UConn Silences the “Echoes”, Beats Notre Dame in Double Overtime

Courtesy of the Hartford Courant

UConn came into South Bend with a 4-5 record and with a 3-game losing streak. The Huskies hadn’t won a game since October 17th when they beat Louisville at home. Since that win against the Cardinals, the Huskies lost a teammate and brother in Jasper Howard and three heartbreaking games. The Huskies needed something good to happen, and it finally happened this past Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.

The Huskies finally pulled out a close victory, as they defeated the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, 33-30, in double overtime. It was the first win for the team since the murder of Howard, and it was a very emotional victory. Head Coach Randy Edsall started crying while being interviewed after the game.

“You’ve got to understand what this team has gone through,” he said. “A couple of close games, and then you lose a teammate, you lose a brother, you lose a son, and you’re trying so hard to honor him by winning on the field. We hadn’t done that.”

Courtesy of the Hartford Courant

Coach Edsall called the victory, “the best win” the program has ever had. “We’re just thankful that we were able to finally put together a win,” Edsall said. “So now we can take a game ball and send it down to … the Howard family because I know one thing — that little No. 6 was looking down on us today.”

Connecticut running back Andre Dixon scores the winning touchdown in the second overtime period against Notre Dame during an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009.(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The Huskies were led by their running game. Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon both had outstanding games, and led the team to victory. Todman rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, but his biggest play came in the third quarter when he returned a kickoff 96-yards for a score. The touchdown tied the game at 17, and was the spark, the team needed for the comeback victory. Dixon had a great game as well, as he finished with 114 yards on 20 carries, and the game winning touchdown in the 2nd overtime.

“It’s a great feeling after all the games where we came up close and didn’t finish the game,” Dixon said. “I think this is the loudest I’ve ever heard a stadium get in all my time playing college football. It’s a great win.”

Courtesy of the Hartford Courant

Quarterback Zach Frazer, who transferred to UConn from Notre Dame, played a solid game, as he finished 12 of 25 passing for 141 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Frazer said the win was big for him. “It means a lot to me and it means a lot to this university,” he said. “We won this one for Jazz.”

With the win, the Huskies improve to 5-5 on the year, with two games remaining. The Huskies need just one more win to become bowl eligible. The team returns home next Saturday, when they take on Big East rival Syracuse at the Rent, with kick-off coming at noon.

UConn Makes First Trip To Notre Dame

Notre Dame Stadium

After a much needed bye week, the UConn Huskies are back on the field this week to prepare for their first ever meeting with College Football power house, Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish come into the game as losers of two straight, the last loss being to another Big East team in Pittsburgh. Notre Dame is always in the news, and this week is no different. After what can be looked at as a dissapointing season thus far, Head Coach Charlie Weis is under pressure and is in jeopardy of losing his job.

Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis

UConn hopes that the Irish continue to struggle, as they themselves look for their first win since beating Louisville on October 17. Since that victory the Huskies have gone through a tough three and half weeks, with tragically losing a teammate and brother in Jasper Howard, losing starting quarterback Cody Endres for the rest of the year to a shoulder injury, and losing three straight games in heartbreaking fashion. Head Coach Randy Edsall has even pondered how much his team can take, “I just don’t know how much more we can take. We’ll just keep fighting, that’s all i know to do.”

After a week off to relax, clear their heads and get back to just playing football, the Huskies can go out and not only compete, but come through with a victory at Notre Dame. It will be the Huskies first ever football game against Notre Dame, even though all other UConn sports compete against the Fightin’ Irish in Big East Conference competition.

One of the big story lines in this week’s game is that UConn quarterback Zach Frazer will be looking for some redemption against his former team, as he transfered to UConn from Notre Dame. Frazer was one of the nation’s top quarterbacks coming out of high school, and chose to play for Charlie Weis. However, his stay was short lived, as he transfered after his freshman year when it became clear that he wasn’t going to be the guy under center for the Irish (that job of course went to the blond-haired, Southern California raised, prized recruit, Jimmy Clausen). Frazer hopes to play well against his former team, and bring home a victory for UConn. He just needs to play relaxed and try and not get caught up in all the “hoop-la,” that is Notre Dame.

Notre Dame Quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

The Huskies, lead by Frazer, hope to silence the “echoes” and keep Touch-Down Jesus on their side this weekend. The game will be nationaly televised on NBC (just as every Notre Dame home game is), with Kick-off at 2:30pm ET.