UConn Squeaks By Florida Atlantic to End Season on a High
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The UConn Huskies entered the regular season finale against the Florida Atlantic Owls as the clear favorite for the win. They had an 8-3 record with Joe Fagnano and Skyler Bell in incredible form. But, the Owls refused to go down without a fight.
UConn came all guns blazing in the first quarter. Chris Freeman started the proceedings in the first drive itself, converting a 36-yard field goal attempt to put the Huskies on the board. The Owls' first drive also led to a field goal.
However, it was followed by Fagnano’s relentless passing. The Huskies quarterback connected with wide receiver John Neider for his first touchdown of the day, finding him in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown.
TOUCHDOWN! Fagnano➡️Neider! pic.twitter.com/OQf9AXLZBX
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) November 22, 2025
Just minutes later, Fagnano found Shamar Porter on his right and threw a precise pass to him. The wide receiver left one defender on the floor and sprinted to the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown. UConn’s defense handed their QB the ball only a minute later as Malachi McLean caught an interception off Caden Veltkamp.
Fagnano did not disappoint. The Huskies' QB was given a lot of time to find tight end Alex Honig, who made a 20-yard run and leaped into the end zone to make it 24-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Alex Honig!😤
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) November 22, 2025
Huskies lead 24-3. pic.twitter.com/Y6XWcSJLKo
Florida Atlantic fought back in the second quarter, scoring a touchdown less than a minute into the game. Veltkamp rushed in for a 17-yard touchdown to reduce the deficit to just seven points. The Huskies managed a field goal towards the end of the first half to go into the locker room with a 10-point lead at halftime.
Florida Atlantic Fights Back in Second Half
The Owls seemed like a different team altogether in the second half. Kaden Shields-Dutton rushed in for an 11-yard touchdown in the first drive of the half. When the Huskies thought they were going to get the ball back as the Owls were pushed to 4th and one on their own 10, Dom Henry came in clutch.
Veltkamp threw a dart at Henry, and the wide receiver left the Huskies chasing. He stopped, but not before taking the ball to the end zone for a 90-yard touchdown, handing the Owls the lead for the first time. Cam Edwards sneaked in for a one-yard touchdown to go into the fourth quarter with a 34-31 scoreline.
Cam Edwards rushes into the end zone! 😤 pic.twitter.com/J3V55vRrbA
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) November 22, 2025
UConn probably thought that they had gotten the job done when Mel Brown side-stepped his way into the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown. The Huskies had a 10-point lead with just over 10 minutes on the clock, but Veltkamp had other plans.
The Owls' QB found Easton Messer in the middle of four UConn defenders. The wide receiver grabbed the pass and entered the end zone for a 33-yard ‘no look’ touchdown. As if Veltkamp hadn’t done enough, Florida Atlantic’s offensive leader took the matter into his own hands to snap the Huskies’ three-game winning streak.
Veltkamp dodged four defenders on his way to the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown, handing the Owls a 45-41 lead with just over two minutes to spare.
But it is never over until Edwards says it’s over. The Huskies' running back stormed in for a touchdown with just 26 seconds on the clock.
TOUCHDOWN! 😤
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) November 22, 2025
Huskies take the lead with 0:26 remaining. pic.twitter.com/kJjP9PfUjF
The Huskies held on to the three-point lead despite a final drive scare to secure a nine-win season. Veltkam threw 42 completions of 55 passes for 494 yards and two touchdowns, but it was not enough to take down Jim Mora’s men.
Fagnano recorded his career-high numbers, breaching the 400-passing yards mark for the first time in his career. He finished the game with 33 completions of 46 passes for 446 yards and three touchdowns. It was his 11th game without throwing an interception.
The Huskies' receiving unit stepped up once again. Skyler Bell recorded eight carries for 125 yards while Louis Hansen and Shamar Porter racked up 86 yards and 58 yards (one receiving TD). Alex Honig and John Neider also scored one touchdown each to lead the team to victory.
RB Edwards was the star of the night, charting 16 carries for 101 yards and two touchdowns, including the one that gave the Huskies the decisive lead. Mel Brown recorded 10 carries for 70 yards.
The Huskies trailed in both passing and rushing yard but held on to their nerves to secure the win. They finish the season with a 9-3 record and are headed to the postseason with a four-game winning streak.
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.