Two teams that are hungry for a victory clash Saturday when UConn hosts Syracuse in nonconference action from East Hartford, Conn.
The Huskies (2-2) have lost two of their last three games, including a setback at Miami (Ohio) last weekend. They led 14-0 after less than nine minutes but failed to make much noise the rest of the way en route to a 24-21 defeat.
Kalieb Osborne threw for 215 yards with a touchdown and two turnovers for UConn, while adding a team-high 68 rushing yards and a score. He has seven TD passes and two interceptions on the season, in addition to a team-best 220 yards on the ground.
“We’ve got to continue to coach and work to establish the culture and the foundation that we want and live with some of the mistakes that some of our young players are going to make,” Huskies coach Jason Candle said. “How we respond to those successes and to those failures, I think ultimately determines your fate.”
The Orange (1-2) are looking to snap a two-game skid, as they opened ACC play with defeats to Cal and Pitt before a bye last weekend.
Despite the extra practice time, Syracuse has opted not to make a full-time change at quarterback. It appears likely that both Steve Angeli, who struggled against Pitt, and Amari Odom, who went 8-for-8 for 51 yards in relief that day, could see action Saturday.
“We’re going to stick with what we’ve been doing at quarterback,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. “But we have a mixture of wanting to try and play more than one guy. I am excited about our guys, and the competition we have here.”
One potential bonus for the Orange is the impending debut of freshman Calvin Russell III, a highly recruited wideout who tore his Achilles in March but has made a speedy recovery.
“(He’ll play) as much as possible, as much as his body allows him and as much as our training room says he can,” Brown said. “I’m really happy and excited about Calvin playing.”
Syracuse has won the last six matchups between the teams.
