It was an amazing turnaround for UConn this year Myrtle Beach Bowl – UConn +10.0 vs Marshall – Raise your hand if you saw UConn making a bowl game. OK, Big Al you can leave your up. The rest of you, no you didn’t. Before Jim Mora took over for the Huskies, the Fighting Insurance Salesmen we next level awful. UConn won exactly ten games since 2015, hadn’t had a winning season since 2010, didn’t play in 2020, and a 2019 victory over UMass was the lone win against an FBS team since the middle of the 2017 season.
But this year, UConn shocked Fresno State as it went on a 5-1 run to get bowl eligible before dropping the regular season finale. It’s been a wildly successful year no matter what happens here.
They last time UConn played in a bowl was in 2015 against, of all teams, Marshall in the 2015 St Petersburgh Bowl.
But this year, UConn shocked Fresno State as it went on a 5-1 run to get bowl eligible before dropping the regular season finale. It’s been a wildly successful year no matter what happens here.
They last time UConn played in a bowl was in 2015 against, of all teams, Marshall in the 2015 St Petersburgh Bowl.
Khalan Laborn has over 1,400 yards rushing The Thundering Herd, winners of four straight games, has one of the most balanced offenses in the nation with 2,467 rushing yards and 2,403 passing yards this season. Freshman QB Cam Fancher took over the offense in the second half of the season after Henry Colombi got injured. Fancher, averages more than five carries a game and has put up a healthy 223 rushing yards on scramble attempts. Along with RB Khalan Laborn (1,423 yards, 12th overall) the Herd run the ball 61% of the time.
Despite the one-two punch on the ground, Marshall has severe issues in scoring opportunities. The Herd average just 2.7 points per trip inside the 40-yard line, ranking near dead last in red zone efficiency.
The Huskies struggled to stop the rushing attack against numerous opponents. A bottom-20 number in TFL indicates that opponents had control of the trenches. The hope for UConn is limiting explosive plays and looking for Marshall to continue its struggle in the red zone.
Despite the one-two punch on the ground, Marshall has severe issues in scoring opportunities. The Herd average just 2.7 points per trip inside the 40-yard line, ranking near dead last in red zone efficiency.
The Huskies struggled to stop the rushing attack against numerous opponents. A bottom-20 number in TFL indicates that opponents had control of the trenches. The hope for UConn is limiting explosive plays and looking for Marshall to continue its struggle in the red zone.
Marshall's defense is #1 on third downs Unfortunately, this matchup does not play into the Huskies strengths. UConn lives and dies by their ground attack (ranked 36th) but they are going up against the 10th best rushing defense in the country. Marshall also thrives on the ground but the Huskies have just the 92nd ranked ground game in the country. UConn does not have a strong enough passing game to turn to if they can't run the ball, with a passing attack that features a short passing game and is ranked a pathetic 127th
Marshall has one of the most fierce defenses of all Group of Five teams. DC Lance Guidry employs a complicated scheme for opposing offenses, frequently showing two down linemen and a host of players standing up in the tackle box. The Marshall defense is one of the best nationally in limiting first downs on the ground, and is number 1 in third down stops forcing UConn to turn to their passing game which is awful. The Herd run defense should hold up well. The UConn passing game won’t make up for it.
The Big Al rule is in effect so I won’t be investing though the under is there for those who can stomach it.
Marshall has one of the most fierce defenses of all Group of Five teams. DC Lance Guidry employs a complicated scheme for opposing offenses, frequently showing two down linemen and a host of players standing up in the tackle box. The Marshall defense is one of the best nationally in limiting first downs on the ground, and is number 1 in third down stops forcing UConn to turn to their passing game which is awful. The Herd run defense should hold up well. The UConn passing game won’t make up for it.
The Big Al rule is in effect so I won’t be investing though the under is there for those who can stomach it.
