UConn heads to Hattiesburg on Saturday night with a chance to reset after a flat offensive showing against Maryland, and the matchup with Southern Miss gives the Huskies a different kind of test. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium, with UConn listed as a 3.5-point favorite and the over/under set at 54.5.
The game also brings a first-time meeting between the programs. Connecticut has never played Southern Miss, and Jason Candle has never faced the Golden Eagles during his time at Toledo.
Still, there is some crossover in the background. Candle’s Toledo teams beat Blake Anderson’s Arkansas State squad three times, and the two also met in the 2015 GoDaddy.com Bowl, a 63-44 Toledo win.
UConn has seen Anderson before as well, with the Huskies losing to his Utah State teams in both 2022 and 2023.
There are also a couple of familiar names on Southern Miss’ roster. Defensive back Kobi Albert and defensive back Michael Robinson III both joined UConn in 2025 before ending up with the Golden Eagles.
Robinson III played in two games for the Huskies this season without recording a stat, then moved on to Southern Miss, where he has already logged nine tackles - five solo and four assisted - and forced a fumble against Auburn. Albert, meanwhile, has piled up four turnovers so far, including three interceptions and a fumble recovery against Auburn.
UConn’s own recent history against Sun Belt teams adds another layer. Since the 2022 season, the Huskies have faced Marshall in the 2022 Myrtle Beach Bowl, lost 28-14; dropped a 35-14 road game at Georgia State in 2023; and were blown out by James Madison, 44-6.
That leaves UConn at 1-3 overall against Sun Belt opponents since 2022, and this season the Huskies will see three more in Southern Miss, James Madison and Old Dominion. Southern Miss enters the game after being picked fifth out of seven in its division in the Sun Belt preseason poll.
On paper, the Golden Eagles’ defense has already taken a hit. Auburn put up 613 total offensive yards against Southern Miss last week, including 270 through the air and 343 on the ground.
For UConn, the biggest priority is getting the offense moving early. The Huskies didn’t generate much against Maryland, and the run game never really found traction.
Kenji Christian and Cyncir Bowers combined for just 29 rushing yards, and UConn went only 3-for-11 on third down while facing an average third-down distance of 8.3 yards. Bowers said, “We just have to execute, finish our runs, trust our keys and do what we have to do,” while Shamar Porter emphasized the need to come out aggressively from the start: “All around, [we] have to get the energy going a little bit.
It starts off at the first play; you have to attack them,” Porter said. “Once you get going as an offense, you have to attack them [and] come ready every play. 6-second plays and you have to go on to the next.”
Quarterback Kalieb Osborne, now in his third career start, didn’t put up eye-catching numbers last week, but the Huskies still see plenty to build on. Through two games, he has shown mobility, arm strength and enough poise to give UConn a chance to bounce back. The challenge now is turning that promise into a cleaner, more productive outing against a more even opponent.
The defense is looking for a response, too. UConn got Malik Washington moving around at times against Maryland, but the Terps’ quarterback stayed mostly protected and found windows through the coverage.
The Huskies finished that game with one sack and one quarterback hurry, and they still haven’t forced a turnover this season. Candle said, “Those kids on the defensive front played their tail off,” and added that he feels good about the secondary moving forward.
But if UConn wants to play to its identity, the takeaways and disruption have to show up.
Southern Miss brings an offense that has been rebuilt after an offseason coaching change, but there is experience in key spots. Ethan Hampton brings four years of work from Northern Illinois at quarterback, while Steven Robinson and Jamarice Wilder give the Golden Eagles two dependable backs. Mario Sanders II has also been productive at receiver.
At wideout, UConn is still sorting out who becomes the steady answer behind the passing game. Javon Brown flashed in Week 1 and drew strong praise from Candle for his development and work ethic, though he was held without a catch against Maryland.
JD Willoughby has already shown big-play juice with a 37-yard touchdown against the Terps, and he also had a long touchdown wiped out by penalty in the opener against Lafayette. Porter added a career-high 62 receiving yards against Maryland and scored a touchdown, and Candle said the senior should keep growing into a playmaker as he gets more comfortable in the new offense.
Tight end could also matter in a game where UConn wants to find easier answers for Osborne. Xavier Watson appears to have taken the lead at the position after playing the most snaps there last week, while Alex Godavitarne, the Division II Wheeling transfer, offers a big target in the middle of the field. Godavitarne has four catches and Watson has three, giving the Huskies a couple of options if the passing game needs a stabilizer.
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UConn Faces A Real Early Test In Jason Candles First Road Game
Jason Candles first road game as UConns coach brings the Huskies into a tougher setting than the opener, with a trip to Southern Miss offering an early read on how this team handles travel, crowd noise and a different kind of game-day pressure. The matchup in Mississippi comes with both sides still trying to get more out of their running game after limited success in recent outings, a detail that could matter just as much as the coaching storyline.
For UConn, it is less about the scenery than the standard. Candle has already seen his team at home, but this one asks for a sharper performance away from Storrs against a Southern Miss group that has its own motivations and familiarity with the kind of season-turning opportunity that comes with an early nonconference test. For a Huskies program trying to build momentum under a new coach, the next step is proving the first road trip can look a lot like the first home game, only harder. [Read more 🡒]
UConns First Road Test Could Reveal A Lot About Jason Candle
UConns first road test of the season arrives Saturday night in Hattiesburg, where the Huskies will face Southern Miss in a matchup that gives Jason Candle an early chance to show how his team handles a change of scenery. Both programs are in their first year under new leadership, with Candle guiding UConn and Blake Anderson taking over at Southern Miss, and the 7 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN+ brings together two coaches still putting their fingerprints on their new jobs.
For Candle, the setting adds a little more intrigue because this is not unfamiliar territory opposite Anderson. The two have crossed paths before, so there is a bit of shared history behind a game that already carries the usual early-season questions about depth, adjustment and travel. For UConn, it is the kind of trip that can reveal whether the opening momentum holds up once the Huskies leave home. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Just Got A Reminder Of What That Duke Win Did
Dukes spring turnover and the start of a new season outlook have put the Blue Devils back in the spotlight, and Jon Scheyer recently used a podcast appearance to revisit the most painful part of their last run. On Inside College Basketball Now with Jon Rothstein, Scheyer talked through his incoming players, his relationship with Coach K and the way his program is positioned after a tournament spring that still lingers in the background.
The UConn game was part of that conversation, and it serves as a fresh reminder for Huskies fans that the win still carries real weight in Durham. The teams are already headed for a regular-season rematch on Nov. 25, even as both sides navigate roster changes and UConn deals with a reported season-ending wrist injury to Solo Ball, adding another layer to what should be one of the seasons more watched early matchups. [Read more 🡒]