Live game blog

Final seconds: Stadium is in a blackout. I can't tell you how close the field is to stands.At most, it's 15 yards away and at some spots it's less than 10 feet. It's suffocating. This place is going wild. Bonkers.

It's 54 degrees with a Southwest win of 5 MPH. PERFECT.

More prekick: Cincinnati has a million people on the field. The band needs to leave. A bit over the top with the fireworks. Let's get this game going already.

Toss: Cincinnati to receiver. Ok, just saying, got to stop the kickoff return for a TD. Hate to bring it up.

Opening kick: It's a touchback. Victory for the Huskies.

Update 8:!4 p.m.: Odd defense formation. Greg Lloyd at DT, in the nickel.

Update 8:16 p.m.: Cincinnati tearing UConn up on first drive. 44 yard gain by Ramsey. That's one big play. Cincinnati is about to score a TD.

Update 8:20 p.m.: Cincinnati TD. That was quick. Isaiah Pead from a yard out. The Huskies are down 7-0 with 12:03 left in the first quarter. Way too easy, WAY TOO easy.

Update 8:23 p.m.: I don't like the Lloyd at DT look. That side got blown off the ball on the long run.

Update 8:29 p.m.: Whoa Nellie. Jordan Todman 6 yard TD. run. That was an impressive drive by the Huskies. 11 play 79 yard drive.

Update 8:39 p.m.: Huskies temporarily stop the Bearcats after a 54 yard gain. Cincy with 41 yard field goal. 10-7 Cincinnati. Huskies have to make some plays on defense.

Update 8:45 p.m.: Streaky Frazer shows up. Huskies lucky to escape. Overthrew Ryan Griffin for a TD. Overthrew Dixon on a screen that should have been picked off. Huskies punt. Now the defense has to show up.

Update 8:48 p.m.: Huskies can't stop Cincy. They are going to have to gamble and send a pass rush. Collaros is picking UConn apart. Gilyard 7 for 108 in the first QUARTER.

First wrap

The Huskies can't stop Cincinnati. 227 yards of offense in the first quarter for the Bearcats. Whatever the scheme was it's not working. Huskies are in a danger zone here. Cincinnati showing no signs of slowing down. The defense, even on a fourth and 2, got beat for a 25 yard play. This is a talent issue. They need a pass rush, they can't let Collaros sit back there and carve them up.

Second quarter

Update 8:57 p.m.: Collaros with a 5-yard TD run. UConn doesn't belong on the same field as Cincinnati. 17-7, 14:12 left in the second quarter.

Update 9:09 p.m.: Gotta make plays. Frazer had Easley open down the middle and Easley dropped the ball. Teggart has a 41 yard field goal. But, they should have had it inside the 15. Field goals won't cut it today.

Update 9:12 p.m.: Cincy runs it out to the 40. UConn's special teams coverage is atrocious.

Update 9:17 p.m.: This is too easy. Third and 10 and they do a simple pitch and catch. It's an embarrassing performance by UConn's defense. Cincinnati is great, but no one is this good.

Update 9:23 p.m.: 27 yard FG from Cincinnati. That's a semi win for the Huskies, but Cincinnati is doing whatever it wants on the field. 4 drives, 2 TDs, 2 FGS. 20-10 Cincinnati.

Update 9:24 p.m.: Huskies get ball here with 4:49 left. Long drive and a score and go into the half and try and figure this out.

Update 9:27 p.m.: Huskies go 3 and out. THat can't happen and is a poor job by UCOnn. Here is the ball game folks, Huskies punt with 3:52 left. UConn needs a stop. Can they hold Cincinnati here? Cincy start on its own 17 with 3:42 left.

Update 9:31 p.m.: Had a third and 5, gave up a 20 yard play. AND, then the ball game. Collaros 43 yard TD pass. 403 yards of offense in the first half. This is worse than the 66-21 game at West Virginia three years ago. The defense doesn't belong on the field.

Halftime wrap

And Cincy is lucky too? A tipped hail mary goes for a big gainer to the UConn 8. This is the worst performance by a UConn defense than is imaginable. 30-10 at the half. 457 yards of offense. I don't know quite what to say. How are they able to do it? UConn looks like a high school team out here.

Here are the stats: Zach Collaros was 19-of-24 for 333 yards in the first half. Mardy Gilyard was 9 receptions for 127 yards. Yeah. The defense didn't show much resistance tonight.

We could all see this coming. This isn't the same defense that beat up on Baylor. The Huskies are a defeated bunch, and are getting out-classed. 20 points is by no means impossible. But, they have shown no ability to even provide passive resistance.

The most yards gained in FBS history is Houston with 1,021 over SMU on Oct. 21 1989. This is remote, but it's in jeopardy.

Update 10 p.m.: UConn needs to get more aggressive on defense. WAY TOO soft on the wide receivers. They will get beat deep. But, the status quo isn't working.

Update 10:04 p.m.: More poor play. Kashif Moore dropped a 20 yard pass. Then on third down, Frazer over threw on an easy pass in the flat Todman. These are not difficult plays. The Huskies have to be perfect on offense, its there, but eventually you have to help yourself. No reason they can't move the ball on this Cincinnati defense.

Update 10:14 p.m.: UCOnn 46 yard TD run by Todman. They have some life here. It's not impossible. If you can believe it, Cincinnati was so good in the first half, the crowd is flat. UConn defense needs something here. They can score on Cincinnati. Can they stop them?

Everything has to go right here. To make this thing a game, this was the first step. A quick score in the third quarter.

Update 10:19 p.m.: Why even play Mardy Gilyard? Way too soft. Playing scared on defense. This is not a good gameplan.

Update 10:@1 p.m.: Zach Collaros TD run. This defense is uncompetitive. Playing way too soft, and Jerome Junior blew a pair of tackles on the play.I don't know what they are trying to do out. 37-17. 545 yards and counting. Ugh. Blog may get shut down from here on in.

Update 10:23 p.m: This is essentially what happens in the fourth quarter, for the entire game. The Huskies are young on defense, and right now they aren't in the same class.

Update 10:26: That's going to be it for the blog this evening. Huskies just aren't there yet. The defense never gave the offense a chance, and the offense can score points, but just isn't consistent enough.

Update 10:33 p.m.: I gotta give UConn credit here. Reggie McClain ran back a TD on a punt. THis is a 13 point game with 2:08 left in the third quarter. UConn has shown no signs of being able to stop Cinncinnati but are still at 37-24.

Update 10:39 p.m.: Zach Collaros has put on a show. If he is the bakcup QB, I don't want to see the starter. You can't take him out of the lineup EVER. Don't know about his pro potential, but he is a lethal passer accuracy wise and a terrific runner. I don't think I have ever seen a player do this. The kid has looked like the best player in the nation tonight.

Update 10:#7 p.m.: This may be the best QB play I have ever seen. Collaros hitting receivers everywhere. Incredible player.
It's still somewhat a game.

Update 10:43 p.m.: Robert 43 yard kick. That should do it. 40-24. That's two scores and 2 2-point conversions, but what's the chances of that? Collaros is the real deal.

Update 10:48 p.m.: Kashif Moore breaks free for a big play. They called it a TD, but he is down at the 1-yard line. Todman with third TD. About to go for 2. Todman, HB option pass to Marcus Easley for a 2-point conversion.

YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME? This is 40-32 with 13:21 left. UConn has no business to be in this game, it's borderline an embarrassing play on defense. But, there is something about this team. This is a character test and they are living up to it despite the score. Can the defense get one stop?

Update 10:56 p.m.: UCOnn has Cincinnati at third and 8 at the Cincy 32. Here is a big play. Here we go. They stop them. Huskies...HAVE A CHANCE TO TIE THE GAME.

Update 11:12 p.m.: Jordan Todman 2 yard TD run. 5:03 left. The Huskies are going to go for 2. Here it is.

Update 11:13 pm: Frazer sacked. 40-38. 5:03 left. Defenses turn.

Update 11:19 p.m.: Not there. BLid Wreh Wilson just got burned on a third and 8 slant. Huskies just can't get off field. 2:51 left. Cincy on own 24. Playing too soft. What you gonna do? UConn one first down away from losing game. Valiant effort, but they need a stop.

Update 11:@3 p.m.: Collaros runs just short of a first down. It's being reviewed, could go either way. I don't think he got it. fourth down.

Update 11:25 p.m.: Fourth down play, run outside by Pead, 14 yard TD run. Robert Vaughn had a chance to make a play, the story of a season, and he fell down. That's all folks. 47-38. Great effort by the Huskies.

Update 11:33 p.m.: Frazer TD pass to Easley. This one is still not done left.13 seconds to go. Onside kick coming. Incredible.

Update 11:#6 p.m.: Onside kick recovered by Cincinnati. 47-45 final. Huskies fall to 4-5. Five losses by a combined total of 15 points. Go figure. Incredible comeback, but it's still just short.