UConn wasted no time making Jason Candle’s debut look easy.
The Huskies rolled past Lafayette 56-7 at Rentschler Field on Saturday afternoon, overwhelming the FCS Leopards from the start and carrying a 35-0 lead into halftime. By the time the second half settled in, the game had already shifted into full rotation mode, with plenty of players getting snaps as UConn kept pouring it on.
Kalieb Osborne set the tone at quarterback, flashing the kind of dual-threat day that made the offense hum early. He opened with a 29-yard strike to Javon Brown on his first downfield attempt of the season, then went right back to Brown for a 24-yard touchdown that put UConn on the board.
After Lafayette went three-and-out, Osborne turned a 30-yard scramble into another scoring opportunity, then found tight end Xavier Watson on a key third-down conversion before hitting Kenji Christian for a touchdown. Christian finished the play by breaking three tackles on his way to the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
The pressure never let up. Following another Lafayette three-and-out, Osborne kept it himself for a nine-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, pushing the Huskies ahead 21-0.
UConn kept building in the second quarter. After the teams traded punts to open the period, completions to Brown and Willoughby helped set up a 16-yard rushing touchdown from Cyncir Bowers. Then Julian Allen changed the field with a 49-yard punt return, and Christian cashed in again with a 25-yard touchdown run to send the Huskies into halftime up 35-0.
Osborne added one more score on the ground to open the second half, capping his final drive of the day and stretching the lead to 42-0. From there, Tucker McDonald took over, with Jake Merklinger not dressing. Freshman Bo Polston also saw action at quarterback as UConn continued to rotate players through.
The big plays kept coming. Trey Cornist ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run, and McDonald later hit Raymond Liggins in the flat for a play that turned into a 60-yard touchdown as the freshman raced to the end zone and made it 56-0.
Lafayette avoided the shutout with a late touchdown in the final minute, denying UConn its first shutout since 2012.
In Other News...
UConn's New Era Starts With One Decision Fans Still Need
Jason Candles first UConn team is already taking shape in the broadest sense, even if the details are still coming into focus. The Huskies open against Lafayette with a new head coach, a remodeled roster and the usual questions that come with a reset, and Candle has spent camp stressing preparation and a week-by-week approach rather than drawing a hard line around what the season must become.
One of the biggest unresolved items is the quarterback job, a choice that will help define how quickly this new era can settle in. Candle has also pointed to the defensive front as a camp strength while seeing enough from the running backs to know there are pieces to build around, but UConn is still waiting on the answer that matters most under center before the opener arrives. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Built Real Hype Fast But Maryland Will Test Everything
UConn could hardly have scripted a sharper start to the season, rolling past Lafayette in a 56-7 opener that gave the program an immediate jolt of confidence. The Huskies were efficient, explosive and balanced from the jump, with Kalieb Osborne drawing a strong review from Pro Football Focus and a defense that helped keep the Leopards from ever finding much traction.
Now the challenge gets real. Maryland is a far different kind of measuring stick, and the opener did more than pad a scoreline, it put a spotlight on new pieces who already look comfortable in key roles. Among the encouraging signs were linebacker debuts from KVon Sherman and John Lista, who each made an impact in the front seven and helped fuel the kind of fast start UConn will need to sustain once the competition stiffens. [Read more 🡒]