UConn comes up just short, falls to Wyoming 24-22

Sep. 26—EAST HARTFORD — For the fifth time in five games this season the UConn football team's opponent entered its game against the Huskies unbeaten. And, like Fresno State, Holy Cross, Purdue, and Army before it, Wyoming left the field still sporting its unblemished record.

But this time, the result was somehow different.

The Huskies have some fight in them, finally.

Wyoming scored 14 points in the game's final seven minutes to rally past UConn 24-22 late Saturday afternoon at Pratt & Whitney Stadium.

UConn's Nate Carter scored a touchdown on a 2-yard run with four seconds left in the game, capping a drive that was kept alive by three pass interference penalties on Wyoming, to pull the Huskies within two.

The two-point conversion attempt that would have sent the game to overtime, however, saw UConn quarterback Tyler Phommachanh's pass batted down by Wyoming safety Rom Weber.

"There's a fine line in this business. Hopefully next week we'll make the catch," UConn interim coach Lou Spanos said.

UConn (0-5) has lost nine straight games dating back to 2019. It has also dropped 29 of its last 30 games against FBS opponents.

None of those were perhaps quite as painful as this one for the Huskies. Having been rather horrible for much the season, UConn was more than competitive and was in good position to claim victory in a game that Wyoming was favored to win by 31 points.

The Huskies led Wyoming (4-0) for nearly the entire game, surrendering the lead in the waning moments.

"They're undefeated for a reason," Spanos said. "That begins said, we don't want to lose. We don't. It stinks but you can see the kids are working hard."

Wyoming took its first lead game thanks to a 23-yard third-down pass from Sean Chambers to Ayden Eberhardt that moved the ball down to the UConn 1. The play was doubly painful for the Huskies as cornerback Myles Bell suffered a bad injury to his left leg on the play and had to be taken off on a golf cart.

Xazavian Valladay scored on a 1-yard run on the next play for the Cowboys, giving them a 17-16 lead with 6:31 to play in the game.

On the first UConn play of the ensuing possession, Phommachanh was intercepted by Wyoming safety Esais Gandy and the Cowboys scored again five plays later to make it 24-16.

The Huskies had their first halftime lead this season, going into the break ahead 13-3.

But Wyoming took the second half kickoff and marched 69 yards to quickly cut the deficit. Quarterback Sean Chambers hit Isaiah Neyor with an 18-yard touchdown pass to get the Cowboys within three points.

The margin was pushed back to six after UConn kicker Joe McFadden's third field goal of the game, a 35-yarder with 11:16 to play in the game that made it 16-10.

UConn running back Brian Brewton, who had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Huskies' previous game, returned the opening kickoff 43 yards Saturday. UConn moved the ball down to the Wyoming 11 before its drive stalled, but it did take a quick 3-0 lead — its first lead over an FBS opponent this season — on McFadden's 28-yard field goal.

Wyoming, which punted on its first possession, had a chance to knot the score late in the first quarter but John Hoyland's 43-yard attempt hit the right upright.

The Huskies built a double-digit lead late in the first quarter thanks to a well-timed trick play.

A flea-flicker, with Phommachanh taking a pitch back and hitting a wide-open Jay Rose near the 20-yard line, stunned the Cowboys, not to mention the home crowd. The UConn tight end covered the rest of the real estate, flipping into the end zone for a touchdown that put the Huskies ahead 10-0.

A second McFadden field goal early in the second quarter, which followed an interception by Bell, made it 13-0 Huskies.

Wyoming staged a 16-play drive following that score, eating up over eight minutes of the second quarter, but had to settle for a field goal of its own at the end. John Hoyland's 24-yard kick cut the visitors' deficit to 13-3.

Phommachanh finished 19-for-40 for 171 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Carter had 65 yards on 10 carries for the Huskies.

Valladay had 101 yards on 22 carries.

MISSING MEN

UConn played extremely short-handed, with three players out due to injuries. Defensive tackle Travis Jones (right foot), linebacker Omar Fortt (right foot), and long snapper Brian Keating (left wrist) were all out of action.

FAMILIAR FACE

Former UConn football running back Nick Giaquinto served as the team's honorary game captain Saturday. Giaquinto, who played parts of five seasons in the NFL and earned a Super Bowl ring with Washington in 1983, was the longtime baseball coach at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Neill covers UConn men's basketball and UConn football teams, and he keeps a finger on the pulse of Connecticut sports. For live game updates, and more insight into UConn athletics, player transfers, and team changes, follow Neill on Twitter: @NeillOstrout, Facebook: JINeillO, and Instagram: @NeillOstrout.