Sports: UMass rallies in fourth quarter to defeat UConn, 22-17
Frustrating season hits low point as UMass rallies to beat Huskies
East Hartford — The UConn football program's resume has been littered with low points this season. Add another stinker. The list of sins included too many missed opportunities, poor execution on momentum-changing short yardage plays and a costly fourth-quarter breakdown.
A winnable non-conference game turned into a brutal 22-17 loss to New England neighbor UMass — a program playing as a FBS independent — on a rainy, windy Saturday afternoon before an announced crowd of 24,150 at Rentschler Field.
It was UConn's fifth straight loss and dropped its overall record to 1-7.
"It's very disappointing," said Kevin Murphy, a redshirt junior defensive lineman. "We had a great game plan for these guys this week. You go out there and put some stops together. Then, here and there, things slip up. It's on everybody.
"We've just got to go out next week and come together and get better."
It appeared the Huskies took positive steps the previous game at No. 21 South Florida, giving the Bulls a challenge before losing 38-30.
All of those positive vibes disappeared on Saturday.
After building a 17-9 lead, the Huskies allowed the Minutemen (3-6) to score the last 13 points to seize the win.
Senior Marquis Young's three-yard run with three minutes, 39 seconds
remaining capped an 11-play, 81-yard drive, handing UMass its first lead and accounting for the game-winning touchdown.
UConn couldn't answer, as quarterback David Pindell's underthrown pass to Zavier Scott down the sideline was intercepted by Lee Moses at the 3:30 mark and the Minutemen ran out the clock.
"We had too many missed opportunities today that we didn't take advantage of — offensively, defensively and special teams," coach Randy Edsall said. "We just didn't finish the game out at the end.
"... Our guys tried, but they didn't go and play as fast and as aggressive as I saw them play last week."
The few highlights included Pindell, who rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown, setting a program record for rushing yards for a quarterback (784); the 288-pound Murphy's first career interception; and the Huskies allowing a season-low for points and yards allowed (444).
The lousy weather appeared to impact the Huskies more than the Minutemen. Pindell threw the ball only six times, completing four for a season-low 15 yards.
UConn, which rushed for 250 yards, scored on its opening drive of the game (Kevin Mensah's one-yard run) and first possession of the second half (Pindell's 25-yard run) and also had a 41-yard field goal from Michael Tarbutt.
The Minutemen rode the play of Young (26 carries, 148 yards) and quarterback Ross Comis (8-for-15, 197 yards), who connected with Andy Isabella and Zak Simon on touchdown passes of 38 and 67 yards to fuel the second-half comeback.
"The first three quarters, it was hard to throw in the rain," Edsall said. "And David doesn't have big hands. And he doesn't grip the ball with the laces. He was having trouble gripping the ball, so you do what you have to do."
To Pindell's credit, he didn't use his hands as an excuse. "I've never had a problem throwing in the rain," he said.
The failure to execute in short yardage situations particularly hurt the Huskies.
Holding a 7-3 lead in the second quarter, Edsall elected to go for it on fourth down on consecutive drives instead of trying field goals of 41 and 32 yards in the rain. Those decisions didn't work out. Pindell's scramble came up short on a fourth down and three from the UMass 24. Then his quarterback sneak failed to generate the yard necessary to keep the drive alive at the UMass 15.
"That killed us because those were opportunities we should have scored on and we didn't," Pindell said. "Maybe if we had converted those, the results would be different right now."
UMass, on the other hand, converted a fourth and one with Young fighting for two yards to help run out the clock on the game's final drive.
In the final minutes, Edsall was forced to burn a timeout to avoid a five-yard penalty for 12 players on the field.
Just another costly mistake by a team desperately searching for a victory.
“We had too many missed opportunities today that we didn’t take advantage — offensively, defensively and special teams.” UCONN COACH RANDY EDSALL