Breaking down UConn football’s 2024 schedule: It all starts in Maryland Saturday

UConn football is on a mission to right the ship during the 2024 season, and it has the schedule to do it .

The Huskies’ slate can be broken into three parts – the first three games, the six-game homestretch, and the last three on the road – with two byes in Week Seven and Week 12. Having success at home will be key. The team went just 1-5 after seeing opposite results in 2022, when it had a 5-1 record at Rentschler Field and landed its first bowl invite in seven years.

Another bowl appearance, a bowl win this time, is the goal. And it all starts Saturday in Maryland.

The Terrapins are projected to be UConn’s toughest opponent, according to College Football Network , which ranked UConn’s schedule the 107th most difficult of 134 FBS teams. Sports Illustrated ranked it the second-easiest in the nation (No. 133), while teamrankings.com has the Huskies’ slate ranked No. 120.

Here is a week-by-week breakdown:

Week One: at Maryland

When/where/TV: Noon, Saturday at SECU Stadium in College Park, Md., FS1

2023 record: 8-5

What to know: Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, brother of Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, became the Big Ten’s all-time leading passer before his eligibility expired after 2023, leaving HC Mike Locksley with a quarterback battle for the first time in four years – between Billy Edwards Jr., MJ Morris and Cameron Edge. The Terrapins, who’ve won 18 consecutive home openers, lost almost their entire offensive line but returned eight starters on defense, where the front seven is the strength. Maryland also returns its top two RBs and five of its top seven receivers from 2023, when it beat Auburn, 31-13, in the Music City Bowl. UConn is 1-2 all-time against the Terrapins with only two matchups since 1942.

Week Two: Merrimack

When/where/TV: Noon, Sept. 7 at Rentschler Field, UConn Sports Network

2023 record: 5-6

What to know: Merrimack promoted former defensive coordinator Michael Gennetti, who was with the program for 18 years as an assistant, to HC. The Warriors left the NEC for the MAAC and, because the MAAC does not sponsor football, will compete as an FCS independent this year. Meeting UConn in football for the first time, Merrimack didn’t go down easy to UMass last season, losing 31-21.

Week Three: at Duke

When/where/TV: 6 p.m., Sept. 14 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C., Channel 3

2023 record: 8-5

What to know: This is a much different Duke team from the one that beat UConn, 41-7, at The Rent last year. The Blue Devils replaced HC Mike Elko, who left for Texas A&M after a pair of bowl appearances, with former Miami HC Manny Diaz and all new coordinators. QB Riley Leonard went to Notre Dame and Diaz brought in Texas transfer Maalik Murphy, who he named starter. Murphy saw time in six games at UT last year, completing 40 of 71 passes for 477 yards, three TDs and three INTs. Returning only five starters on each side of the ball, Duke is expected to take a step back and the score shouldn’t be as lopsided as it was a year ago.

Week Four: Florida Atlantic

When/where/TV: 7 p.m., Sept. 21 at Rentschler Field, CBS Sports Network

2023 record: 4-8

What to know: It will be the first FBS meeting between these two programs and a potential momentum builder as it kicks off UConn’s critical six-game homestretch. In its second year under HC Tom Herman, FAU is expecting to see improvement at QB, where Marshall transfer Cameron Fancher was named starter. The Owls return RB Zuberi Mobley after he missed all-but three games in 2023 to injury, but lost their top three receivers. There is experience and continuity on the defensive side of the ball, where eight starters return from a unit that ranked 90th in the nation in yards allowed per game (397.3).

Week Five: Buffalo

When/where/TV: Noon, Sept. 28 at Rentschler Field, CBS Sports Network

2023 record: 3-9

What to know: Buffalo named Pete Lembo its new HC after going 3-9 last season under Maurice Linguist, who joined Kalen DeBoer’s staff at Alabama. The Bulls brought in Old Dominion QB Jack Shields but announced senior CJ Ogbonna – a significant rushing threat – the Week One starter. It will be a rebuilding year in Western New York with only 10 total starters returning, three on the offensive side of the ball. UConn is 16-5 against Buffalo all-time, with their most recent meeting coming in 2013: a 41-12 UConn road loss.

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Week Six: Temple

When/where/TV: 3:30 p.m., Oct. 5 at Rentschler Field, CBS Sports Network

2023 record: 3-9

What to know: Temple made five straight bowl games from 2015-19 after Matt Rhule’s rebuild, but have finished 3-9 in each of the last three years, the last two under current HC Stan Drayton. The Owls return five starters on each side of the ball and have questions at quarterback, offensive line, linebacker and defensive back, where seven transfers came in. Temple’s defense ranked 121st in the FBS last year allowing 441.6 yards per game as the Owls finished with just one AAC win for the fourth year in a row. UConn is 5-15 all-time against Temple.

Week Seven: Bye

Week Eight: vs. Wake Forest

When/where/TV: Noon, Oct. 19 at Rentschler Field, CBS Sports Network

2023 record: 4-8

What to know: Wake Forest, 2-1 all-time against UConn, snapped a school record streak of seven straight bowl appearances when they finished last season 4-8 after winning their first three games. The Demon Deacons are 3-8 on the road over the last two years, but are expected to improve with eight starters returning on offense and seven on defense. They brought in QB Hank Bachmeier from Louisiana Tech to compete for the starting job and have experience across the board offensively, with defensive secondary the biggest question.

Week Nine: vs. Rice

When/where: 3:30 p.m., Oct. 26 at Rentschler Field, CBS Sports Network

2023 record: 6-7

What to know: The third opponent of the year with an Owl as its mascot, UConn forced four turnovers to take down Rice on the road for its first win of the 2023 season. Rice lost QB JT Daniels and brought in former Temple QB EJ Warner, son of Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, as its likely starter. Warner was fifth in the nation in passing yards per game last season. The Owls also lost receiver Luke McCaffrey, who had 100 yards and two TDs against the Huskies last season. With RB Dean Connors returning, and depth at offensive line and across the board defensively, Rice is expected to improve.

Week 10: vs. Georgia State

When/where: 7 p.m., Nov. 1 at Rentschler Field, CBS Sports Network

2023 record: 7-6

What to know: UConn was one of Georgia State’s early victims last season, losing 35-14 in Week Two as the Panthers started the year 6-1 – they went 0-5 to finish out the year but ended the season beating Utah State, 45-22, in the Idaho Potato Bowl. UConn won’t have to deal with dual threat QB Darren Grainger or RB Marcus Carroll (Missouri), who combined for 249 rushing yards and four TDs in last year’s matchup. The Panthers only return one starter on the offensive line, 10 total, and got off to a late start with HC Dell McGee being hired in the spring after Shawn Elliott went to South Carolina as an assistant.

Week 11: at UAB

When/where/TV: Time TBD, Saturday, Nov. 9 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala., TV TBA

2023 record: 4-8

What to know: UAB QB Jacob Zeno had one of the best seasons in school history despite injuries in the first year under HC Trent Dilfer, and returns as a R-Sr.. The Blazers are also returning RB Isaiah Jacobs, brother of Green Bay Packers RB Josh Jacobs, and experience at receiver and offensive line. Dilfer added a ton of defensive experience after ranking 118th in yards allowed per game (435) last season, and UAB looks to be improved across the board.

Week 12: Bye

Week 13: at Syracuse

When/where/TV: Time TBD, Saturday, Nov. 23 at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., TV TBA

2023 record: 6-7

What to know: There is excitement in Syracuse for first-year coach Fran Brown, the former defensive backs coach at Georgia. The Orange added former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord and return RB Lequint Allen, who ran for over 1,000 yards last season while catching 38 passes. McCord surpassed 3,000 passing yards for the Buckeyes last season. Brown has helped retool the receiver room as well, adding a pair from Georgia and another from Colorado State. Defensively, the Orange have an entirely new line and are switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 front, with strengths at linebacker and in the secondary.

Week 14: at UMass

When/where/TV: Time TBD, Nov. 30 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst, Mass., TV TBA

2023 record: 3-9

What to know: UConn could even the all-time series against the Minutemen, which began in 1897, with a win to close out the regular season. UMass currently leads 38-37-2, but the Huskies have won the rivalry game in each of the last two seasons. Returning Bridgeport native Taisun Phommachanh at QB, UMass has a question mark at RB but brought in a number of transfer receivers and seems to have improved the line. Defensively, UMass has six returning starters and has added size in the secondary