UConn Huskies kicker Tony Ciaravino missed 3 key field goals during the game with the last one being the potential game winner with 1:12 left in the game to give the Rutgers Scarlet Knights a 12-10 win in front of a sold-out crowd at Rutgers stadium.
The win for the Scarlet Knights was only their second of the season (2-5, 1-2 Big East) and their first against a FBS opponent. UConn falls to 5-2 (1-1 Big East).
So what went wrong for the Huskies. Some bad special teams mistakes, giving up the big plays on defense and giving Mike Teel and Domenic Natale plenty of time to throw the ball. To me the big blunder of the game was when Robbie Frey decided to pick up the ball at his own 1 yard line on the opening kickoff in the 3rd qtr. UConn got pinned in and had to punt giving Rutgers good field position which they took advantage of.
Offensively, Donald Brown dominated things for the Huskies in 1st half as he rushed for 100 yards. The Rutgers defense held Brown to 11 yards total in the 2nd half. Zach Frazer had a good game at QB as he was 14-of-20 for 236 yards and a touchdown.
If the Huskies can’t figure things out on defense in stopping the big plays, it could end up being a long season. Frazer showed he can throw the ball with Brown being shut down and it didn’t help that the Huskies spent most of the 3rd qtr pinned deep in your end. It just shows you how important field position is in this game.
Hopefully Randy Edsall does something about the special teams play and talks to his kick returners about when to let the ball go and when to pick it up.
Tough loss for the Huskies today.
Scoring:
| UConn Huskies | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 12 |
1st quarter
CON – Tony Ciaravino 19-yard field goal – UConn 3 Rutgers 0
RU – San San Te 18-yard field goal – UConn 3 Rutgers 3
2nd quarter
None
3rd quarter
RU – Kordell Young 6-yard run (Te PAT) – Rutgers 10 UConn 3
RU – Donald Brown tackled in end zone for a safety – Rutgers 12 UConn 3
4th quarter
CON – Zach Frazer 47 yard pass to Kashif Moore (Ciaravino PAT) – Rutgers 12 UConn 10
Offensive Player of the Game:
Zach Frazer was 14-of-20 for 236 yards and 1 touchdown
Defensive Player of the Game:
The Rutgers defense. After allowing 100 yards rushing to Donald Brown in the 1st half, they shut him down and allowed him to rush for 11 yards in the 2nd half. Cody Brown had 9 tackles including 2 for a loss for the Huskies. He also had a pass break up and a blocked punt.
Turning Point(s) of the Game:
1. Towards the end of the 1st half, Tony Ciaravino missed a chip shot field goal with the game tied at 3. The miss was huge because UConn was getting the ball back to start the 3rd qtr.
2. Instead of letting the ball bounce out-of-bounds on the opening kickoff, Robbie Frey decided to pick it up and run and was tackled at the UConn 1 yard line.
3. Donald Brown was stopped in the end zone for safety in the 3rd qtr. Those two points proved to be the difference in the game.
4. Ciaravino hit the upright from 42 yards out with 1:12 left in the game.
Offensive Notes:
1st qtr – 1st & 10 RU 48 – Donald Brown runs for 27 yards and a first down
2nd & 10 RU 21 – Jordan Todman runs for 9 yards
3rd & 1 RU 12 – Brown rushes 3 yards for a first down
1st & Goal RU 9 – Brown stopped for a 5 yard loss
2nd & Goal RU 14 – Zach Frazer hits Anthony Sherman for a 12 yard gain
3rd & Goal RU 2 – Brown stopped for no gain
4th & Goal – Tony Ciaravino hits a 18 yard field goal
UConn scoring drive – 8 plays 46 yards – TOP: 3:45
1st & 10 RU 49 – Brown rushes for 19 yards and 1st down
1st & 10 RU 30 – Frazer sacked for a 1 yard loss
2nd qtr -1st & 10 CON 25 – Andre Dixon stopped for a 3 yard loss
3rd & 5 CON 25 – Frazer hits Michael Smith for 9 yards and first down
3rd & 6 CON 38 – Frazer hits Sherman for 12 yards and a first down
1st & 10 CON 50 – Brown rushes for 30 yards and a first down
1st & 10 RU 20 – Brown rushes for 2 yards, Rutgers is called for a horse collar and a 1/2 the distance to the goal line penalty.
3rd & Goal RU 6 – Frazer sacked for 2 yard loss
4th & Goal RU 6 – Ciaravino misses field goal
3rd qtr – 2nd & 9 CON 2 – Brown stopped for a 1 yard loss
3rd & 3 CON 31 – Frazer hits Sherman for 27 yards
1st & 10 RU 42 – Brown stopped for a 5 yard loss
1st & 10 CON 3 – Frazer passes to Kashif Moore for a 1 yard loss
2nd & 11 CON 2 – Brown stopped for a 1 yard loss
1st & 10 CON 2 – Brown stopped in end zone for a safety
1st & 10 CON 15 – Frazer hits Martin Bedard for 25 yards
2nd & 10 CON 40 – Bedard called for a false start
2nd & 15 CON 35 – Brown stopped for a 1 yard loss
3rd & 16 CON 34 – Frazer hits Ellis Gaulden for 18 yards and a first down
2nd & 9 RU 47 – Frazer hits Moore for a 47 yard touchdown
UConn scoring drive – 6 plays 85 yards – TOP: 2:27
2nd & 9 CON 11 – Frazer hits Bedard for 24 yards and a first down
1st & 10 CON 35 – Frazer hits Bedard for 17 yards
2nd & 9 RU 47 – Frazer hits Marcus Easley for 24 yards
3rd & 7 RU 20 – Frazer hits Moore for 5 yard gain. Play is called back as Moore is called for pass interference
3rd & 22 RU 35 – Frazer hits Bedard for 10 yard gain
4th & 12 RU 25 – Ciaravino hits right up right
Defensive Notes:
1st qtr – 1st & 10 RU 46 – Cody Brown stops Kordell Young for a 2 yard loss
3rd & 3 CON 47 – Brown sacks Mike Teel for a 5 yard loss
2nd & Goal CON 1 – Greg Robinson stops Young for no gain
3rd & Goal CON 1 – Greg Lloyd and Aaron Bryant stop Young for no gain.
Rutgers scoring drive – 12 plays 67 yards – TOP: 6:33
2nd qtr – 2nd & 10 CON 43 – Lawrence Wilson stops Young for a 2 yard loss
3rd qtr – 2nd & 7 CON 20 – Dahna Deleston stops Young for a 2 yard loss
Rutgers scoring drive – 5 plays 37 yards – TOP: 2:33
2nd & 8 RU 22 – Teel’s pass is incomplete but Scott Lutrus is called for holding.
3rd & 1 RU 41 – Wilson and Brown stop Young for no gain
4th qtr – 2nd & 6 RU 49 – Brown and Lloyd stop Young for a 2 yard loss
2nd & 8 RU 45 – Darius Butler called for pass interference
1st & 10 CON 40 – Lloyd and Deleston stop Young for a 1 yard loss
Special Teams Notes:
1st qtr – Cody Brown blocks Rutgers punt and takes over at RU 48.
Robbie Frey returns kickoff 39 yards to RU 49
2nd qtr – Tony Ciaravino shanks 43 yard field goal wide left
Ciaravino misses 25 yard field goal, hit left upright
3rd qtr – Frey picks up at kickoff at own 1 yard line and is stopped there.
4th qtr – Ciaravino misses 42 yard field goal that could have won the game
Injuries:
No UConn players suffered injuries during the game.
Officials:
The officials called a fair game and didn’t really didn’t play a factor.
Game Notes:
UConn @ Rutgers 10.18.08 box score
Notes are taken from UConnHuskies.com
– UConn’s block of a Rutgers’ punt in the first quarter by Cody Brown marked the first time the Huskies have blocked a punt since Nov. 3, 2007 vs. Rutgers (D.J. Hernandez).
– The blocked punt also marked the first of Cody Brown’s career.
– Cody Brown posted two sacks and a block punt on UConn’s first defensive series of the game.
– Tony Ciaravino’s 19-yard field goal in the first quarter marked his seventh consecutive successful field goal attempt.
– Tony Ciaravino’s miss on a 43-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter snapped his streak of seven consecutive makes.
– Donald Brown’s 25 carries today increased his career total to 535 – moving him into second place on the UConn career list.
– Donald Brown had 100 yards rushing at halftime – marking the sixth time in seven games that he has totaled 100 yards by halftime.
– Donald Brown finished with 106 rushing yards – increasing his season total to 1173 – which ranks as the fifth-highest single-season total in UConn history.
– Fullback Anthony Sherman tallied a career-best 51 receiving yards.
– Rutgers’ safety in the third quarter was the first allowed by Connecticut since Oct. 27, 2007 vs. South Florida.
– Zach Frazer’s 47-yard TD pass to Kashif Moore in the fourth quarter marked the longest completion of Frazer’s career and also marked the first receiving TD in Moore’s career.
– Today’s loss drops Connecticut to 12-17 all-time against BIG EAST opponents since 2004.
– Today’s loss slips UConn’s record in BIG EAST road games to 3-12.
Big East Games and Results:
(19) South Florida 45 Syracuse 13
Pittsburgh @ Navy 3:30 PM
Middle Tennesse State @ Louisville 3:30 PM
Things to Work On:
Special teams, better play calling, stopping the big plays on defense, more blitzing
Up Next:
After 3 straight games on the road, the UConn Huskies return home to Rentschler Field next Saturday to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in their homecoming game. Kickoff is scheduled for high noon.
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