UConn football is receiving votes

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After a 2024 season that hit high marks not met by the program since 2010, UConn football has done it again, capturing victory number eight over Air Force on Saturday as they near the end of another successful season.

Before Jim Mora arrived in Storrs, the Huskies’ highest win total over consecutive seasons since 2010 was nine, achieved across 2015’s six-win campaign and the three-win disappointment in 2016 that followed and led to Bob Diaco’s firing.

Mora won nine games in his first two seasons and has won 17 in his next two, with two games still left to play.

The signs of UConn football’s progression are everywhere, from national media attention after beating Duke, to award consideration for the team’s stars, and a 1,000-yard effort from the RB who’s also a local product. You can even see fans of ACC and Big 12 schools pointing out that, yes, maybe UConn would be a good addition. If football is decent, UConn, with its two superstar basketball programs, great baseball, and general commitment to athletics, is a lot more attractive.

This week, Skyler Bell was named one of 13 finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the top receiver in the nation. The Huskies also received a top-25 vote to enter the “Receiving Votes” category for the first time since 2010.

Joe Fagnano threw his first interception of the season in Week 11, but will have one more week against the shootout-prone FAU and a bowl outing to boost his totals. He’s chasing Dan Orlovsky’s single-season passing yard records and some historic final placements in the passing stat leaderboards. Orlovsky’s junior and senior seasons represent the two most prolific seasons by a Husky passer in the FBS era.

After the down week, Fagnano is still tied for third nationally in touchdown passes, fifth in yards, 15th in passer rating, and 17th in completion percentage. At 3,002 passing yards, he needs 353 yards to pass Orlovsky’s second-place mark of 3,354. He needs to average 242 yards over the final two games to pass the record of 3,485. Orlovsky hit those numbers in 12 total games, while Fagnano would be doing it in 13. So Orlovsky may still end as the leader in passing yards per game, but Fagnano could surpass him with two 300-yard performances — it wouldn’t be out of character for him.

One of the downsides of success, no matter how modest, is that the coaching staff becomes a target for acquisition of other programs with more money. Jim Mora is a West Coast guy who went to the University of Washington and previously coached at UCLA. He will be a candidate for job openings in a coaching carousel that is expected to be very active this year. Even if he stays, other schools may be going after his offensive coordinator, or linebackers coach, or a promising young defensive back.

If UConn does lose its successful football coach, it should be in a better place to build on his departure rather than collapse as a result of it, like last time. Randy Edsall’s first departure gave way to the doomed-from-the-start Paul Pasqualoni era, and it was all downhill from there. The player acquisition process is different in this new era, and the Huskies are better off for it.

Today, UConn’s NIL support is clearly strong for its level. The team is at the caliber of a mid-range power conference team, sitting at 47th in SP+ (36th Offense, 66th Defense), and independence has led to schedules that make more sense. Fan support has revived with the program’s recent success despite the long dormant period. Even if guys choose to hit the portal, due to coaching turnover or for other reasons, UConn will be able to reload with guys like Bryun Parham, Juice Vereen, and Reymello Murphy who can make a difference as new additions.

No matter who’s on the sidelines in 2026, UConn fans can be comforted by knowing that the program’s mast is finally pointing in the right direction and the home slate for next year is an incredible one: Lafayette, Maryland, North Carolina at home are the first three games of the season, and later they host Syracuse, UMass, and James Madison. The road games are: (in order) Miami-Ohio, Temple, Air Force, Duke, Old Dominion, and Wyoming.

Receiving Votes! After all we’ve been through! Buy season tix for next year and enjoy the ride. UConn football is back! If you’ve been gone a while, tailgating at The Rent is still awesome.

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