UConn vs. Fresno State: Bulldogs Blow Out Huskies, 45-0
The Bulldogs battled the August heat and a slow start to come away with a big victory against the UConn Huskies in their home opener.
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The ‘Dogs are 1-0.
It took a little while for the Fresno State Bulldogs to get going, but the home team eventually came away with a 45-0 win over the UConn Huskies on a blistering Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium.
Bulldogs defensive end Arron Mosby opened the scoring late in the first quarter with an incredible effort on a scoop-and-score defensive touchdown, knocking the ball away from UConn quarterback Jack Zergiotis and returning it himself for 31 yards to the end zone. It would remain 7-0 into the second quarter, however, as it took a little while for the Fresno State offense to warm up.
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After totaling just 32 yards on ten plays in the first fifteen minutes, though, Bulldogs quarterback Jake Haener found his groove by connecting with Josh Kelly on a 37-yard catch-and-run, Jordan Mims for another 17 yards, and then Ty Jones for a score from nine yards out. Another scoring connection with Kelly later in the quarter was wiped out by an offensive pass interference call, though Haener would later lead a pair of one-play scoring drives in the quarter’s waning minutes.
First, a 61-yard throw to Ronnie Rivers proved to be the play that would help set the program’s new all-time touchdown record. Two minutes later, Jalen Cropper would break a tackle on a slant route and put Fresno State up 28-0 on an 86-yard scamper.
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Eventually, Haener would leave the game in the third quarter after getting shaken up on a fourth-down run that extended a Bulldogs drive, though word later came out that he’d simply cramped up like a number of other athletes on both teams. He finished 20-of-26 for 331 yards and three touchdowns. Rivers would lead the team with 124 total offensive yards, while Cropper led the Bulldogs pass catchers with three receptions for 87 yards.
Despite the offensive pyrotechnics, however, the story of the day was the Bulldogs’ even better performance on defense, especially along a retooled defensive line which asserted itself all afternoon, collecting ten tackles for loss and four sacks en route to the team’s first shutout since 2017. The Huskies crossed midfield just three times and struggled to move the ball consistently all game long, compiling 107 yards of total offense and averaging 1.8 yards per play.
UConn’s Zergiotis got the start and finished 12-of-24 for 61 yards before being relieved in the fourth quarter by Steven Krajewski. The Huskies running back duo of Kevin Mensah and Nate Carter combined for just 41 rushing yards on 19 carries while Cameron Ross led the visitors with five catches for 37 yards.
Fresno State (1-0) will head to Oregon next week for the Ducks’ season opener, while UConn (0-1) will travel home to face FCS Holy Cross.
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