FAU left Storrs, Connecticut with their worse loss in the teams short history, but they need to schedule the Huskies again, SOON.
The Owls (0-8) traveled to Connecticut to take on the Huskies Nov. 1, but never imagined how badly they would play. Turnovers, mistakes, and sloppy plays all contributed to the 61-14 dismantling they experienced.
UCONN, entering the game with a 2-6 record and on a four game losing streak, were happy to entertain Florida Atlantic and dominate a younger I-AA team.
Losing this game was not a shock – actually the score is not even too outlandish. But one play should leave a bad taste in the coaches’, players’, and fans’ mouths.
After taking a minute and twenty-seven seconds to march 80 yards in 5 plays from the opening kickoff to a 7-0 lead, UCONN decided to kick an onside kick.
What?
Yes, an onside kick, one minute and twenty-seven seconds into a game against a team they were supposed to defeat by at least 3 touchdowns.
The Huskies then marched 37 yards on 4 plays to take a 14-0 lead three minutes and seven seconds into the game.
If FAU had tried an onside kick it would have been inspirational, but what was UCONN trying to prove? That they could dominate and foul a lesser quality opponent.
Keep in mind that this onside kick made no difference in the outcome of the game. FAU had their worst performance of the season.
For the third time this year they had negative yards rushing and gained 176 yards to the Huskies 496. They did not find the end zone until halfway through the third quarter.
Ramon Rickards for the Owls could not explain what happened on the field that day and Jared Allen said the team just needed to stay positive.
Connecticut’s coach Randy Edsall said, “We did what we were supposed to do today. We out manned Florida Atlantic.”
Great, does everyone in Storrs feel better now. The Huskies beat FAU the way Virginia Tech and Temple beat UCONN last year. Temple beat them 56-7 last year. TEMPLE.
On Sunday, Edsall said he would not apologize for beating FAU so badly. He proclaimed that no one ever felt sorry for the Huskies when they beat up on his team.
The only catch is that Temple never kicked an onside kick against UCONN and neither did Virginia Tech.
As a fan, I want to play this team again and very soon. Coach Schnellenberger wants his team to learn from all their games and get better. What his team needs to do is get better and then play UCONN again and remember that onside kick.
If there is something FAU needs to learn this season it’s that they’re weaker than most of their opponents, but that doesn’t give any of them the opportunity to take advantage of the Owls.
Schnellenberger said there was nothing that he could see in the game that was positive.
He was right. But if his team can find motivation from the lack of respect that UCONN exhibited in this game, then it was worth it.
With Morris Brown and FIU still left on FAU’s schedule, a record of 2-9 is still in sight. That might not sound good, but considering the other opponents it will be a positive to win those two games.
Coach, if you are reading this, schedule UCONN again so your players can earn the respect they should have received when they stepped onto the field at Memorial Stadium.
Oh yeah – if you score first, kick an onside to return the favor.
