UConn Huskies vs. Delaware Blue Hens 2025: Keys to the Game and Predictions

Two 1-1 football teams prepare for battle this Saturday. It’s the UConn Huskies vs. the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens in Newark for this 2025 matchup, and predictions so far favor the road team. Last week, the Huskies collapsed in the fourth quarter in Syracuse and lost 27-20 in overtime despite controlling an eleven-point lead with under ten minutes to play. They still search from a prominent P4 regular season victory.

Meanwhile, after a blowout victory over Delaware State in Week 1, the Blue Hens fell back down to earth in a 31-7 demolition job by Colorado. In their first FBS season, Delaware will look to make some noise against a Connecticut team that won nine games in 2024. Can Delaware pull off the upset? Or will the Huskies respond after a brutal ending to a high-stakes game just a week ago?

UConn Huskies vs. Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens: Matchup History

With Delaware just moving into FBS and Conference USA this season, these two teams haven’t crossed paths in the 21st century. But 27 times before, the Huskies and Blue Hens have met, with Delaware holding a 20-7 all-time advantage. The last matchup came in 1998, when the Blue Hens took care of business 59-17. It marked their fifth straight victory over UConn, and their 17th in the previous 20 contests. Just two seasons later, UConn would join FBS, while the Blue Hens did so 27 seasons later. Yet, now they now meet up on the biggest stage in college football to possibly rekindle an old rivalry.

Both programs have enjoyed fruitful success since. Just a few years into their FBS tenure, the Huskies would enjoy six winning seasons and three AP national rankings under Randy Edsall. While the program quickly fell to one of the the worst in college football and hindered the success of the basketball program, they’ve enjoyed a promising rebirth under Jim Mora.

On the other side of the token, the Blue Hens were dominant enough in the FCS to propel them to an FBS jump. They won a national championship in 2003 and have won 17 conference championships. In the present, Ryan Carty has done incredible things with the program. They closed out their FCS tenure a 26-11 record with two playoff appearances.

UConn vs. Delaware 2025: Keys to the Game and Predictions

Key Players for Delaware

While the Blue Hens were held to seven points against Colorado, they were able to generate some offensive opportunities. They gained almost 400 yards of total offense, just two less than the victorious Buffalo. Delaware also committed just one turnover through the air, and threw nearly nine yards per pass attempt. Now, stats don’t paint the full picture. There is a distinct reason why they fell 24 points short. But clearly the offensive pieces are enough to make some noise.

That will immediately start wide receiver Jake Thaw, who is living up to preseason expectations. He’s compiled 177 yards through his first two games, 41st in the nation. He is a smooth route runner and has incredible hands, making him the do-it-all-package offensively and on special teams. At quarterback, Nick Minicucci is average at-best, but Thaw is the key that unlocks the passing game.

But the Blue Hens pass rush has also been a vital part of their success thus far this season. They’ve compiled seven sacks, 11th-most in the country through two games. While it’s been by-committee, linebacker Dillon Trainer leads the team in sacks with 1.5, and has been the true standout for the pass rush. UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano has been sacked just twice this season. Getting to the quarterback could throw him off balance.

Key Players for UConn

The Huskies enter Week 3 needing, and frankly expecting, a massive response. Last week’s finish was one of the most heartbreaking in program history. They’re going to need their stars to play as such, and that’ll start Cam Edwards, who has been the consistent presence in Connecticut’s backfield for years. He showed flashes in 2022, became a lead back in 2023, and last year was the leading rusher on one of the best running offenses in the country. But it’s time to see it again.

His start to 20225 many could view as underwhelming. He was very much limited despite a heavy workload against Syracuse, which hurt the Huskies down the stretch. And he’s still yet to prove he can carry the offense on his back when necessary. As a East-West Shrine 1000 Watch List recipient, he’s due for a tremendous game against the Blue Hens.

And tight end Louis Hansen needs to have a strong performance. There was a point where scouts though the standout high school tight end could make it the pro’s. He was with Michigan for two seasons, didn’t garner any attention, and is in his third season in Connecticut with little success to his name. With Alex Honig and Javonte Vereen also crowding the room, Hansen needs to assert his dominance this week.

How Delaware Wins

The Blue Hens enter this game at home as 9.5-point underdogs. Clearly the oddsmakers find it far-fetched that Delaware can win this football game in its first FBS season against a rising program who nearly pulled off a road P4 victory a week ago. Yet the blueprint to defeating the Huskies is not a complex one, and has recently been exposed.

Though they pulled away with a 59-13 win over Central Connecticut State, the Huskies heavily relied on chunk-plays and explosive bursts to operate smoothly offensively. This pattern again continued against the Orange, where a 45-yard rushing touchdown from Mel Brown helped UConn pad a two-score lead. But once Syracuse forced Connecticut into having to play a mistake-free, methodical brand of football, they folded. When Syracuse eliminated the big plays, UConn didn’t have a combat strategy.

Now, limiting large gains from an offense with Brown, Edwards, Skyler Bell and others is challenging task. The Huskies keep the defense honest, and move a wicked pace under offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis. They ran plays 3.5 seconds faster last year than the year before per UConn reporter Adam Giardino, and the Huskies are again among the country’s leaders in plays per game. But once a defense can minimize the efficiency on those offensive opportunities, Fagnano and the offense have struggled to pick up the pieces.

If the Blue Hens can erase the large chunks that keep Connecticut in games, success will follow.

How UConn Wins

For the Huskies, this is a must-win game to keep the program in the same upward trajectory. They can’t let a heartbreaking finish in Syracuse define this season with a cast, at least offensively, that mirrors theirs from a year ago that won nine games. But for UConn to win this game, they need to dominate from the get-go.

Yet the Huskies can only dominate to a certain extent when only a few players are doing the dirty work offensively. Bell has brilliant at wide receiver for Connecticut. He’s caught two touchdowns, leads the team in receptions, and has eclipsed 100 yards in both of his contests. In fact, he entered the week seventh among all wideouts in FBS in receiving yardage. However, UConn needs more production outside of him.

On defense, UConn must be able to stop the passing attack of the Blue Hens. If they’re able to pressure Minicucci and keep Thaw in check, Delaware doesn’t have the rushing attack to be competitive against the Huskies.