UConn’s OT Curse Continues in Loss to Rice
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The UConn Huskies were on a four-game winning streak entering Rice Stadium on Saturday to take on the Rice Owls, whose last win came over a month ago. Most had written the home side off even before the game began. But Chase Jenkins and Co. weren’t ready to go down without a fight.
Regulation Recap
The Huskies' defense did not take long to hand the ball to their quarterback. Defensive lineman Trent Jones tackled Daelan Alexander to force a punt, and Fagnano did not disappoint.
UConn QB found Skyler Bell wide open and threw a 20-yard pass to the wide receiver, who ran down the field for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play. The defense followed it up with another forced punt after just 18 yards of gain for the Owls.
TOUCHDOWN! Huskies' first play results in 7. 😤 pic.twitter.com/R9x8spIfa6
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) October 25, 2025
Jim Mora’s team's rushing game did not work, and their second drive lasted only three plays. Rice hit back right before the quarter break as Enock Gota converted his field goal to end the first quarter with a 7-3 scoreline.
The Owls took the lead in the second quarter with Quinton Jackson’s 73-yard run to the end zone. The Huskies continued to struggle and survived only three plays in the following drive, lasting less than a minute.
After trailing for over ten minutes, Fagnano combined with running back Camryn Edwards for the Huskies’ second touchdown of the day. The QB spotted the youngster on his left and threw a pass for a 12-yard TD.
TOUCHDOWN! Fagnano➡️Edwards‼️ pic.twitter.com/NUUaA6aDw5
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) October 25, 2025
Rice responded immediately with Chase Jenkins' pass finding Jackson at UConn45. The RB sprinted to the end zone to put the Owls in front again. However, their defense left Juice Vereen wide open. Fagnano linked with the tight end for his third TD in the first half. The Huskies returned to the locker room leading Rice 21-17 at halftime.
The Huskies dominated the passing game in the first half, gaining 251 yards compared to Rice’s 156. However, they were no match for the home team at the rushing front. The Owls gained 140 rushing yards in the first half while UConn rushed only 30 yards.
UConn extended its lead to seven points as Chris Freeman scored a field goal from 45 yards in the third quarter. It remained the only scoring drive in the third quarter.
The Owls’ RB D’Andre Hardeman Jr. rushed 16 yards to set up 1st and goal before sneaking in for a 10-yard rushing touchdown to make it 24-24 in the fourth quarter. Eight scoreless drives forced the game to overtime.
UConn’s Third Straight Loss in Overtime
Jackson rose to the occasion and rushed in for a six-yard touchdown to hand the Owls the lead. But Fagnano’s 16-yard pass set the Huskies’ 1st and goal, and Edwards stormed into the end zone for a five-yard TD to send the game into its second overtime.
The Huskies’ QB threw two incompletions and a three-yard pass, forcing the team to go for a field goal. UConn failed to stop one man throughout the game, and Jackson left the Huskies reeling again as he sprinted to the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown.
Fagnano finished the game with 32 completions of 48 passes for 348 yards and three TDs. Bell also had an incredible outing, charting eight carries for 158 yards and one touchdown. But Rice’s Jackson had the last laugh. He recorded 21 carries for 168 yards and three TDs, and caught three passes for 80 receiving yards and one receiving TD.
Nishant is a sports writer with over four years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and soccer. He has bylines in several reputable digital media platforms, including Sportskeeda, Athlon Sports, Pro Football & Sports Network, and PinkVilla. He's known for delivering insightful and engaging coverage on everything, turning game-day grit into punchy storytelling.