke through on the next turnover. On fourth-and-eight, Osborne tried to hit Kenji Christian in the flat, but the throw was behind him and got tipped to Hickman-Collins, who took it 62 yards down the sideline for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead at 5:29.
UConn answered in the second quarter. Working from near midfield, Osborne guided a six-play drive and finished it with an 18-yard touchdown to Treadway, who dove into the end zone to tie it 7-7 at 13:42.
The Tar Heels responded immediately. Jaylen McGill broke through a cluster of tackles on third-and-nine from the UConn 39 and sprinted down the left sideline for a 39-yard touchdown, putting UNC back in front 14-7 with 10:05 left in the half.
Then came another Huskies turnover, and another North Carolina touchdown. A fumble recovery deep in UConn territory set up Edwards’ six-yard scoring pass to Jordan Shipp, making it 21-7 with 7:41 remaining.
UConn kept swinging. Just 1:08 after getting the ball back, Osborne needed only five plays to trim the margin, connecting with Cam Abshire on a 24-yard touchdown. Julian Allen’s 33-yard catch down the right sideline helped set up the score, and the Huskies were back within 21-14.
But North Carolina closed the half with its longest drive of the day, a 16-play march that covered 75 yards and took 6:09 off the clock. Edwards finished it with a three-yard touchdown pass to Jelani Thurman, sending UNC to the locker room up 28-14.
UConn came out of halftime with some momentum. After forcing a punt, the Huskies started their first possession of the third quarter at their own seven, then leaned on big plays from Osborne. He hit Treadway and Xavier Watson on deep throws and added a 25-yard scramble before Cyncir Bowers punched in a 13-yard touchdown, his eighth of the season, to cut it to 28-21 at 10:01.
That was as close as UConn would get. North Carolina answered with an eight-play, 66-yard drive that ended with Rece Verhoff’s 27-yard field goal, stretching the lead to 31-21. Verhoff later missed a second attempt, pushing it left with 8:07 remaining, but the Huskies still couldn’t capitalize.
From there, the Tar Heel defense shut the door. UConn didn’t score again, and North Carolina added one more interception in the fourth quarter before Edwards sealed it with 3:41 left, capping an eight-play drive with a touchdown pass to Thurman on third-and-goal for the final 38-21 margin.
Thurman finished with seven catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Benjamin Hall carried nine times for 81 yards and a score. Peyton Seelman led the UNC defense with nine tackles and two sacks.
For UConn, Hayden Pegg posted a career-high 12 tackles. K’Von Sherman added 11, and John Lista finished with 10.
In Other News...
UConn Passed An Early Test In A Game That Got Heated
UConns first real measuring-stick game of the season brought the kind of edge that can reveal a lot in a hurry. At TD Garden in the Naismith Hall of Fame Series, the Huskies handled Michigan 85-77 in a game that had plenty of heat, with technical fouls, foul trouble and stretches where the tone felt as important as the score. Braylon Mullins gave UConn a big scoring lift with 23 points, while Silas Demary Jr. added 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists to help steady things when the game started to get choppy.
Michigan made a second-half push and briefly threatened to turn the night into something more uncomfortable for UConn, but the Huskies kept enough control to protect the lead and close it out. For a team trying to show it can absorb pressure and still execute, this was the kind of early test that can matter later, especially with the physical edge and emotional swings that came with it. The box score will show a win, but the bigger takeaway may be how UConn responded once the game stopped feeling routine. [Read more 🡒]
Silas Demary Jr. Just Changed How UConn Fans See Michigan
Silas Demary Jr. gave UConn exactly the kind of steady, aggressive performance that can reshape a matchup in a hurry. In the Huskies 85-77 win over Michigan at TD Garden, Demary scored 21 points and helped UConn build a strong halftime lead, giving the kind of poised, two-way presence that made the Wolverines spend most of the night chasing.
Braylon Mullins carried the scoring load with 23 points, and UConn still had enough cushion to withstand Michigans late push. The Huskies never let the game fully slip into doubt, even as the Wolverines rallied in the closing stretch, leaving plenty for UConn to feel good about and Michigan to reconsider after a night that started badly and never quite turned around. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Just Sent An Early Message Against Michigan
No. 4 UConns trip to the Naismith Hall of Fame Series at TD Garden offered an early measuring stick, and the Huskies handled it with a steady 85-77 win over No. 16 Michigan. UConn controlled the game from the start, leaning on balanced scoring and enough poise to keep the Wolverines at arms length even as the atmosphere got chippy and the whistles started piling up.
Braylon Mullins poured in 23 points, while Silas Demary Jr. added 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists to help keep the Huskies in command. The game had its share of tense stretches, including technical fouls and foul trouble on both sides, but UConn never gave up the lead and left Boston with a result that felt like more than just an early-season win. [Read more 🡒]