As we countdown to kickoff in September, we’re doing a team-by-team opponent preview. Today, we're previewing Syracuse's matchup with Cal on Nov. 9 with our friend Cole Stefan over at UConn Report.

Offense: Cam Edwards and Victor Rosa combined to form one of the nation’s top running back tandems in the FBS last season. Both can facilitate the offense, but Edwards will have more of an impact on UConn’s overall success on the ground in 2024. The Norwalk, Connecticut, native edged Rosa by 56 rushing yards and also gained more through the air despite playing two fewer contests. There is almost no doubt that Edwards could pick up 1,000 rushing, let alone scrimmage, yards within 12 games this season.

Defense: All three of the Huskies’ 2025 Shrine Bowl 1,000 watchlist selections play in the trenches. Redshirt junior Pryce Yates will wreak the most havoc out of any of those linemen, though; it makes sense given that he was the team’s top tackling machine. Yates led Connecticut with 14 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks last season, complementing his takedown prowess with two forced fumbles and two pass breakups. Taking charge on the defensive line should increase the 6-foot-4 veteran’s draft stock and his chances of landing on an All-American team.

Offense - Gordon Sammis takes over the offensive coordinator reins from Nick Charlton, who departed in March to join the Cleveland Browns organization. As he develops in his new role, so will graduate wide receiver Brett Buckman. The second-year transfer from Delaware has the most receiving yards (488) and receptions (46) of any returning Husky; he was also one of three players who recorded a 40-yard reception. Buckman will undoubtedly be his starting quarterback’s primary passing weapon, and his speed should lead him to a 500-yard campaign if Sammis’ sturdy offensive line stands strong.

Defense - UConn found their defensive coordinator, meanwhile, from the Power Four, landing Mississippi State’s Matt Brock in the same role. Brock’s defenses thrive on relentless linebacker play, and his coaching style could turn senior stalwart Tui Faumuina-Brown into a juggernaut. Only two Huskies had more than Faumuina-Brown’s 61 total tackles, and his 29 assists were second on the team. Do not be surprised if the Pittsburgh native emerges as the squad’s most dynamic play-stopper, given the losses they suffered in their linebacker corps.

Five of the 12 teams UConn faces this year went bowling in 2023. The Duke Blue Devils and Maryland Terrapins possessed the best record among those who did. The Huskies’ six-game homestand from mid-September to early November features manageable matchups against the Temple Owls and Buffalo Bulls. Winning at least half of those contests at Rentschler Field during that seven-week span would be incredibly huge. Taking another two on the road, excluding their annual clash with the UMass-Amherst Minutemen, should all but secure Connecticut’s second bowl appearance in three years.

Only the Huskies themselves can stop their bowl game aspirations. That is how it feels, at least. UConn had trouble protecting leads, especially at the Rent, and the defense’s overall level of play declined last season. Their losses on both sides of the trenches and in the linebacker department make matters much worse. Several veterans remain in both positions, but even their expertise might not be enough to assist the influx of incoming players. If the defense takes a second step back and/or the new-look passing game underperforms, the Huskies could be looking at a frustrating 2-10 campaign.

Connecticut is a program on the rise because of their incoming transfers. Head coach Jim Mora’s 26-person portal class ranks 19th in the nation, 46 spots higher than last season, and tied with the Syracuse Orange. That ranking also puts the Huskies ahead of teams like the Texas Longhorns, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the national champion Michigan Wolverines. Among the transfers are multiple former four-star recruits and players addressing several areas of positional need. Mora’s 2025 recruiting class, currently tied for 90th out of 134 FBS programs as of July 31, also shows promise.

UConn primarily spent their offseason reloading their passing game, which ranked 102nd in the FBS. Three-star transfer quarterback Nick Evers enters from Wisconsin and should be graduate gunslinger Joe Fagnano’s main competition for the starting job. Evers, a four-star recruit out of high school, has demonstrated that he can both throw the ball far and scramble on the ground. Even if he does not win the starting gig, keep an eye out for the two-time FBS transfer when the Huskies run a scrambling play.

Whoever ends up starting the season opener in College Park, Maryland, later this month will have several new targets downfield. Among the notable options are fellow Wisconsin transfer Skyler Bell, a redshirt junior wideout with two years of eligibility remaining. Bell ranked second among the Badgers with 296 receiving yards on 38 catches, serving as a reliable No. 2 receiver in an air raid offense. The redshirt junior never eclipsed 60 yards in any game last year, but perhaps a new offensive scheme may vastly improve his numbers.

For all the upgrades Connecticut made to their passing game through the portal, no departure hurt more than tight end Justin Joly’s. The New York native shined as the Huskies’ top downfield threat in 2023, leading the team with 578 receiving yards on a program-record 56 catches. Only eight other tight ends in the nation had more yards than Joly did; just one, Colorado State’s Dallin Hoker, caught more passes. His sensational sophomore numbers earned the Iona prep alum a spot on the All-New England Team. Joly transferred to North Carolina State in January and will have two years of eligibility left.

The transfer portal struck UConn’s defensive backs rather than their line or linebackers. Redshirt senior Chris Shearin provided stability in a relatively unstable secondary. The Suffolk, Virginia, native was the only Husky with multiple interceptions last season, and he recorded them on consecutive Saturdays. No Connecticut player broke up more than Shearin’s nine passes across the 2022 and 2023 campaigns combined. Make no mistake, throwing a ball in the 5-foot-11 defensive back’s direction was a tall task. Shearin transferred to James Madison and has (most likely) one year of eligibility remaining.

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