UConn football vs. Lafayette: TV info, point spread, keys to the game
· Yahoo Sports
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026
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Time: 12:00 PM ET
Location: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, East Hartford, CT
TV: WFSB (Randy Brochu, Marc Robbins, Dan Booth)
Radio: UConn Sports Network (Mike Crispino, Wayne Norman, Adam Giardino)
Odds: UConn favored -19.5, O/U between 52 and 56
Series History: This is the second all-time meeting between these two teams, with the Leopards winning the first battle back in 1984.
Fun with Numbers
87 – New players on the UConn roster, a crazy overhaul even in the event of a coaching turnover. Jason Candle’s predecessor had stopped recruiting underclassmen…
81 – Jason Candle’s career win total entering this game, he was the winningest coach in Toledo history.
22 – UConn has won 22 games against FCS opponents since moving up to 1-A in 2002. The losses came against Towson and Holy Cross.
59 – Points scored by UConn in its FCS opener last year against CCSU, one year after dropping 63 on Merrimack and tying the program scoring record, also matched against Kent State in 2002.
23 – This is the 23rd season of Husky football at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
14 – UConn has won 14 season openers in its FBS era, with nine losses.
Keys to the Game
A Whole New World
Everything is new, the starting QB, the O-line, just about everybody on the two-deep is a new contributor, so we have a lot to look forward to today, even against an FCS opponent.
UConn should take care of business, but what’s more important is how it gets done. Teams generally want to keep things simple in their first game, and surely this will be no exception for the Huskies. The Leopards started their season at Georgetown last week, though the game was cancelled due to lightning.
Offensively, it will be a debut for Candle’s scheme and defensively we can expect to see Ryan Manalac’s scheme, which is likely to be some derivative of his mentor Pat Narduzzi’s 4-2-5 “press quarters” defense. We of course want to see what Kalieb Osborne has tool-wise, and what his protection and playmaking help looks like against an opponent that should be overmatched physically. The Huskies emphasized speed in their WR and RB room, hopefully that shows as well with some big plays.
The Trenches
Jim Mora’s UConn teams were excellent on the offensive line, pretty much since he arrived. Keeping this success going will be a key to success for Candle and the Huskies this season. After today, we’ll have a good sense for how well we can expect the rebuilt lines to control the battle in the trenches.
The defensive line is one of the more experienced units on the team, and expected to be a strength, along with the linebacking crew. Offensively, the line talent is less proven, but still has a lot of size and potential. Returning starter Ty Chan is the one familiar face on the O-line, and on the D-line rotation end Matt Hoffman returns for his senior year.
Freshmen Who Play
New Jersey native Raymond Liggins has impressed early at wide receiver after re-classifying as a 2027 commit to join the Huskies this season. With the whole new team and so much playing time up for grabs, or spots on the depth chart or special teams at least, we’ll get a chance to see what kind of young talent Candle has accumulated for depth and the future.