TIME: 12:00 PM
TV: CBS Sports Network
ANNOUNCERS: Fran Charles (play-by-play), Taylor McHargue (analyst), Hailey Sutton (sideline)
RADIO: UConn Sports Network; Varsity Network App; 97.9 Fox Sports, WGCH 1490 AM, WAVZ 1300 AM, WILI 1400 AM and 95.3 FM, WICH 1310 AM and 94.5 FM; Sirius/XM online streaming, XM 383 (UConn)
ANNOUNCERS:
Mike Crispino (play-by-play), Wayne Norman (color analyst), Adam Giardino (sideline)RECORDS: UConn (5-3), UAB (3-4, 1-3 AAC)
LAST WEEK: UConn fell to Rice, 37-34 in double overtime;
UAB was on a bye last weekend.
POINT SPREAD: UConn -11.5 (odds via FanDuel)
O/U: 62.5
SERIES HISTORY: This is just the second time the teams have met on the gridiron. UConn beat UAB, 31-23, on the road last season.
GAME NOTES WITH DEPTH CHART: UConn; UAB
PREGAME PRESS CONFERENCE(S): UConn head coach Jim Mora; UAB interim head coach Alex Mortensen
WEATHER FORECAST: East Hartford, CT
Fun With Numbers
6: With a win on Saturday, UConn would have six wins and be bowl-eligible for the second straight season and third time in the Jim Mora era.
3: UAB is the second of three American Athletic Conference opponents the Huskies will face. They’ll play FAU on November 22nd and they lost to Rice last weekend, 37-34 in double overtime. The Huskies are 5-4 against the AAC since leaving the conference to become an independent in the 2021 season.
75: The Huskies dropped five spots to 75th in ESPN’s FPI (College Football Power Index) this week. UAB comes in at 117.
59: In ESPN’s SP+ rankings, UConn comes in at 59 while the Blazers are ranked 98th.
2,262: Huskies quarterback Joe Fagnano has passed for 2,262 yards, which ranks 6th among FBS quarterbacks. He is also 11th in passing TDs (18), 12th in pass yards per game (282.8), 12th in completions per game (23.25), 16th in points responsible for (120), 17th in total offense (295.8), 21st in passing efficiency (158.9) and 22nd in completion percentage (.679).
296: UAB quarterback Jalen Kitna is averaging 296 passing yards per game this season which ranks him 7th nationally. He has thrown for 1,776 yards in six games this season. Kitna is expected to be available this week after missing the Blazers last game against Memphis on October 18.
0: Fagnano has also not thrown an interception all season. He has the most pass attempts (274) and passing yards (2,262) without an interception among all quarterbacks in the NCAA. He is the only QB with 250 or more pass attempts without an interception this season.
26.8: Kitna is averaging 26.8 completions per game which ranks him third in FBS.
10,000: Fagnano is also just 260 passing yards away from 10,000 in his career coming into the game.
66: Skyler Bell ranks second in FBS with 66 catches on the season. He is second in receptions per game (8.25), and second in receiving yards (845). He is third in yards per game (105.6) and fourth in receiving TDs (8) and he is 35th in total TDs (8).
5: Bell has now caught a touchdown pass in five straight games.
172: UAB wide receiver Iverson Hooks set career highs with 11 catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns in their last game, a 31-24 upset win over No. 22 Memphis.
12: UConn kicker Chris Freeman made 12 straight field goals to set a new program record held by Dave Teggart who made 11 straight in 2011. His streak ended in the 4th quarter vs Rice after missing a 46 yard attempt.
126.1: Blazers running back Solomon Beebe is averaging 126.1 all-purpose yards per game.
428: Beebe has 428 kickoff return yards this season which puts him 5th overall in FBS.
8: The UConn offensive line has allowed just eight sacks all season which is 15th best in FBS.
28: On the other side of the ball, the Huskies defense has 28 sacks which ranks them 6th best in the nation.
9.5: UConn linebacker Bryun Parham ranks 5th in total sacks (9.5) and sacks per game (1.19). Parham is also the Huskies leading tackler with 76 tackles on the year, ranking 14th and 16th in tackles per game (9.5). He ranks 4th in tackles for loss, averaging 1.63 per game.
1: The Huskies have just one turnover on the season which ties them with Temple for best in the country.
What to watch for
Rebound
UConn’s loss to Rice last week was all kinds of unacceptable. Between the 30 missed tackles, 300 rushing yards allowed, and the offensive disappearing act of the second half, along with the questionable decision to not go for two after scoring a matching touchdown in the first overtime, there is plenty of blame to go around.
UAB has some wind in its sails after firing Trent Dilfer, beating ranked Memphis, and a bye week heading into Saturday’s matchup. Playing their first home game since October 4th, the Huskies have to keep their composure and maintain focus on their own goals: bowl eligibility, another solid season, and proof-of-concept of the strength of the program (those are the goals, right?). We’ll be looking out for better tackling, consistency, and signs of a running game at the Rent Saturday.
Probably a Shootout
Both teams are strong offensively and weak defensively, so expect a lot of points. UAB’s offense is better at passing than running, and made a change at QB before the Memphis win, substituting Ryder Burton for Jalen Kitna. Burton threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns in his first start against UM, who turned around and beat AAC favorite USF the following week.
Whoever ends up at QB, the Blazers have two quality playmakers out of the backfield in Jevon Jackson (442 rushing yards, 4 TD) and Solomon Beebe (455 rush/rec yards, 5 TD) and a receiving core led by Iverson Hooks (560 yards, 5 TD). The Husky defense will have its hands full and will need to turn in a better performance than in previous weeks in order to come out on top.
The Huskies are favored by double digits, but facing a quality side that matches up well with them. This may be one of those annoyingly close games, even if UConn plays better and gets the win.
Run Game Get Right?
UConn has been struggling to establish the run game, which was a huge issue against Rice. UAB has the 135/136 success rate against the run in all of FBS and should offer an opportunity for Cam Edwards to get back on track. The Huskies are also still looking for more out of Victor Rosa, MJ Flowers, and Oliver Lundberg Coleman, who have shown flashes but not enough to earn serious consideration in the offensive game plan.
