UConn vs. UAB 2025 Preview: Can the Huskies Slay the Dragons?

After a tightly contested 37-34 loss to the Rice Owls in Houston last week, the University of Connecticut Huskies come back home for the first time since October 4 to face the University of Alabama Birmingham. Will they respond against the Blazers this weekend? Let’s dive into this UConn vs. UAB 2025 college football preview and find out!

UConn Huskies vs. UAB Blazers: 2025 College Football Preview

The Huskies are just one win away from again earning bowl-eligibility for a third time in four seasons, but the program seems to want more. Even with some of college football’s most incredible individual talents, they’ve now lost three games in overtime and are far from the 11-1, 10-2 team fans believed they could be.

UConn vs. UAB: Matchup History 

UConn and UAB have faced off just once, and it came in a 31-23 win for UConn on the road last year. But even more important than the result; the game marked the official transition for UConn, who benched quarterback Nick Evers and replaced him with Joe Fagnano. On the road, the Huskies trailed 23-10 heading into the fourth quarter. After yet another punt, they felt they had no choice but to take Evers out of the football game. Evers was their highly-touted transfer from Wisconsin who showed some bright sparks. However, the more experienced Fagnano had earned his worth, and right to start.

With less than 10 minutes left, head coach Jim Mora brought Fagnano into the football game, where he put together a masterclass. Though he was just 5-for-12, Fagnano threw 72 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He helped orchestrate three touchdown drives out of four to seal the deal and put the game away.

Meanwhile, though they had their miscues in the first half, UConn’s defense put together a gem in the final minutes. After allowing 20 points in the first half, the Huskies forced three turnovers and two turnovers on downs in the final seven drives, giving up just three second half points.

The win marked UConn’s eighth of the season, and more importantly, the start of their new-look offense with Fagnano. Since then, Fagnano has been an elite starting quarterback. In 2025, he’s taken just eight sacks and hasn’t turned the ball over in eight games.

Keys to the Game

Key Players for UAB

The Blazers are a hard team to judge. The last we saw of them, they defeated a Memphis team ranked 25th in the country back in Week 8. That Tigers team also again proved its legitimacy the next week with a win over 18th ranked South Florida and are once again in the AP Poll. Yet the week before, UAB gave up 53 points in a 20-point loss to Florida Atlantic, one of the country’s weakest teams. Nonetheless, they’ll need a strong offensive day. When UConn opponents have scored over 25 points, they’re 3-0. When not, the Huskies are undefeated.

This week, UAB will roll with Jalen Kitna at quarterback, though it may not be the right move. Kitna was sidelined for the Blazers upset victory over Memphis, so UAB started Ryder Burton and found more success. Burton was 20-of-27 for 251 yards and three touchdowns with an interception, and UAB scored 31 points. However, they are deciding not to overreact and stick with Kitna, who handled the duties before. He was accurate in that role, but he wasn’t making as many big plays or converting well in the red zone. Fans need to see more from Kitna in this matchup.

Defensively, UAB is mess. They give up over 38 points per game, the seventh-most in all of FBS college football. They do have one bright spark, however, which is linebacker Devin Hightower. Hightower leads the team with 47 tackles and 25 of which solo. In his senior season, he’ll need to have a strong day in hopes of keeping Huskies running back Camryn Edwards in check.

Key Players for Connecticut

As of late, UConn’s offense hasn’t skipped a beat with their pass-first approach, as Fagnano continues to set career-highs in various categories by the week. But this offense can become dangerous when the rushing game is the center of attention, and we haven’t seen that in quite some time.

Cam Edwards started the season on a historic pace, though has cooled down since and hasn’t been as productive, even with Mel Brown sidelined with a broken collarbone. He hasn’t cracked 100 yards since his prolific game against Ball State, and hasn’t been given 20 carries since after he eclipsed the mark in each of his first three games. Edwards needs to have a big day for Connecticut.

And the Huskies need to have a potent day defensively. Their offense has been just fine, eclipsing 20 points in each game this season. But their three losses have come in the defense’s three worst games of the season, which have contributed to overtime defeats. The anchor of the defensive unit in Byrun Parham will look to continue flourishing. He has 8.5 sacks for the season are the fifth most in the country, and his 76 tackles are 15th. UAB is also prone to take many sacks. This could set up for another strong day from the Washington transfer.

How UConn Wins

Put the game to bed. The Huskies problems this season haven’t been controlling the game, it’s been about finishing them. It’s a problem head coach Jim Mora identified after a near-blown lead to Ball State but has remained a concern. They led by two scores in the fourth quarter in their 27-20 loss to Syracuse. They led in the fourth in their 44-41 loss to Delaware, and had various chances to put the game away against Rice. But their miscues trying to close out games haven’t gone away.

The good news for them is that they may be that much better and that far superior to UAB that it may not matter. They’re a double-digit point favorite for just the second time this season, and they come back home to Rentschler Field where they haven’t lost yet. But if the game is close, UConn needs to learn how to close the door. Because if not, hopes of making a statement next week against ACC’s Duke become far less realistic.

Bold Prediction

Cam Edwards will break the single-game UConn rushing record with over 197 rushing yards that is currently held by quarterback David Pindell from a game in 2018. UAB gives up over 200 rushing yards per game, and this will set up to be a feast for Edwards on the ground.