UConn Football Clinches Bowl Eligibility with 34-27 Win Over Georgia State
Like many teams in college football, there were few players from last year’s 35-14 Georgia State win in Atlanta last season on each team’s current roster. Doesn't mean that UConn wasn't motivated to avenge that loss while also becoming bowl eligible, both of which they were able to do in a 34-27 win in front of 22,028 fans in East Hartford.
The Panthers got the ball start the contest, and promptly went three-and-out on the strength of a Jayden McDonald pressure. A penalty for kick catch interference gave UConn great field position at their own 41 and Mel Brown broke off a huge 52 yard run down to the GSU 7, where Nick Evers would hit Louis Hansen 2 yard TD catch for an opening drive TD. The Huskies forced another punt, but were backed up at their own 17. Evers hit Bell for a 1st down, but missed him again on 3rd and 3 from the GSU 24. Chris Freeman came out to kick a 41 yard FG, and the Huskies had a 10-0 lead with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter. GSU put a drive together, crossing into Husky territory as the quarter came to a close.
As the 2nd quarter opened, GSU got down to the UConn 12 after a late hit call that may have been missing the hit part. Gibson would hit Ted Hurst in the end zone for a TD, cutting the lead to 10-7. UConn was moving the ball on the ensuing drive, but a Durell Robinson fumble gave the Panthers the ball at their own UConn 46. An incompletion on 3rd and goal brought out GSU K Liam Rickman, who hit a 30 yarder to tie the game with up 3:29 remaining in the half. A pivotal 3rd and 7 with two minutes remaining, would fall short, but shortly thereafter, D’Mon Brinson would pick off Gibson and suddenly, UConn was in business in plus territory. On 3rd and 10 from the GSU 15, Evers was forced to throw the ball away facing pressure, and Freeman was out again to attempt a 28 yarder, which was good, and the Huskies headed into halftime with a 13-10 lead.
Halftime Stats:
| UConn | Georgia State | |
| Total Yards | 167 | 144 |
| Passing Yards | 58 | 99 |
| Rushing Yards | 109 | 45 |
| Penalties | 3-28 | 3-30 |
| Turnovers (pts off) |
1 (3) |
1 (3) |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 3-6 | 5-9 |
The Huskies got the ball to start the second half, and Cam Edwards broke off a long 46 yard run to get UConn into plus territory. Edwards would finish the drive with a TD, and UConn found themselves up by ten once again, 20-10 with 12:01 remaining in the 3rd. Georgia State responded with a drive of their own, which would end at the UConn 3, with Rickman hitting a 20 yard FG to trim the Husky lead to 7. The Huskies were forced to punt on the ensuing drive after a drop by Skyler Bell, but a Connor Stutz 69 yard punt pinned the Panthers at their own 6, where they would go three-and-out.
A late hit on an Evers rush gave the Huskies the ball deep in GSU territory, and Evers would finish the drive with a five yard keeper to extend the lead to 27-13. On the ensuing drive, Dal’Mont Gourdine got things going with a sack, then on 3rd and 11, Gibson’s pass was nearly intercepted by Tui Faumuina-Brown, but Gourdine hit Gibson late, extending the drive. On the very next play, however, Malik Dixon-Williams did intercept Gibson, and the Huskies took over at the GSU 30. Brown broke off a TD run on the only play of the drive, and UConn had a 34-13 lead with 11:24 left in the game. GSU cut the lead back to 14 with a 55 yard Freddie Brock rush on 4th and 1, with 9:26 remaining. GSU would get the ball back at their own 7 with 4:43 remaining, and Gibson led a drive downfield, and a big throw and catch to Hurst for 45, and GSU was at the UConn 2 at the two minute timeout. On 3rd and goal from the two, following pass breakups by Dixon-Williams and Faumuina-Brown, Gibson took it himself for the score and it was back to a one score game at 34-27 with 1:47 left. After a while to cleanup the pile, UConn recovered the onside kick, and had the ball at the GSU 32, with the Panthers holding on to two timeouts. UConn did not get a 1st down, but they were able to take the clock down to :52, and Mora sent the offense back out there, where Cam Edwards rushed for a 1st down and the game was over. The Huskies were bowl eligible for the second time in Jim Mora’s three year tenure, the only other coach in the FBS era aside from Randy Edsall to do so.