Connecticut 36, Liberty 33
(AP Photo /Bryan Woolston)
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Zion Turner threw a 30-yard scoring pass to Kevens Clercius late in the fourth quarter to lead UConn to a 36-33 win over No. 19 Liberty.
With the win, the Huskies (6-5) are bowl-eligible under first-year coach Jim Mora after winning only once last season.
Turner found Clercius for the go-ahead score with 5:43 left and connected with Keelan Marion on a 2-point conversion to put UConn up three.
Turner finished 15 of 21 for 103 yards. Robert Burns led UConn's rushing attach with 104 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. Victor Rosa finished with 62 yards on 10 carriers with two TDs.
The lead changed hands multiple times in the fourth quarter. UConn's Victor Rosa bounced off a number of defenders and scampered 27 yards for a TD that gave the Huskies a 28-27 lead. On the next play, Liberty regained the lead 33-28 when Demario Douglas raced 75 yards for a score.
TJ Green led Liberty (8-2) with 119 yards rushing on 24 carries and a touchdown. Quarterback Jackson Bennett went 22 for 36 for 201 yards and a TD.
Liberty's only other loss came against Top 25-ranked Wake Forest in September.
Burns returned the opening kickoff to midfield. UConn reached the end zone eight plays later, with Rosa scoring from 16 yards out. Turner was perfect on the drive, connecting with Aaron Turner four times for 29 yards, including twice on third down.
The Huskies' defense also did their part, intercepting Bennett once and with two sacks in the first half, including one by Eric Watts that resulted in a touchdown. Linebacker Jackson Mitchell scooped up a fumble by Kaidon Salter and returned it 32 yards for a 14-3 lead.
Despite trailing twice by double digits, the Flames seized momentum in the second quarter when linebacker Ahmad Walker picked off Turner near midfield. Malik Caper bulldozed his way into the end zone eight plays later, cutting the deficit to 21-17 with 35 seconds left before halftime.
Liberty then grabbed its first lead on a Green 1-yard run, capping a seven-play, 80-yard drive to begin the second half.
THE TAKEAWAY
UConn: The Huskies are now bowl-eligible in their first year under Mora, completing a remarkable turnaround.
Liberty: Losing to the unranked Huskies - no matter how improved they look - is a major dent to Liberty's resume. They'll look to bounce back against Virginia Tech at home.
November 12, 2022
| Scoring Summary |
| First Quarter |
Lib | UConn |
| UConn |
TD |
10:28 |
Victor Rosa 16 yd run (Noe Ruelas kick) |
0 |
7 |
| Lib |
FG |
7:31 |
Nick Brown 33 yd FG |
3 |
7 |
| UConn |
TD |
1:47 |
Jackson Mitchell 31 yd fumble return (Noe Ruelas kick) |
3 |
14 |
| Second Quarter |
Lib | UConn |
| Lib |
TD |
13:00 |
CJ Yarbrough 3 yd pass from Johnathan Bennett (Nick Brown kick) |
10 |
14 |
| UConn |
TD |
5:16 |
Robert Burns 1 yd run (Noe Ruelas kick) |
10 |
21 |
| Lib |
TD |
0:35 |
Malik Caper 1 yd run (Nick Brown kick) |
17 |
21 |
| Third Quarter |
Lib | UConn |
| Lib |
TD |
12:33 |
T.J. Green 1 yd run (Nick Brown kick) |
24 |
21 |
| Lib |
FG |
4:24 |
Nick Brown 34 yd FG |
27 |
21 |
| Fourth Quarter |
Lib | UConn |
| UConn |
TD |
14:52 |
Victor Rosa 27 yd run (Noe Ruelas kick) |
27 |
28 |
| Lib |
TD |
14:39 |
Demario Douglas 75 yd run (failed 2pt pass) |
33 |
28 |
| UConn |
TD |
5:43 |
Kevens Clercius 30 yd pass from Zion Turner (Keelan Marion 2pt pass from Zion Turner) |
33 |
36 |
| Team Stats |
| |
Liberty |
Connecticut |
| First downs |
29 |
15 |
| Rushing |
13 |
9 |
| Passing |
13 |
4 |
| Penalty |
3 |
2 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency |
6-15, 40% |
4-13, 31% |
| 4th down efficiency |
1-3, 33% |
1-2, 50% |
| Rushes-Yards |
41-267 |
38-208 |
| Passing Yards |
207 |
110 |
| Return Yards |
64 |
107 |
| Completions-Attempts-Int |
23-39-1 |
16-22-1 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost |
2--8 |
0-0 |
| Punts |
3 |
4 |
| Punts-Average |
37.3 |
44 |
| Fumbles Lost |
2-1 |
1-1 |
| Penalties - Yards |
9-71 |
7-77 |
| Time of Possession |
27:42 |
32:18 |
| Liberty Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| J. Bennett |
22 |
36 |
201 |
1 |
1 |
| K. Salter |
1 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
| Connecticut Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| Z. Turner |
15 |
21 |
103 |
1 |
1 |
| D. Houston |
1 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
| Liberty Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| T. Green |
24 |
119 |
5.0 |
1 |
| D. Douglas |
2 |
105 |
52.5 |
1 |
| J. Bennett |
5 |
25 |
5.0 |
0 |
| M. Caper |
8 |
18 |
2.3 |
1 |
| K. Salter |
2 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
| Connecticut Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| R. Burns |
11 |
104 |
9.5 |
1 |
| V. Rosa |
10 |
62 |
6.2 |
2 |
| Z. Turner |
5 |
23 |
4.6 |
0 |
| D. Houston |
10 |
21 |
2.1 |
0 |
| Liberty Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| D. Douglas |
7 |
70 |
10.0 |
0 |
| T. Green |
4 |
31 |
7.8 |
0 |
| A. Henderson |
1 |
25 |
25.0 |
0 |
| C. Snead |
2 |
22 |
11.0 |
0 |
| D. Butler |
1 |
20 |
20.0 |
0 |
| J. Jackson |
2 |
18 |
9.0 |
0 |
| N. Frith |
2 |
12 |
6.0 |
0 |
| B. Hanshaw |
1 |
5 |
5.0 |
0 |
| C. Yarbrough |
1 |
3 |
3.0 |
1 |
| M. Caper |
2 |
1 |
.5 |
0 |
| Connecticut Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| A. Turner |
10 |
66 |
6.6 |
0 |
| K. Clercius |
2 |
28 |
14.0 |
1 |
| D. Harrison |
3 |
9 |
3.0 |
0 |
| Z. Turner |
1 |
7 |
7.0 |
0 |
| Liberty Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| A. Walker |
1 |
19 |
| Connecticut Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| C. Shearin |
1 |
28 |
| Liberty Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| A. Alves |
3 |
112 |
37.3 |
| Connecticut Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| G. Caratan |
4 |
176 |
44.0 |
| Liberty Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| D. Douglas |
1 |
-8 |
-8.0 |
| Connecticut Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| V. Rosa |
1 |
-1 |
-1.0 |
| Liberty Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| D. Douglas |
3 |
53 |
17.7 |
| Connecticut Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| V. Rosa |
2 |
42 |
21.0 |
| R. Burns |
1 |
38 |
38.0 |
| Liberty Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
| Connecticut Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
