Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
UConn enters the second half with heavy hearts, shocked by the senseless murder of starting cornerback Jasper Howard.
There's very little precedent for this kind of thing in college football. Will the Huskies rally around each other and play with greater emotion and fire than ever before? Or will the tragedy prove too much to bear?
Connecticut has no choice but to regroup quickly if it wants to get back to a bowl game for the third straight year. The schedule includes daunting trips to West Virginia, Cincinnati and Notre Dame, plus a visit from South Florida to end the year. At least the Huskies will have all of college football rooting for them.
Best case: The tragedy causes the team to bond together, and UConn pulls off an upset to finish the second half with another 4-2 mark for an 8-4 final record. The Huskies secure a bid to the Papajohns.com Bowl.
Worst case: Connecticut can't get past West Virginia, Cincinnati, Notre Dame or South Florida and loses at home to Rutgers for a 5-7 final record and no bowl game.
Prediction: UConn finishes 7-5 and fills a vacant slot in a non-Big East affiliated bowl (Independence, perhaps?).
UConn enters the second half with heavy hearts, shocked by the senseless murder of starting cornerback Jasper Howard.
There's very little precedent for this kind of thing in college football. Will the Huskies rally around each other and play with greater emotion and fire than ever before? Or will the tragedy prove too much to bear?
Connecticut has no choice but to regroup quickly if it wants to get back to a bowl game for the third straight year. The schedule includes daunting trips to West Virginia, Cincinnati and Notre Dame, plus a visit from South Florida to end the year. At least the Huskies will have all of college football rooting for them.
Best case: The tragedy causes the team to bond together, and UConn pulls off an upset to finish the second half with another 4-2 mark for an 8-4 final record. The Huskies secure a bid to the Papajohns.com Bowl.
Worst case: Connecticut can't get past West Virginia, Cincinnati, Notre Dame or South Florida and loses at home to Rutgers for a 5-7 final record and no bowl game.
Prediction: UConn finishes 7-5 and fills a vacant slot in a non-Big East affiliated bowl (Independence, perhaps?).
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Brian Bennett
Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville.
BIG EAST SCOREBOARD
Friday, 11/27
11:00 AM ET Rutgers Louisville - ESPN2 / 360
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12:00 PM ET Illinois 5 Cincinnati 7:00 PM ET 9 Pittsburgh West Virginia
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12:00 PM ET Syracuse Connecticut - ESPN 360
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3:30 PM ET 17 Miami (FL) South Florida
