Live Akron Game Thread

Pregame: Nice weather outside. Got an October chill. Perfect football weather. Look like more people came out to tailgate for this one.

Side Note: Not surprised by USF. I have been high on them all year. USF won in Morgantown last year and has a better team this year. Not an upset. Bad job by anyone who thinks it is. I think USF is winning the Big East.

Lineups: Chris Jacquemain to start at QB instead of Carlton Jackson for Akron. For the Huskies, Hicks at right tackle and LaMagdelaine at left guard. I don't get why football coaches can't tell people their lineups the day before. Is it that much of and edge? I don't think Vince Lombardi played theses kinds of games.

It is so high schoolish. They do it in the NFL too.

Anyhow, stadium is half full. Maybe too early a start.

First quarter

Update 12:23 p.m: Two possessions 6 plays, two punts for UConn. Blech! Donald Brown 2 carries -4 yards. Got to give him a chance O-line, just a small chance.

Update 12:31 p.m: 4th and 8 on the 34 and you punt it? Netted 14 yards. It's no man's land, but got to get it inside the 20 there. No room for Brown rushing.

Quarter wrap-up: UConn can't get running game going. Have allowed Akron to make 3 first downs on end of quarter drive on 3rd downs. Jacquemain is 7-for-7 passing. Defense should be OK. Offensive line needs to get a push and start playing physical.

Second quarter

12:44 p.m.: Akron FG 28 yards. Nice job by UConn's defense holding. 3-0 Zips.

12:51 p.m.: Nice drive by the Huskies, Andre Dixon yard catch for TD. Lorenzen 5-for-5 on drive 63 yards. Most of the damage through passing. Still no running game with Dixon in. Tony Ciaravino misses kick left. Yuck. 6-3 Huskies.

1:06 p.m.: Tony C into the wind for 45 yards? Barely over for a field goal. 9-3. Risky move by Edsall. I thought they would have a better shot going for it on 4th and 5. Got the points there though, so it turns out a good move. Tony C semi redeems himself.

1:11 p.m.: 58 yard kickoff return. Give Akron a chance now. The coverages are downright awful. That is the one constant negative. Never been good. Akron on the 22 now.

1:16 p.m.: Jabaru Arthur 6 yard TD pass. 5 plays 28 yard drive. Special teams gave it back for UConn. 10-9 Akron.

1:18 p.m.: Tyvon Branch 97 TD return!!!. Makes up for pass interference play and getting beat for a TD. UConn 16-10. Nothing is more exciting than a kickoff return. First kickoff return for a TD against Akron since 1993. YES. 1993.

Desi Cullen kicks ball out of bounds -- TWICE. Brilliant. On third kickoff crowd cheers. Akron gets ball at their 38. Not bad.

Quarter Roundup: I don't know what happened at end. No replay on the roughing. I guess referees didn't allow Akron to get outs of bounds. Bizarre end to the half, and no replays.

Huskies have 16-10 lead, barely. Special teams is really hurting. Giving away too much field position. Got one back on the Branch TD, but you can't put defense in that kind of hole. Officials are a bit shaky, but what else is new.

No semblance of a running game. UConn is using the short passing game instead. Donald Brown, 4 rushes for -1. Dixon one rush for 3 yards.

Third quarter

First play, Lorenzen throws it up for grabs for a pick. Had Brouse for a cheap 8 yard gainer as a safety valve. Bad job by Tyler.

Update 2:06 p.m.: Brown sighting. 19 yard run followed by a 5 yard TD run. 23-10 Huskies. Very nice job of play calling setting up run with short passing game. Lorenzen made great 3rd and 15 read to Jeffers for a 1st down.

Update 2:20 p.m: Lorenzen good pass to Jeffers for TD. Running game is going. 30-10 Pups.

Update 2:35 p.m.: Dixon 55 TD run. Great job staying behind blockers. 38-10 UConn. Good night Irene.