UConn 1 win away from first BCS berth

Before a sellout crowd at Rentschler Field on Saturday afternoon, the Connecticut Huskies defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 38-17.  In doing so, UConn generated some votes for a Top-25 ranking.  But that's besides the point right now.  The Huskies are in first place in the Big East and they control their own destiny: if they win the season finale at South Florida on December 4, they win the Big East (thanks to having tiebreakers over both WestVa and Pitt) and take the conference's AQ bid to the Fiesta Bowl.  Needless to say, this would be UConn's first-ever BCS berth.

UConn's MVP: Jordan Todman (H/T Hartford Courant)

But really, the Big East is wide open right now.  6 of its 8 teams are bowl eligible.  3 different teams could win the conference.  And UConn, which is just 1-4 on the road, must beat South Florida in Tampa next weekend if it wants to emerge as champs.  That is not going to be easy, mind you.  The Bulls have won 4 of their past 5 games, including a 23-20 road win over Miami (FL) on Saturday.

So what can UConn do to help their chances of beating South Florida?

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UConn football in the Fiesta Bowl?

No really, I'm serious, and so are others.  By winning out vs. Cincinnati and South Florida (and with a little help from West Virginia by beating Pitt in the Backyard Brawl) UConn can win the Big East and automatically qualify for a BCS bowl.  Namely, the Fiesta Bowl against the Big 12 champ.

The key is that WestVa vs. Pitt matchup.  Pitt currently sits atop the Big East standings, followed by UConn and then WestVa.  UConn owns the tiebreaker over both schools (two huge home wins, by the way).  So if WestVa knocks off Pitt and UConn wins out, UConn takes the cheese.  And a moderately raucous fan base erupts in East Hartford.

This is totally possible, by the way.  As Ty Duffy said, file Dave Wannstedt in a big game under things I don't trust.  And UConn has a winnable game vs. Cincinnati at home (the Bearcats have given up the most points --by far -- of any Big East team this season, and UConn is 5-0 at Rentschler Field), plus a decent matchup against middle-of-the-road South Florida in balmy Tampa on Dec. 4.

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UConn football preview: time for Randy Edsall to shine

Many people know UConn as a basketball school, but did you know they play football too?  Well, they do, and the Huskies are primed for a big season.

Jordan Todman in action.  Photo credit here.

A few minutes ago, ESPN.com ran several UConn football headlines on its front page.  Head coach Randy Edsall is front-and-center, as he should be.  The must-read item is this article discussing how unconventional -- yet refreshing and inspiring -- Edsall's path to success has been at UConn.  Couldn't agree more.  The man does everything right.  He sticks with his assistants.  He never says the wrong thing to the media.  He chairs the NCAA's Football Rules Committee.  He has persevered through tragedy.  He has increased the number of Huskies in the NFL from 1 to 13.  He has negotiated huge road games against teams like Notre Dame, Michigan, and Tennessee, all of which gets the UConn program onto the national stage.

Coach Randy Edsall.  Photo credit here.

Oh, and how Edsall has succeeded on the field at Connecticut.  He brought the team from Division I-AA to Division I-A, then into the Big East, then to a co-Big East championship....all in a span of eleven seasons.  He has put 13 players in the NFL, including 4 in the first two rounds in 2009.  He has produced a 3-1 record in bowl games, including a 20-7 win over South Carolina in 2009.  (He has done all this, by the way, while maintaining an impeccable public image.  He has kept himself and UConn completely scandal-free...unlike certain other college football coaches.)  Last, but certainly not least, he squashed Notre Dame in South Bend on national TV last year.

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