EAST HARTFORD – After back-to-back weeks blowing fourth-quarter leads and falling in overtime, the UConn football team found itself in another precarious situation late against Ball State on Saturday.
But Cam Edwards and the Huskies’ offense wouldn’t let the lead slip away in front of an announced crowd of 25,025 at Rentschler Field.
Up seven and facing 3rd-and-9 at the two-minute timeout, Edwards evaded a tackler and navigated through the hole created by the Huskies’ offensive line. The Norwalk native wasn’t going to be caught as he hit a second gear and sprinted 67 yards into the end zone, effectively sealing what was ultimately a 31-25 Huskies’ victory after Ball State answered with 11 seconds left.
Edwards finished with 194 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 24 carries.
UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano throws a first-half on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2025 against Ball State at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. (Brian Foley/Clarus Multimedia)
Skyler Bell came one catch shy of the program’s single-game record as he accounted for 14 of Joe Fagnano’s 20 completions and 103 of the Huskies’ 171 passing yards.
The win was UConn’s first against an FBS opponent this season as it improved to 2-2.
The Huskies’ punt team was the star of the first half.
After a fruitless offensive drive to start, Connor Stutz’ first punt was downed at the Ball State 2-yard line by Kylish Hicks. The Cardinals went 3-and-out and a 25-yard punt return from Jackson Harper set the Huskies’ offense up with great field position inside the red zone, where it settled for a 30-yard field goal from Chris Freeman.
Bell kick-started the next offensive series with a 46-yard reception and John Neider, the former walk-on who’s made a name for himself with big plays in back-to-back weeks, came down with a one-handed catch for 26 yards to convert on 4th-and-8 in Ball State territory. Fagnano found Bell again on 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line to cap the drive and extend the lead to 10-0.
Ball State, which hadn’t scored a touchdown against an FBS opponent yet this season, found the endzone to start the second quarter. Qian Magwood, a receiver who had a catch-and-run of 53 yards on a screen pass to get the drive going, took a handoff on 4th-and-short and threw the ball back to QB Kiael Kelly in the end zone 19 yards out to put the Cardinals on the board.
UConn running back Cam Edwards, center, clutches the ball as he works his way through the Ball State defense during the first half of the Huskies’ game at Rentschler Field on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (Brian Foley/Clarus Media)
Punting three times in five first-half possessions, Stutz had one downed by Neider at the 1-yard line with just over two minutes to go in the half and Ball State couldn’t make up for the field position before time expired and UConn took its 10-7 lead into the halftime locker room.
As great as Stutz was, the Huskies did everything they could to keep him off the field in the second half.
UConn’s aggressive play-calling paid off as the Huskies went for it twice on 4th down on their first possession after the break. They converted both times with passes to Bell and Shamar Porter, who went for 33 yards on 4th-and-6 and was tackled at the 1-yard line. It took three plays and a roughing call from there, but Terrence Smith reached across the goal line for a rushing TD to make it 17-7 in favor of the Huskies.
Ball State answered with a 23-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to make it a one-score game, but the Huskies stayed aggressive and Edwards found the edge on 4th-and-short, breaking free for a 32-yard rushing touchdown with just over 10 minutes to go in regulation.
UConn got the ball back after an interception along the sideline by Lee Molette III but had a potential 52-yard game-sealing touchdown run from Edwards called back because of a holding penalty and ended up bring Stutz back onto the field for the first time in the half.
Ball State scored touchdowns on its next two drives, but Edwards had the answers.
Former Huskies Alfred Chea and Nathan Voorhis combined for 11 tackles in the game as Chea led the Cardinals with eight. UConn will see some more familiar faces in former QB Ta’Quan Roberson and receiver Jasaiah Gathings when it makes another short road trip to meet Buffalo on Saturday.
