2002 Connecticut Huskies football team

2002 Connecticut Huskies football
ConferenceIndependent
Record6–6
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorNorries Wilson (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorHank Hughes (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
2002 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
South Florida   –     9 – 2  
No. 17 Notre Dame   –     10 – 3  
  –     6 – 6  
Utah State   –     4 – 7  
Troy State   –     4 – 8  
Navy   –     2 – 10  
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2002 Connecticut Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut as an independent during the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Randy Edsall, the Huskies compiled a record of 6–6. This was the program's first season as a full-time member at the NCAA Division I-A level, having moved from NCAA Division I-AA after the 1999 season, and spending two seasons as a transitional team. The team played home games at Memorial Stadium in Storrs, Connecticut for the last year, as the Huskies moved to Rentschler Field the following season.

Despite winning only two of their first eight games, Connecticut finished with a .500 record. Although not selected for a bowl game, the Huskies were bowl eligible for the first time. The turning point in the season came after a hard-fought loss at Vanderbilt. Led by freshman running back Terry Caulley and sophomore quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the Huskies won their final four games on the schedule, outscoring opponents 199 to 55. The winning streak began with the final two games played at Memorial Stadium. The Huskies closed the stadium with their two highest point totals in the stadium's history: 61 against Florida Atlantic and 63 against Kent State. Connecticut finished the season with the program's first ever victory over a bowl-bound opponent by defeating Iowa State, 37–20, in Ames, Iowa.

Caulley was a consensus Freshman All-American, leading all freshman in rushing with 1,247 yards.[1] Despite sitting out two games with injuries, Caulley's rushing total was only 15 yards short of the team's single season record.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 3112:00 pmat Boston College
ESPN PlusL 16–2440,066
September 712:00 pmGeorgia Tech
FSNL 14–3116,751
September 147:30 pmat Buffalo
W 24–317,012
September 2112:00 pmOhio
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Storrs, CT
W 37–1915,901
September 281:00 pmBall State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Storrs, CT
L 21–24 OT16,849
October 57:00 pmat No. 1 Miami (FL)
L 14–4852,131
October 1912:00 pmTemple
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Storrs, CT
L 24–3815,723
October 262:00 pmat Vanderbilt
L 24–2821,210
November 212:00 pmFlorida Atlantic
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Storrs, CT
W 61–1414,287
November 912:00 pmKent State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Storrs, CT
W 63–2115,332
November 1612:00 pmat Navy
W 38–025,664
November 232:00 pmat Iowa State
W 37–2034,582

[2][3]

References

  1. ^ "Terry Caulley bio". ticats.ca. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
  2. ^ "2002 Connecticut Huskies Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  3. ^ "2002 Football Schedule". UConn Huskies. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
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