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UConn Daily Digest: Days of Our (FBS-era) Lives
UConn football is nearing unprecedented levels of success while key players are matching the numbers of program legends.
Aman Kidwai
November 21, 2025
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Photo: Ian Bethune
Headlines
Early Tests Offer Uncertain Picture of UConn MBB
Last Saturday, UConn went toe-to-toe with No. 7 BYU in a mid-November game that felt more like late-March. The Huskies had a sloppy start, but played excellent defense early on. They took a nine-point lead into the locker room and led by 20 points with 14 minutes left in the game.
Blue-chip recruit AJ Dybantsa woke up in the second half, scoring 21 of his game-high 25 points to make it dicey late. BYU lost one of its best players to an injury during the game and had another key player ruled out after violating team rules. It was a good win, but it was also one minute away from being a disaster.
“I thought we played great for 25, 26 minutes,” Dan Hurley said postgame. “Up 20, really guarding and really sharp offensively… the amount of fouling and the amount of times we put them at the line allowed AJ to get a rhythm going. That is about as high a level of shot making as you’re going to see in college basketball.”
UConn was back on the floor Wednesday night to host No. 4 Arizona.
Tarris Reed Jr. was declared out right before the game, putting the home team in a bind. They were outrebounded, 43-23, and led for just two-and-a-half minutes, though the game had 10 lead changes.
With Reed out, Eric Reibe was thrust into the biggest game of his nascent college career. The freshman held up well, scoring a team-high 15 points in a performance that offers hope despite the loss. UConn missed Reed, was without its five-star freshman, started cold from the floor, and got into early foul trouble, but still had a chance at the end thanks to the grit of Reibe, Silas Demary Jr., and Jaylin Stewart off the bench.
UConn is back on the court Sunday at 6 p.m. against Bryant at PeoplesBank Arena and will have another big test next Friday against Illinois at Madison Square Garden.
UConn Football Receiving Votes!
Jim Mora’s squad is on a three-game winning streak after beating Air Force, getting a huge second half from Cam Edwards as he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the year.
They’re up to eight wins on the season with a chance at nine in the regular season, which would be a first since 2007, and 10 if they can win a bowl game, which would be an FBS program record. They even received a top-25 vote in the latest AP Poll!
Some early projections for UConn’s third bowl appearance in four years include:
Myrtle Beach Bowl vs ECU
Cure Bowl vs James Madison
Gasparilla Bowl vs USF
Liberty Bowl vs Cincinnati
Boca Raton Bowl vs Coastal Carolina
Frisco Bowl vs California
The Huskies’ offensive leaders are receiving national recognition and boosting their pro prospects. Joe Fagnano is tied for third in the nation in TD passes, fifth in yards, 15th in passer rating, and 17th in completion percentage. He needs 353 passing yards to pass Dan Orlovsky’s second-place single-season mark of 3,354.
Skyler Bell was named one of 13 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to college football’s best receiver. His quest for the triple crown is in sight, as he’s first among FBS receivers in receptions (93) and touchdowns (13), and just four yards behind SJSU’s Danny Scuderos for first in receiving yards.
It’s all part of an amazing run that this team is on. There’s a possibility that Mora will be hired away after his overwhelming success. That’s a problem for a different day.
For now, fans should enjoy this ride after all the pain of the last decade, as the Huskies close out their regular season with a chance to meet or set lots of program records.
They kick off on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Boca Raton, Florida, against FAU, a 4-6 team that’s 105th in SP+ and is a 7.5-point underdog at home.
Women’s basketball signs Jovana Popovich
Geno Auriemma and his staff signed their second 2026 commitment on Thursday in Jovana Popovich.
Popovich, a 5-foot-8 guard, joins Olivia Vukosa in next year’s freshman class, with one scholarship spot open for next year, as of now.
Auriemma's squad continues its march toward a title defense. The Huskies dominated Ohio State in a 32-point win on Sunday, but will face a tougher challenge on Friday night in the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase against No. 6 Michigan.
The Wolverines have won all of their games by at least 39 points, including a 94-54 thrashing of No. 18 Notre Dame.
Men’s hockey pulls off a dramatic sweep over Northeastern.
After a winless weekend at Providence, UConn men’s hockey stared down a tall challenge in a home-and-home against Northeastern. With the Huskies struggling to get goals through and injuries at forward, Jake Percival stepped up big, recording his first career hat trick in a 4-2 win.
Percival admitted he thought he was cursed, having not scored in his last 27 games dating back to last year.
On Saturday, Joey Muldowney returned to the UConn line sheet and delivered in a big way. After going down 3-0 early in the first period, UConn never panicked, methodically pulling itself back into the game goal by goal. Muldowney netted the OT game-winner on a breakaway.
Now 6-4-3, the Huskies moved up to No. 11 in the USCHO Poll. They also stand alone atop the Hockey East standings with a home-and-home against New Hampshire coming up this weekend.
Fall sports nearing an end
Field Hockey’s season came to an end against Harvard in the Elite Eight after beating Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Volleyball lost in five sets to Villanova before beating Georgetown in four sets to end its season without a conference tournament bid.
The lone fall team remaining is men’s soccer, which is hosting Cornell on Sunday in the 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament. That game kicks off at 2:00 p.m. from Joseph J. Morrone Stadium.
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Weekly Rewind
Men’s Basketball
Husky ReView: Arizona (11/19/25) ($) – Breaking down UConn’s first loss of the year
Dan Hurley Pregame Media Availability - 11.18.25 - The Huskies’ head coach was relatively calm, with a little bit of drama, after the loss.
Husky ReView: BYU (11/15/25) ($) — A deeper look at the tale of two halves.
UConn Beats BYU in Boston, 86-84 — It was a wire-to-wire finish at the home of the Boston Celtics.
UConn men’s basketball stays at No. 3 in AP Top 25 — The Huskies stayed level in the AP Poll after beating BYU.
Preseason Check-in with UConn Guard Braylon Mullins ($) — The Indiana native discusses his high school basketball roots, bond with the freshman class, and impact on this year’s senior squad.
Women’s Basketball
How Geno is managing UConn’s deep rotation — The head coach has regularly deployed a nine-man rotation, a new challenge this season.
Chasing Perfection: Will UConn face its toughest test of the season against Michigan? — Friday’s game could be UConn’s only top-10 matchup before March.
UConn puts on a show of force in blowout win over Ohio State ($) — UConn blew the doors off after the Buckeyes kept it close in the first quarter.
Podcast: Chasing Perfection: UConn looks as good as advertised through three games — Wins over Louisville, Florida State, and Loyola Chicago reminded the world why the Huskies are the No. 1 team in the nation.
Football
UConn Went To Its Roots and Now Is Back ($) — Even though they didn’t have their best stuff, the Huskies proved they’re built to withstand adversity.
Beyond the Box Score: PFF Grades - Air Force ($) — How do advanced analytics grade UConn’s win in Week 12?
UConn Grounds Air Force, 26-16 — Cam Edwards powered the offense in the second half as the Huskies finished the year undefeated at home.
Hockey
Why UConn never panicked in comeback victory over Northeastern: 'This was a process-based win’ ($) — Despite going down by three, the Huskies stuck to their game plan.
Jake Percival reverses curse, records first career hat trick in UConn's 4-2 win ($) — The senior hadn't scored in his last 27 games before netting three on Friday night.
Soccer
NCAA Tournament: UConn men’s soccer earns 13th overall seed — The Huskies will play Cornell as they chase their first national championship since 2000.
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