EAST HARTFORD, Nov. 1, 2024 – Mel Brown ran for a game-high 138 yards and a touchdown as the UConn football team became bowl-eligible for the second time in three years with a 34-27 win over Georgia State Friday night at Rentschler Field.
The Huskies (6-3) ran for 271 yards and three touchdowns in the final home game of the season before 22,038 fans. UConn closed out the home portion of their schedule with a 6-1 record, the most wins before home fans since going 6-0 in 2010.
Connecticut is bowl-eligible for the eighth time since the Huskies moved up to the FBS level. UConn’s final three games of the regular season are on the road.
The Huskies started out quickly with a 10-0 lead. A 52-yard run from Brown set up the Huskies on the seven-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Nick Evers hit tight end Louis Hansen in the flat and he dove over the front pylon for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Chris Freeman’s 42-yard field goal extended the lead to 10 with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter.
Georgia State (2-6) clawed back in the second quarter and a Zach Gibson to Ted Hurst 11-yard touchdown and Liam Rickman 30-yard field goal, coming off a UConn fumble, tied the game at 10-10 with 3:29 left in the half.
The Panthers had the ball and driving for late first half points but defensive back D’Mon Brinsongot his first career interception with 1:00 left in the half, setting the Huskies up for a late field goal. Freeman knocked through a 28-yarder for a 13-10 lead at the half.
UConn opened the second half getting the ball and put together a six-play, 75-yard drive that featured a 46-yard run from Cam Edwards and finished with Durell Robinson plunging in from a yard out for his sixth touchdown on the season and a 20-10 lead.
Georgia State answered with the longest scoring drive allowed by the UConn defense this season, 16-plays, but the Panthers were forced to settle for another Rickman field goal to pull within 20-13.
The Huskies dominated the start of the fourth quarter as Evers finished off an eight-play drive with a five-yard touchdown run off-tackle to make it 27-13.
The UConn defense got their second interception of the night on the next possession as safety Malik Dixon Williams intercepted Christian Veilleux on the sidelines at the Panther 31-yard line. On the next play, Brown burst up the right sidelines for the touchdown, clinching his second 100-yard effort this season and making it 34-13 with 11:26 remaining
The Panthers made it interesting down the stretch as Freddie Brock ripped off a 55-yard touchdown up the middle of the defense with 9:57 left then a late Gibson scramble for six to cap a 12-play drive to pull within 34-27 with 1:47 left in the game.
Georgia State lined up for an onside kick but UConn recovered then converted on a fourth down to get in position to kneel out the clock on the win.
Georgia State’s Gibson finished 28-of-40 for 257 yards a touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the loss.
Next, UConn plays at Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2:30 p.m. It will be streamed on ESPN+.
UConn 34, Georgia State 27 At East Hartford
Georgia State (2-6) 0 10 3 14 — 27
UConn (6-3) 10 3 7 14 — 34 First quarter
C: Louis Hansen 2 pass from Nick Evers (Chris Freeman kick), 12:31
C: Freeman 42 FG, 3:36 Second quarter
G: Ted Hurst 7 pass from Zach Gibson (Liam Rickman kick), 13:36
G: Rickman 30 FG, 3:29
C: Freeman 28 FG, 0:20 Third quarter
C: Durell Robinson 1 run (Freeman kick), 12:01
G: Rickman 20 FG, 4:36 Fourth quarter
C: Evers 5 run (Freeman kick), 12:54
C: Mel Brown 31 run (Freeman kick), 11:26
G: Freddie Brock 55 run (Rickman kick), 9:31
G: Gibson 2 run (Rickman kick), 1:47 Individual statistics
RUSHING: Georgia State – Brock 10-78, Gibson 7-16, Dukes 5-13, Beasley 1-2, Lowe 3-6; UConn – Brown 14-138, Edwards 13-88, Evers 9-25, Robinson 6-21
PASSING: Georgia State – Gibson 28-40-1, 257, Veilleux 1-2, 11, Lowe 1-1, minus 3; UConn – Evers 10-16-0, 75
RECEIVING: Georgia State – Hurst 7-91, Dukes 4-46, Tucker 5-43, Credle 4-39, Brock 4-24, Fleming 4-18, Laney 1-7, Murray 1-minus 3, UConn – Hansen 5-22, Bell 2-20, Brown 2-18, Porter 1-15
