Syracuse Football 2025 Opponent Preview: Non-conference foe the UConn Huskies

Saturday’s loss to Tennessee wasn’t entirely unexpected, but it also wasn’t how the Syracuse Orange wanted to open their season. Fran Brown’s team will now hope to get its first win of 2025 in Saturday’s Dome opener against the Connecticut Huskies. As we know from our preseason look at the Huskies, this is the third time in four years the Orange is meeting its former Big East foe. Syracuse has also won five straight head-to-head meetings with UConn. But let’s get to know the 2025 Huskies a little better before Saturday’s game.

Where is UConn ranked?

The Huskies are not currently ranked, nor are they receiving votes in any polls.

Where is UConn in the standings?

Fun fact: UConn is one of two remaining independent football programs at the FBS level. The only other independent is Notre Dame, meaning Syracuse plays both of the nation’s independent teams this season.

What did UConn do last week?

The Huskies opened their 2025 campaign with a 59-13 blowout at home against in-state foe Central Connecticut State. The Blue Devils were NEC co-champs and made the FCS Playoffs last year, so they weren’t necessarily an easy FCS opponent for Jim Mora’s team.

Who is UConn’s quarterback?

While three different quarterbacks saw action against Central Connecticut State, Joe Fagnano is UConn’s starter. He is a rare seventh-year senior who began his career in 2019 as a walk-on at Maine. Keep in mind that Fagano played just eight games across 2020 and 2021 because of a shortened COVID season and an injury. In 2022, a healthy Fagnano put up good numbers despite Maine going just 2-9.

In 2023, Fagnano transferred to UConn and immediately won the starting job, only to suffer a season-ending injury after two games. He returned in 2024, appearing in 10 games, including six starts. Fagnano threw 20 touchdown passes and just four interceptions last year despite going back and forth with Nick Evers all season. It was Fagnano who led the Huskies to their Fenway Bowl victory over North Carolina. He also threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns against Syracuse in the Orange’s 31-24 win last November.

Who are UConn’s other stars?

Cam Edwards is UConn’s starting running back. He needed just six carries against Central Connecticut State to rush for 115 yards. Edwards has also been UConn’s leading rusher each of the past two seasons, combining for over 1,500 career yards. He’ll be featured heavily, especially after rushing for 87 yards against the Orange last season, most of that coming on a 71-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

In the receiving game, Skyler Bell is the player to watch. He had four catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns last week against Central Connecticut State. Bell also racked up over 800 receiving yards as UConn’s leading receiver in 2024. The Syracuse secondary had a tough time with him last season, with Bell catching 10 passes for 113 yards.

Defensively, Temple transfer Tyquan King made his presence known last week, leading the Huskies with eight tackles from his middle linebacker position. Cornerback Cam Chadwick and safety Malachi McLean are also key figures in a secondary that looks solid.

What is UConn’s biggest flaw?

The biggest concern the Huskies have against power-conference opponents like Syracuse is their lack of size on the defensive line. UConn typically lines up in a 3-3-5 formation. But of the six defensive linemen on the two-deep, only one weighs over 300 pounds. A couple are barely 250 pounds. Meanwhile, all of Syracuse’s offensive linemen are over 300 pounds. While that unit had trouble at times against Tennessee, there is no doubt that the Orange has the size and strength to push the Huskies around in the trenches.

How does Syracuse beat UConn?

The path to victory for the Orange is to simply play mistake-free football. Take away the turnovers and some mental mistakes like procedural penalties, and Syracuse could have easily been in a one-possession game in the fourth quarter against Tennessee. As long as the Orange doesn’t hurt itself or make things easier on the Huskies, Syracuse should have enough of a talent edge to beat UConn.

That being said, the Huskies may not be a pushover. They have an experienced quarterback and a proven running back who helped them keep things close in the Dome last season. After a seven-point loss last season, UConn will feel like it can compete with Syracuse, making it imperative for this young Orange team to avoid shooting itself in the foot and give the Huskies any additional reasons to believe that an upset is possible.