Live Game Blog Part II

THisHalftime wrap


Somehow the Huskies are leading 7-3, which is great news considering they seem to have settled down on defense. Bill Stull carved the Huskies up in the first half and has only 3 points to show for it. The Panthers have outplayed UConn, but the gap narrowed in the second quarter. The Huskies have played bend but don't break on defense and thanks to the 79 yard TD by Marcus Easley, actually are leading Pitt in yardage at 20-5172.

Cody Endres has been very good in the first half except for his fumble inside the 10 (he got caught flat-footed when he got sacked). Endres 12-of-16 for 160 yards and a touchdown. Huskies are starting to get to Stull. The running game can grind it out if they need to.

Halftime stats: Dixon 7 rushes for 41 yards. Todman, 9 for 30. Good production.

UConn gets ball to start second half. If they can score a TD to open it will put an awful lot of pressure on PIttsburgh. Avoid the turnovers and pressure Stull, and the Huskies might be able to come out of here with a win.

Update 5:17 p.m.: HUskies get a penalty and then a loss of 8 doom the drive. The Huskies have PItt backed up at their own 9. Need to pressure Stull here.


Update 5:20 p.m.: Robert Vaughn pick 6 on Stull. PRessure by load 14-3 UConn. Wow! Balloon went out.

Update 5:30: UConn has to tighten up on D. Letdown here has allwoed PIttsburgh to come down inside the 10 to the 8. 3 downs to see where they are.

Update 5:33 p.m.: 19 yard FG for Pittsburgh. Boy, gotta question the PIttsburgh play-calling there. Just poor red zone play-calling in my opinion. Huskies luck out again, 14-6.

UPdate 5:40 p.m.: Joe Moorhead is dealing here. Incredible play-calling by the new OC. Huskies just physically blew Pitt off the ball. Dixon 2 yard TD run. 21-6 3:56 left in the third quarter. 8 plays 61 yards.


Update 5:49: Yet to see a game break. Pitt had a run inside the UCOnn 2 called back 40 yards for a personal foul. Huskies need to wrap up the Pitt RBs. These runs are broken tackles.

Update 5:52 p.m: Poor tackling on defense. Jon Baldwin gets free for a 26 yard TD. Huskies can't stop the run, and it's all broken tackles. UConn needs to get to the 4th quarter and grind it out with the ground game. 21-13 UConn end of third quarter.

Third quarter wrap

HUskies leading 21-13. Huskies defense is a little sloppy there tackling on two consecutive drives. Fourth quarter is simple, the most physical team in the fourth quarter wins this game.

FOurht quarter

Update 5:59: three and out for the Huskies. Nad job by the o-line and Mike Ryan got beat for a sack and a forced fumble. Sherman recovers but the Huskies end up punting. Here it is 13:42 remaining, Pitt ball on thier own 32. Biggest possession of the game.

Update 6:06 p.m.: Huskies need a 4th quarter pass rush. Stull getting comfortbale again. Can UConn hold on?

Update 6:09 p.m.: You think they don't miss Lutrus? Lloyd getting killed in passing game. Stull 27 yard TD pass to Dorin Dickerosn. Stull 2 point converson good. 21-21.Awful job by the UConn defense. Just awful. 7:35 left. Game is up for grabs.

Update 6:16 p.m.: Huskies go three and out again. Greg Romeus is being a terror. Huskies 21-21 with 6:!4 left. Game is in PItts hands. Can the UConn defense show up?

Update 6:11 p.m. Since leading 21-6, UConn has run 3 plays and Pitt has had 2 straight TD drives and a two point conversion. Huskies offense needs to come up big here.

Update 6:22 p.m: Huskies in trouble. The tackling has been atrocious. Had chances to stop the offense, but they can't get the player down. HUskies need to tighten up on D.

Update 6:27 p.m.: I don't know how Pitt has these receivers so open. Pitt is playing pitch and catch. Just an awful performance by the defense, as poor as I have seen since I have covered the team

Update 6:32 p.m: Generous spot. Defense comes up so small in the 4th quarter. Pitts has ball at the 2 yard line with the clock running.

Update 6:33 p.m: I would let Pitt score a TD. I don't get it. UConn is going to get the ball back with 20 seconds left and no timeouts.

Update 6:36 p.m.: 17 yard FG to win. Just a terrible job here. Huskies never get the ball back.

Update 6:38 p.m.: Field goal good. Huskies never got the ball back as they lsoe 24-21. Just an awful loss for the Huskies. Defense comes up small, and the final series was brutal.

Huskies got a lot of soul searching to do after this loss.