Football Falls At UConn
Malik Thomas rushes for career-best 63 yards
Central Connecticut battled in-state rival Connecticut on opening day, before falling 28-3 at Rentschler Field.
CCSU finished with 242 total yards of offense, with 108 on the ground. The Blue Devils were 3-12 on third down conversions.
Romelo Williams threw for 164 yards on 16-30 passing. Malik Thomas led the way with 63 yards on the ground, while Nas Smith carried a team-high nine times for 21 yards.
The Blue Devils open NEC play and the home schedule on September 10 when Sacred Heart visits Arute Field. That game time is set for 6:00 pm.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Connecticut 28 , Central Connecticut 3
Records: CCSU (0-1; 0-0 NEC), UConn (1-1)
Location: Rentschler Field | East Hartford, CT
KEY MOMENTS
- UConn reached the Red Zone late in the first quarter and on a 1st and 10 pass attempt, Isaiah Greene sacked Zion Turner, knocking the ball lose for Jermaine Williams to recover
- LuQuay Washington blocked a 45-yard UConn field goal attempt 1:31 into the second-quarter, which Chizi Umunakwe recovered to give the Blue Devils the ball on the UConn 48
- Cristiano Roma made his first collegiate field goal on the ensuing drive, giving the Blue Devils a 3-0 lead at the 11:32 mark of the second quarter
- The Huskies answered with an 11-play, 80-yard 5:24 drive that culminated in a Turner touchdown pass to Brandon Niemenski to give UConn a 7-3 lead
- The Huskies drove again as the half was drawing to a close and Turner threw the ball into end zone with a second to play that Jonathan Cabral-Martin tipped and Harold Miles intercepted
- The Blue Devils opening drive of the second-half ate up 5:55 but a 21-yard field goal attempt went off the upright
- Malik Thomas carried three times for 40 yards on the drive
- UConn capped an 80-yard, 14-play drive with a 17-yard touchdown run from Nathan Carter, extending the lead to 14-3 with 2:55 to play in the third quarter
- After being held inside the 10, Aidan Clark sent a 42-yard punt to Dajon Harrison at midfield that Cole Escoto stripped and Kimal Clark fell on to give the ball back to CCSU
- Turner connected with Jacob Flynn with 11:19 to play, from 10-yards out for a 21-3 advantage
- UConn closed out the scoring with a Victor Rosa 11 yard run with 36 seconds left
NUMBER TO KNOW
63 – Malik Thomas led the CCSU ground attack with a career-best 63 yards, on five carries.
