Army dominates UConn at Fenway

UConn’s Matt Hoffman holds up the ball after recovering a fumble in the first quarter of Saturday’s Fenway Bowl. (Photo courtesy UConn Athletics)

It was an awkward scene for the fans of the UConn football team at the Fenway Bowl on Saturday on the grass at Fenway Park in Boston.

Many of the players who propelled the Huskies to nine wins this season and a second straight bowl bid were not available. Head coach Jim Mora was in Colorado tackling his newest assignment at Colorado State.

Veteran QB Joe Fagnano wasn’t on the field, preparing for a shot at the National Football League. All-American wide receiver Skyler Bell played one series before retiring to the sideline. Backup QB Nick Evers wasn’t available after declaring for the transfer portal.

Army, meanwhile, was its normal run-dominating selves as the Cadets beat the Huskies, 41-16 before 22,461 fans on a cold December afternoon. It was 23 degrees at kickoff.

Norwalk’s Cam Edwards has declared he will enter the transfer portal but he was on the field. He ran for a team-leading 108 yards and a touchdown. Edwards eclipsed 100 rushing yards for the fifth time this season and the ninth time in his career, finishing with 108 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.

But UConn QB Ksaan Farrar looked like a young man making his first collegiate football start. It’s tough to make your first start in the final game of the season against a team with a season full of collegiate experience.

Army’s freshman Godspower Nwawuihe ran for a game-high 171 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cades (7-6). QB Cale Hellums, suffering from the flu according to the ESPN television crew, ran for 48 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and completed 7-of-8 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.

UConn took a 7-0 lead on their second drive of the game. Edwards converted on fourth down for the Huskies, scampering outside for a 34-yard gain to set up a 12-yard score for his 15th rushing touchdown of the season, giving UConn an early 7-0 lead.

Army (7-6) responded on its next possession, with Cale Hellums finding Noah Short for a 40-yard touchdown pass to tie the score at 7-7 with six minutes left in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, UConn’s D’Mon Brinson forced an Army fumble and teammate Matt Hoffman recovered for the Huskies. But Connecticut couldn’t convert on the miscue.

After punting, Army completed a 10-play, 90-yard touchdown drive, with Nwawuihe rushing for a 43-yard touchdown to put Army ahead 14-7.

The Huskies cut the lead to four at halftime after Chris Freeman hit a 48-yard field goal with no time remaining, 14-10.

But UConn couldn’t stop Army in the second half.

Nwawuihe scored his second touchdown of the game, breaking multiple tackles on a 70-yard run to extend the Black Knight advantage to 20-10. Hellums scored on a quarterback keeper, stretching the Army lead to 27-10.

The Huskies are now tied 5-5 with Army in the all-time series, with the Black Knights winning the last three matchups.

Army 41, UConn 16
At Boston
UConn (9-4)    7  3     0    6  — 16
Army (7-6)        7  7  13  14  — 41
First quarter
C: Cam Edwards 12 run (Chris Freeman kick), 9:17
A: Noah Short 40 pass from Cale Hellums (Dawson Jones kick), 6:01
Second quarter
A: Godspower Nwawuihe 43 run (Jones kick), 3:04
C: Freeman 49 FG, 0:00
Third quarter
A: Nwawuihe 70 run (kick failed), 14:04
A: Hellums 1 run (Jones kick), 6:22
Fourth quarter
A: Hellums 6 run (Jones kick), 8:18
C: Ksaan Farrar 11 run (run fails), 5:47
A: Carson Smith 6 run (Jones kick), 1:20
Att: 22,461 at Fenway Park
Individual statistics
PASSING: UConn – Ksaan Farrar 11-17-0, 84; Army – Cale Hellums 7-8-0, 108, Coleman 0-1-0, 0
RUSHING: UConn – Cam Edwards 11-108, 1 TD; Mel Brown 6-33, Oliver Lundberg Coleman 2-15, Ksaan Farrar 7-22, 1 TD, Victor Rose 2-8, MJ Flowers 2-6; Army – Godspower Nwawuihe 12-171, 2 TD, Jake Rendina 14-89, Carson Smith 9-49, Cale Hellums 15-48, Noah Short 5-16, Dewayne Coleman 1-1
RECEIVING: UConn – Reymello Murphy 7-51, John Neider 3-27, Shamar Porter 1-6; Army – Noah Short 7-108