Grading UConn’s blowout win over Southern Mississippi

UConn needed this bounce back.  

After getting blown out by Maryland last week, the Huskies traveled to Southern Mississippi on Saturday where they came away with a dominant 48-20 win.  

Earlier this week, coach Jason Candle emphasized the importance of his team establishing the rushing game early. The Huskies did just that, finishing Saturday’s game with 212 yards on the ground with two different rushers finding the end zone.  

Kalieb Osborne was excellent as he completed 16-of-22 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns.  He also rushed for 32 yards and two scores on 10 carries.  

UConn’s defense bounced back in a big way, forcing two turnovers.  

Here’s our report card for UConn’s Week 3 win/loss to Southern Miss: 

UConn dominates Southern Miss: Huskies earn first road win

The offense regained its rhythm on Saturday as the Huskies got whatever they wanted against a struggling Southern Miss defense.  

UConn’s passing game was efficient as 10 different players caught the ball. Toledo transfer Ryder Treadwell had his best game yet, catching thee passes for 29 yards. Veteran receiver Shamar Porter continued his strong play as he hauled in two passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.  

The running back trio of Kenji Christian, Cyncir Bowers and Trey Cornist couldn’t be stopped. The three running backs combined for 166 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries.  

After giving up over 500 yards of offense last week, the Huskies stepped up against Southern Miss.  

UConn did not have any takeaways through its first two games but forced two turnovers on Saturday.  

Safety Braedyn Moore picked off a pass from quarterback Ethan Hampton on Southern Miss’s first possession of the game. Defensive lineman Anas Luqman had the defensive play of the night when he intercepted a screen pass and took it back for a 24-yard pick-six.  

UConn couldn’t have asked for a better game from freshman kicker Jack O’Connor. The freshman nailed two field goals from 46, 29 yards out. He knocked in all six of his extra-point attempts.  

Candle called a solid game and did a solid job establishing the run early and often. The improved rushing attack led to Osborne seeing more open receivers throughout the course of Saturday’s contest. 

Defensive coordinator Ryan Manalac put a lot of pressure on both Southern Miss quarterbacks. The sack numbers don’t tell the whole story as the Huskies put a ton of pressure in the pocket, leading to multiple errant throws.  

For the third straight game, Osborne has been UConn’s most outstanding player.  

He was the most dangerous player on the field and moved the chains multiple times when UConn’s offense looked like it stalled.  

His 38-yard touchdown pass to Porter was his most impressive play of the night, turning what would have been a crucial sack on third down into six points.  

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Grading UConn’s blowout win over Southern Mississippi