By Bob Phillips
 |
| Memphis
tight end Joey Magnifico celebrates after scoring a first-period touchdown in the Tigers’ 55-14 rout of the Huskies. |
The Tigers scored first when they capped a six-play, 75-yard
scoring drive when quarterback Brady White hit redshirt junior tight end Joey
Magnifico with a 44-yard catch-and-run scoring pass just 1:48 into the contest.
The Huskies returned the favor on the ensuing possession, marching downfield
and scoring on their own 17-play, 75-yard drive when quarterback David Pindell
scampered into the endzone on a four-yard run. Clayton Harris’s kick knotted
the score at 7-7 at the 7:32 mark.
Sadly for Husky fans, that was the highlight of the game.
Oh, the Huskies would, indeed score one more time—a 14-yard touchdown pass from
Pindell to Keyion Dixon
with 26 seconds left in the first half. But by then, Memphis had scored five
straight touchdowns—that’s five—one in the last minute of the first period and
four in the second period—and had built an insurmountable 41-7 lead.
Yep, that kinda day.
As they seemingly all are.
Second verse, same as the first.
For the game, the high-power Memphis offense gained 378
net yards rushing and 634 total yards on the Husky D.
As for the “road to nowhere” comment, consider the
following:
- This was the fourth time UConn allowed 50 points or more in a game this season.
- The Huskies’ record is 1-5 overall. However, they are 0-5 vs. FBS teams (formerly known as Division 1-A). Their sole victory—a 56-49 win at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field—came over FCS (formerly known as Division 1-AA) foe URI.
- In the five games they’ve dropped, the Huskies have lost by an average of 41.5 points. That translates into a six-touchdown margin per game (factoring in one missed extra point). Let that settle in for a minute…Losing by six touchdowns! Each game!
All of which begs the question: Why are the Huskies still
playing in FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)?
The theory goes that there will be reams of
money in FBS when (and if) a team is invited to a Bowl. That is simply hogwash.
Connecticut lost its shirt (on and off the field) when they were invited to
play in their one and only major Bowl appearance (the Fiesta Bowl in 2011 in
Glendale, Ariz.). In that game, the Huskies were embarrassed by the Oklahoma
Sooners 48-20 (although that score looks like a nail-biter compared to the
games UConn is playing this season). Then, immediately after the game, they
were embarrassed when head coach Randy Edsall did not fly home to Connecticut with
his team. Rather, he hopped a plane to Maryland where he was introduced as the Terrapins’
head coach the next day.
Ouch. (And yet, Edsall somehow found his way back to Storrs
to direct this train wreck of a team. Go figure. Do you think Notre Dame would
have allowed a coach back that had embarrassed them in such a blatant manner?
Michigan? Ohio State? Alabama? USC? Tuscaloosa Community College?)
Oh, and as for that supposed “gold mine” that a Major Bowl
appearance is supposed to generate? Fuggetaboutit.
UConn lost a reported $1.6 million on
their Fiesta Bowl appearance. The reason? UConn was required to purchase $3,349,835 worth of tickets, but realized only $676,248
from ticket sales. Connecticut tried selling its allotment at face value
(between $105 and $255). But discerning fans found tickets far less expensive on
the secondary market (led by ticket re-seller Stub Hub).
Ouch again.
So then, why not play an FCS (Football Championship Series)
schedule where they can at least be competitive in most games?
Good question, huh?
Connecticut now has a bye week off to collect whatever it is
a 1-5 team that gets pounded week after week after week collects before traveling
to Tampa where they will challenge the 5-0 USF Bulls on Oct. 20. It will be
homecoming weekend at USF. Kickoff time and television (if any) TBD.
—with staff reports
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