The Huskies take on a local FCS opponent for their home opener.
KICKOFF: 12 p.m.
TV: WFSB, WWAX, UConn+
ANNOUNCERS: Randy Brochu (play-by-play), Marc Robbins (color analyst), Joe Zone (sideline)
RADIO: UConn IMG Radio 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 382 (UConn)
ANNOUNCERS: Mike Crispino (play-by-play), Wayne Norman (color analyst), Adam Giardino (sideline)
RECORDS: UConn (0-1), Merrimack (0-1)
LAST WEEK: UConn lost at Maryland, 50-7; Merrimack hung with Air Force for a bit before falling, 21-6
POINT SPREAD: UConn -15.5
O/U: 45.5
SERIES HISTORY: This is the first meeting on the gridiron between UConn and Merrimack.
DEPTH CHART: UConn
PREGAME PRESS CONFERENCE(S): UConn head coach Jim Mora
WEATHER FORECAST: East Hartford, CT
Fun With Numbers
3: UConn will be just the third-ever FBS opponent that Merrimack has played. They lost to Air Force last week and fell to UMass in 2023.
20: The Huskies are 20-2 against FCS opponents since moving up to FBS in 2002.
14: The Huskies are 14-6 in their home openers at Rentschler Field.
237: Merrimack allowed just 237 total yards to Air Force, 166 of which came on the ground.
141: Skyler Bell caught five passes for 141 yards in the season opener vs Maryland.
8: Amir Renwick had a career-high eight tackles in his first-ever start for the Huskies.
51: Since the end of the 2023 season, UConn has added 51 new faces to the roster.
What to Watch For
Right the Ship
Every single aspect of UConn’s football output must look better. Offensively, the Huskies need to establish the run and get all their passing options going. Defensively they need to prove that they can dominate the line of scrimmage against an inferior opponent and consistently make stops. Allowing multiple touchdown drives would be bad.
UConn should never look past any opponent, but Merrimack is a particularly weak side. Having moved up to the FCS level from Division II in 2019, the Warriors are not so far removed from playing in the NE-10 with the likes of SCSU, Post, Bentley, and Assumption.
After four years in the NEC, including a 6-1 league record in 2022, Merrimack is playing as an FCS independent this season before joining the MAAC next year. Last year they went 5-6 (4-3 NEC) with losses to UMass, St. Francis, Wagner, Lehigh, Duquesne, and No. 5 Holy Cross. Against Sacred Heart, who UConn defeated 31-3 last season, Merrimack prevailed 17-7.
In two seasons at the helm in Storrs, Jim Mora’s Huskies have taken care of FCS opponents handily, beating CCSU 28-3 in his first year and toppling Sacred Heart last season. Mora needs to do it again and perhaps even do it with some emphasis this third time.
Who Starts at QB?
Head coach Jim Mora has reiterated that there is no QB controversy, but we still don’t know the status of starting QB Nick Evers after he left the Maryland game due to a hit to the head. If he’s out, the starter is likely Joe Fagnano, who looked solid in mop-up duty against Maryland.
Tackling
I’m not sure how much better a team can get if it hasn’t been great at tackling in the first place and struggled all last season, but against an FCS opponent that is ostensibly smaller, slower, and has fewer scholarship players, UConn should be able to assert itself physically in this one. Perhaps getting clean hits on Maryland’s offense was a bit much to ask, but Husky defenders shouldn’t have as much trouble getting into better positions against this opponent. The tackling should look a lot better, even if only for one week.