In front of a season-high 36,901 at Rentschler Field, UConn football made too many mistakes in a 31-21 loss to North Carolina. A pick-six gave the visitors their first points, but three turnovers plus a turnover on downs and a missed field goal hurt the Huskies even though they were just as productive as the Tar Heels offensively on the day.
The Huskies had a chance to get on the board first, as Hayden Pegg intercepted Billy Edwards on the game’s second drive. UConn (4-5) moved into Tar Heel territory, but the drive stalled, and kicker Jack O’Connor missed a 45-yard field goal attempt.
UNC (5-4) went three-and-out on the ensuing drive and its next one, but in between, Kalieb Osborne threw a 4th & 3 pass attempt behind his receiver, leading to a pick-six and the only points of the game after one quarter.
Both teams opened up offensively in the second quarter. The Huskies tied the game, 7-7, after an 18-yard catch-and-run from Osborne to Ryder Treadway. UNC responded with a few screen passes for long gains before a 39-yard TD run by Benjamin Hall on 3rd & 9 made it 14-7.
An Osborne fumble deep in Husky territory led to another UNC touchdown, this time from quarterback Billy Edwards to WR Jordan Shipp from six yards out, making it 21-7.
The Huskies struck back quickly with a 1:08 drive that got to the end zone in three plays, a big third-down conversion to Treadway, followed by a 33-yarder to Julian Allen on the left sideline, and a post to Cam Abshire for a 24-yard TD, making it 21-14 in the middle of the second quarter.
The Tar Heels mounted a TD drive before the end of the half, burning six minutes as they converted two third downs and a fourth down before a play-action pass to TE Jelani Thurman in the end zone, giving us a 28-14 score at halftime.
The Huskies struck first in the second half after two 20+ yard completions and a 25-yard scramble by Osborne set up Cyncir Bowers for a 13-yard rushing touchdown to make it 28-21. UNC responded with a field goal to make it 31-21, the score at the end of the third quarter.
A torrential downpour began early in the fourth quarter, clearing out the stands and perhaps stalling the Husky drive. UConn went for it on 4th & 12 from the middle of the field, but Osborne’s pass fell incomplete.
On the ensuing drive, UNC attempted a 49-yard field goal that missed, giving the ball back to the Huskies on the 31-yard line with 8:07 left in the game. Osborne was sacked on first down and threw his second pick of the game on 3rd & 20 to all but seal the deal for the visitors. Thurman’s second receiving TD of the day made it 38-21.
Next week, the Huskies host another quality team as the James Madison Dukes visit the Rent on Saturday. Kickoff will be at 12 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
