Huskies Formally Unveil Schedule

The Story: The football team finalized its schedule for next season, which will include seven home games for the first time since 2016, a bizarre six-game homestand and four games against ACC opponents.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: UConn’s schedule has been known for quite a while, but the biggest holdup was surrounding the game against Syracuse — which was originally rumored to be earmarked for Yankee Stadium. That seemingly has fallen through, and the teams will instead play at whatever they’re calling the Carrier Dome these days.

• UConn opens the season Aug. 31 at Maryland in the latest installment of the Edsall Bowl, then will host Merrimack on Sept. 7, head to Duke on Sept. 14, and spend the next seven weeks — one’s a bye week — at home.

LOOKING FOR TICKETS? The Huskies are going to have a few seasons when they play what we’ll politely call less-than-appealing opponents at home. That’s life as an independent. But while Maryland, Duke, Wake Forest, Syracuse and UMass are on the schedule next season, only Wake Forest will be traveling to East Hartford.

• UConn has racked up some air miles playing far-flung opponents in recent years, including Fresno State in 2021 and Utah State in 2022. There’s no real outlier this season, depending on what you think about a Nov. 9 game at UAB.

• There’s also no buy game against a marquee opponent like Michigan or Tennessee on the schedule this season. Those games are good for the coffers but not particularly strong for team morale.

ODDS AND ENDS: UConn will play four games against teams from the AAC — Florida Atlantic, Temple, Rice and UAB — which is a reminder of how lucky the Huskies were to get out of that conference when they did.

• UConn last played Maryland in 2012, when it won 24-21 on the road.

• The Huskies will face two former bowl opponents in Wake Forest, which it beat in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in 2007, and Buffalo, which it defeated in the International Bowl in 2010.

• Four teams are on the schedule again after UConn faced them last season: Duke, Rice, Georgia State and UMass. On the other hand, Merrimack and Georgia State are the only teams UConn isn’t scheduled to face again after this season.

JUST GIVE US THE SCHEDULE: Yeah, we’ve wasted enough of your time. Thanks for reading this far. Without further ado …

Aug. 31: at Maryland
Sept. 7: Merrimack
Sept. 14: at Duke
Sept. 21: Florida Atlantic
Sept. 28: Buffalo
Oct. 5: Temple
Oct. 19: Wake Forest
Oct. 26: Rice
Nov. 2: Georgia State
Nov. 9: at UAB
Nov. 23: at Syracuse
Nov. 30: at UMass

• As always, kickoff times and television coverage have yet to be announced.

— Zac Boyer

Morning Reads

• With a little bit of time between games, some of UConn’s finest ventured out into to bring cheer to students across the state. Paige Bueckers made a surprise visit to Enfield High’s pep rally, while players and coaches on the men’s basketball team visited patients at the Connecticut Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Hartford.

Top photo: Ta’Quan Roberson attempts a pass during the Huskies’ game against Utah State. (Ian Bethune for The UConn Daily)