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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – Kicker Marvin Kloss' 44-yard field goal with 4:03 remaining made the difference in USF's 13-10 victory over UConn on Saturday at Rentschler Field.
The Bulls (2-4; 2-0 AAC) used strong defense and special teams to improved to 2-0 in league play for the second time in program history and the first time since 2003, when they defeated Army and Louisville in their first season in Conference USA.
Kloss extended his field goal streak to nine straight with the go-ahead kick, while the defense produced USF's lone touchdown of the day with a 44-yard fumble recovery for a score by defensive end Aaron Lynch late in the first quarter. The USF defense has returned a turnover for a score in three consecutive games.
USF and UConn came into the contest tied at 5-5 in their all-time series and Saturday's first half continued the trend of close games, the last seven now decided by a touchdown or less, with both teams heading into the locker room tied at 10.
UConn got the scoring started with a 32-yard field goal from Chad Christen with 8:43 remaining in the first quarter following an interception of Bobby Eveld in USF territory.
The USF defense's ability to make a big play of its own gave the Bulls their first lead with 1:33 to play in the opening quarter. Senior defensive end Ryne Giddins (Seffner, Fla.) sacked and stripped true freshman Tim Boyle, and Lynch (Cape Coral, Fla.) returned the fumble 44 yards for a touchdown. Giddins now ranks fifth on the USF career sacks list with 17.5.
UConn (0-5, 0-1) fired right back on the first play of the second quarter, when Lyle McCombs ran 52 yards for a touchdown to put the Huskies back ahead, 10-7. The long run helped McCombs pass the 100-yard mark for the first time since the redshirt junior totaled 133 yards against Louisville on Nov. 24, 2012.
The Huskies came into the game averaging 45.8 rushing yards and totaled 162 yards by halftime. McCombs totaled 10 carries for 135 yards at the break. The Bulls defense tightened in the second half, however, limiting UConn to a total of 149 yards passing, more than 70 below average, and just 45 yards on the ground in the second half.
Kloss continued his stellar season with a 47-yard field goal to tie the game up at 10 with 11:50 to go before halftime. The redshirt junior from Naples, Fla., extended his streak to eight straight made field goals and he's connected on four from at least 47 yards out, marking the most by a USF kicker in a single season.
And while the defense continued to make big plays to keep USF in it, the special teams unit stepped up for the second straight week with a blocked field goal late in the third quarter with the score still tied at 10. Just like against Cincinnati, tight end Mike McFarland crashed through the line and got his hands on a kick attempt that linebacker DeDe Lattimore returned to the UConn 44 with 1:33 to go in the period.
DeDe Lattimore moved into sixth place on USF's all-time tackles with a team-high 11 stops in USF's first-ever win at Rentschler Field.
The USF offense, minus star back Marcus Shaw, was unable to capitalize on the blocked field goal return but did enough to set the Bulls up for the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter. Kloss extended his field goal streak to nine straight with a 44-yarder with 4:03 remaining. The USF defense forced a three-and-out on UConn's ensuing drive before punter Mattias Ciabatti pinned the Huskies at their own 5 with 1:46 to play.
The Bulls have next weekend off and go for a 3-0 start to conference play Saturday, Oct. 26 against No. 6 Louisville at Raymond James Stadium. Game time has yet to be announced.
USF GAME NOTES at UConn – Saturday, Oct. 12
TEAM NOTES
• USF improves to 2-0 in conference play for just the second time in program history and first since the 2003 season when the Bulls started 2-0 in Conference USA.
• USF won for the first time ever at Rentschler Field and for just the second time ever at Connecticut. The Bulls last win at UConn came in 2000.
• The game marked the seventh straight in the series decided by a touchdown or less.
• USF Defense has now scored a touchdown in three straight games following Aaron Lynch's 44-yard return of a fumble for a first quarter TD. The Bulls hadn't scored a defensive touchdown since 2011.
• The Bulls posted a season-high 9 TFL for the second straight week.
• The Bulls three sacks on the day were a season high.
• The Bulls had a season-low one turnover for the second straight game, after committing 11 through the first four games.
• Seven USF true freshmen played in the game, 12 made the trip to Connecticut.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Offense
· RB, #31 Darius Tice's 27-yard run in the second quarter marked a career long for the freshman and longest for a USF running back other than Marcus Shaw on the year. Tice ended with a career-best 69 yards on 11 carries.
· TE, #80 Mike McFarland's 20-yard catch in the 2nd quarter marked a career long.
·WR, #81 Andre Davis made extended his USF consecutive games with a catch record to 24 on the day.
· RB, #32 Willie Davis had 5 carries for 30 yards in the first half, including a big 1st down run that moved USF off its own two. He had 2 carries for 7 yards on his career coming into today and had not carried the ball on the 2013 season. He ended the day with 38 yards on eight carries.
Defense
· TE, #80 Mike McFarland blocked his second FG in as many weeks turning back a UConn 47-yard attempt in the 3rd quarter.
· LB, #34 DeDe Lattimore led the team with 11 tackles moved into sixth all-time on the USF career tackles list with 295.
· DE, #97 Ryne Giddins forced a fumble that led to a touchdown in the first quarter. It was Giddins first forced fumble of the year and the fourth of his career.
· Giddins was credited with a sack on the play and now has 17.5 on his career, good for 5th all-time at USF passing Shawn Hay (17, 1997-2000).
· DE, #19 Aaron Lynch returned a fumble 44 yards for a TD, it marked his first fumble recovery at USF and of his career and his first career touchdown.
· DE, #19 Aaron Lynch recorded his first sack in a USF uniform. He had 5.5 in his freshman season at Notre Dame.
· Coming off career high and team-leading 9 tackles last week, CB, #14 Fidel Montgomery led the Bulls with 7 at the half at UConn and finished the game with a career high 10 on the day.
· DT, #92 Luke Sager posted his second sack of the season and third of his career.
Special Teams
• K, #27 Marvin Kloss made field goals of 47 and 44 yards to extend his streak to nine-straight. His mark is the second longest in USF history passing Bill Gramatica (8 straight, 1999-2000). The record is 12 by Maikon Bonani (2011-12).
• Marvin Kloss's 47-yard field goal marked his fourth of 47 yards or more on the year. That is the most ever field goals of 47 yards or more in a season in USF history. Maikon Bonani has the most career field goals of 47 yards or more in USF history with six over three seasons.
• P, #49 Mattias Ciabatti's nine punts in the game were one shy of the USF record of 10. Ciabatti averaged a career-best 44.3 yards per punt, had three punts of 50 yards or better and dropped three inside UConn's 20-yard line.
Attendance: 37,861
Coin Toss: USF won the toss and elected to defer
Game Captains: #34 DeDe Lattimore, #11 Matt Floyd, #27 Marvin Kloss
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