UConn football upsets No. 19 Liberty to reach six-win mark, bowl eligibility for first time since 2015

Nov. 12—EAST HARTFORD — In an offensive meeting during UConn football's preseason camp, freshman quarterback Zion Turner was asked what he hoped to achieve in the 2022 season.

"I want to take the team to a bowl game," Turner responded.

Turner made good on that promise Saturday.

Trailing by five points with under six minutes remaining, Turner connected with Kevens Clercius on a 30-yard touchdown pass then hit Aaron Turner on the two-point conversion attempt to give the Huskies the lead for good en route to a 36-33 victory over No. 19 Liberty Saturday at Pratt & Whitney Stadium.

"This one, something about it just feels so amazing," linebacker Jackson Mitchell said. "In that locker room, we know how low we were, how many hard times we've been through and so for us to get to this moment, it's just a lot of shared emotions, a lot hugs, a lot of smiles, a lot of laughs. Just because we're so happy and so grateful to be in this position."

UConn forced a three-and-out on Liberty's ensuing drive and, after failing on their own fourth-down try, ended the game on defense by turning the Flames over on downs with 41 seconds left.

Liberty quarterback Johnathan Bennett threw three-straight incompletions with junior defensive end Eric Watts applying pressure on third and fourth down.

Watts finished with six tackles, 1 1/2 sacks and forced a fumble. Senior linebacker Ian Swenson made 11 tackles.

The announced crowd of 15,107 stormed onto the field in jubilation, knowing the win clinched a record of at least .500 or better and bowl eligibility in head coach Jim Mora's first season.

UConn (6-5) earned its first over a ranked opponent since 2015, when the Huskies defeated No. 13 Houston 20-17 in 2015. That was also the last time UConn was in a bowl game, losing to Marshall in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

"That was a really fun game to be a part of. I'm so happy for the young men in that locker room. I'm so happy for this program. They showed a lot of a lot of willpower today," Mora said. "It's fun to win your sixth game, it's fun to beat a ranked opponent. But I think more than anything, it's just those kids, man, those young men. If you could be in there with them and you could see what it means to them, all they've been through. The way they've stuck together, persevered, continued to believe and go through that three-game stretch where we were getting beat pretty soundly and they just never wavered. I think it just goes to the strength of their character."

UConn will visit Army in its regular season finale with an opportunity to reach the seven-win mark for the first time since 2010.

TJ Green led Liberty (8-2) with 119 yards rushing and a touchdown on 24 carries. Bennett went 22 for 36 for 201 yards and a TD. Liberty's only previous loss came against Top 25-ranked Wake Forest in September.

For the fifth time this season, UConn scored a touchdown on its first offensive drive. Its eight-play, 51-yard drive was capped by a 16-yard rushing touchdown by true freshman and Bristol native Victor Rosa. It was Rosa's team leading seventh touchdown of the season.

After a Liberty field goal and a UConn punt, the Huskies extended their lead as Eric Watts forced a fumble which was picked up by Mitchell. The junior scooped and scored from 31 yards out to give UConn a 14-3 lead in the final two minutes of the first quarter.

"I was just running for the ball, ball came out and I saw the opportunity," Mitchell said, "and I knew I had to score this time since I didn't score last week."

Mitchell leads the country with five fumble recoveries and has now recovered a fumble in three straight games.

The Huskies defense notched another takeaway on the Flames' next drive, as sophomore defensive back Chris Shearin picked off Liberty quarterback Johnathan Bennett on the UConn 22 and took the ball to midfield.

But Liberty clawed its way back into the game in the second quarter, as a botched backward pass by UConn backup quarterback Cale Millen was picked up by the Flames' Durell Johnson, setting up an eventual touchdown as Bennett connected with CJ Yarbrough to cut into the UConn lead 14-10.

After starting the drive with a 58-yard run, Robert Burns rumbled his way into the end zone from one yard out to extend the Huskies' lead to 21-10 with 5:16 remaining in the half.

UConn's defense forced the Flames to punt from the back of their end zone, but Zion Turner was picked off on third and 12 by Ahmad Walker at midfield. Liberty marched down the field and cut the Huskies' lead to 21-17 on a one-yard touchdown plunge from Malik Caper.

Liberty received the opening second half kickoff and drove 80 yards on seven plays, capped by a one-yard touchdown run with a goal line rush by T.J. Greene. The Flames' 24-21 lead was their first of the game.

The Eagles extended the lead to 27-21 on a 34-yard field goal by Nick Brown with 4:24 in the third quarter. Outscored 10-0 in the third, UConn was only able to accumulate 19 yards of total offense.

On UConn's ensuing drive, the Flames were called for a 15-yard illegal hands to the face penalty and a five-yard offsides infraction and Walker was ejected for targeting, which gave UConn 15 yards and a first down after punter George Caratan had already run on the field.

Two plays later, Rosa took a handoff and broke several tackles en route to his second score of the day and eighth of the season on a 27-yard scamper to give the Huskies a 28-27 lead.

But the Huskies' one-point advantage would only last 13 seconds as Demario Douglas took a handoff on the first play of the Flames' ensuing drive and ran 75 yards down the left sideline and into the endzone to give Liberty a 33-28 lead after a failed two-point conversion attempt.

Liberty decided to keep its offense on the field on fourth and 1 on its own 45 with 8:40 left, but Mitchell dragged Caper down for a four-yard loss on a swing pass to force a turnover on downs.

After picking up nine yards on three plays, Turner rumbled ahead for a gain of two and a first down on fourth and 1 to keep the Huskies' drive alive. On the next play, Turner dropped a perfect pass into Clercius' hands to give UConn the lead for good.

Turner completed 15 of 21 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown while also throwing an interception.

"That's a feeling that can't be matched. Just the fans, you know, this was everything we wanted to bring this program back to, just to have the fans have pride in this program once again," Turner said. "It's a great feeling and to see them rush the field, I know it means a lot to them and taking pictures with the fans, it was a great feeling."

Burns led UConn's rushing attack with 104 yards — his career-high and first ever 100-yard game — and a touchdown on 11 carries while Rosa added 10 carries for 62 yards and two scores.

"Just watching the pace of the game, just how we ran the ball efficiently for most of the season. I was telling someone earlier, I don't feel like it matters what back is in there, our O-line does such a great job of dialing things up. They just make the game a lot easier for us," Burns said.

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