By Tiffany Williams –
Central Connecticut struck first, but UConn quickly turned Pratt & Whitney Stadium into a showcase on opening day. The Huskies racked up a school-record 638 yards of offense in front of 37,594 fans — their largest home crowd in more than a decade — and rolled past the Blue Devils 59-13 in East Hartford.
CCSU (0-1) opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game after a botched Huskies snap handed the Blue Devils possession at the 5-yard line. Senior Elijah Howard, already one of the program’s all-time leading rushers, punched it in from two yards out to give Central a 7-0 lead. Howard finished with 59 yards on 11 carries, moving within 17 yards of becoming just the seventh 2,000-yard rusher in Blue Devil history.
But from that point on, it was all UConn (1-0). Quarterback Joe Fagnano responded immediately with an 80-yard strike to Skyler Bell, who was the star of the day with four catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Fagnano added two more touchdown passes and a rushing score, completing 18 of 25 passes for 260 yards before giving way to the reserves. Cam Edwards ripped off a career-long 73-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, finishing with 115 yards on just six carries. By halftime, the Huskies were in full control, leading 35-10.
Even after the starters exited, UConn kept its foot on the gas. Backup QB Nick Evers threw his first Husky touchdown pass to Jackson Harper in the fourth quarter, while MJ Flowers closed the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run. In total, UConn piled up four touchdown passes, four rushing scores, and a field goal while spreading the production across veterans and newcomers alike.
For CCSU, the positives came in flashes. Brady Olson threw for 118 yards, including a 27-yard strike to Dave Pardo that set up a second-quarter field goal. Howard continued his climb up the program’s rushing leaderboard, and kicker Jack Hennessey went 2-for-2 on his first career attempts. On defense, Eric Jackson and Chris Jean led the way with seven and six tackles, respectively, while Wayne Coleman Jr. notched a sack and tackle-for-loss.
The challenge of competing against an FBS program — something CCSU has done every year since 2017 — once again tested the Blue Devils’ depth. Despite controlling time of possession (32:32), Central couldn’t keep pace with UConn’s speed and efficiency. Still, head coach Adam Lechtenberg’s squad will regroup quickly with seven home games ahead, including next week’s opener against AIC, a team the Blue Devils dominated 44-0 in his first game at the helm.
For UConn, the win not only delivered a statement but also energized a fan base that hadn’t packed the Rent like this since 2013. The Huskies head to Syracuse next weekend with momentum — and the sense that their offense might be as explosive as any in recent memory.