Favorite home game memory

[BugsyCT]

I don't get to that many games at The Rent because it requires a 3,600 mile R/T, but I was there for that Rutgers game in 2003. That was not just my favorite game I've attended at the Rent, it was one of the greatest CFB games I've ever seen anywhere, live or on TV. Throughout the second half, it was so competitive you had a feeling it was the type of game where the last team to possess the ball was going to win. It didn't quite work that way, as we forced a turnover deep in Scarlet Knights' territory and scored the winning TD with about a minute or less left. Then our defense kept them from scoring on their last possession. Final score 35-31.

I think their KR fumbled a punt deep in RU's end last minute of the game. We punched it in and won 38-31. Was really a great game to be at and looked like we had a good rivalry about to brew with Rutty. And we did until . . . . you know.

 

[UConnNick]

1973 Again. Again, Memorial Stadium..., Last Home Game and Last Game of Season, Holy Cross Scores a TD with less than a minute left, we're down 7-9, only UConn TD an Eric Torkelson 18 Yd. run, we stuff the 2 Pt. conversion attempt, After HC's late score, they inexplicably ran a straight kickoff play deep to us, we run a perfectly executed reverse. Take it down the left sideline, home side, inside the 20, stadium going nuts, we kick the FG with seconds left-Win 10-9. November 24, 1973. We Finish 8-2-1.

That 1973 team was perhaps the best post WWII Husky team ever prior to the I-A/I-AA split in 1978. We lost to Lehigh in the first game of the year by two points. They had a QB named Kim McQuilken, who played a few seasons in the NFL as a backup QB. We got hammered by Delaware at mid season, but won all the rest of our games, except for a 14-14 tie at URI. We attended that game in Kingston. Their football stadium was a glorified HS field. If we had beaten them, we would have gone to something called the Boardwalk Bowl in Atlantic City. We were way better than URI. We should have beaten them. That would have been UConn's first bowl team ever.

 

[hardcorehusky]

My favorite Memorial Stadium moment was 1983 - Larry Corn 360 degree head over heel into the end zone against New Hampshire in the rain to win the game on the last play of the game. 9-7 UCONN.

So many great Rent memories- Opening game against Indiana, the 2 Pitt games, finally beating WVU, Larry Taylor in the rain, crushing Rutgers, the Danny O years, Beating Baylor. Can't wait for the renewed attendance and enthusiasm.

 

[coachcap]

Nose tackle Joe Corbo picking off a fumble in the air (fumbles on the ground couldn't be returned in college in the early 70s) & "rumblin', bumblin' about 30-40 yards for a touchdown at Memorial Stadium! Seemed to take forever for him to get to pay dirt!

 

[Adios]

The home game against Michigan. That was the glitziest college football game I ever attended. Felt glitzier than Jets vs Pats games I've been to, with Brady as QB.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

I know finally beating WVU was a huge game and moment at The Rent but it took a super sloppy game by WVU for UCONN to win. 5 turnovers? Just my two cents as to why it's not higher on my list.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Me and the boys hit the field after the WV win and I some how ended up following Zach Hurd to the locker room ... then promptly escorted out, I started the UCONN chant as I was escorted ,boys asked what happened I said " if I told you , you wouldn't believe it!" Great moment! next Teggart hitting GW in the snow against USF

 

[BlueDogs]

As another poster stated, the "Snow Bowl" game against USF. Back and forth game that ended with a game winning field goal. Night Game also makes it special. By the 4th Quarter, half the stands were empty but it was as loud as I ever remember it being.

Yes. This is my favorite. It wasn't even half full. It was miserable, and the more miserable it got the louder we got. I never heard it louder even with so few.

 

[gampelcrazies]

As a newer fan game vs Michigan 2013 and vs. Houston 2015

 

[UCFBfan]

Beating USF in the snow. Taggert Kick 42 yds. as time expires. Tailgated in 7 inches of snow.

Yeah that game was awesome. We tailgated in the snow and had to clear off the beer pong table between games because there was an inch or two slush in the middle of our table. My wife ended up sitting with our friends who were in the press box but my buddy and I stayed outside in our seats. Worth every freezing second!

 

[UConnNick]

For Rentschler games, I've gotta go with Houston 2015. I could tell early on that an upset was brewing. We were in S241 on the press box side, and I was watching the Coogs' bench on our side. They had players huddled around the heaters right from the start. By the end of the first quarter, I turned to the folks I was with and said, "They're going to lose this game." The cold (for them) had gotten into their heads. It was only a little below 50 when the game started with the sun setting, but it did get progressively colder as the game wore on and it got dark. It couldn't have been a worse start time for them...4 p.m.

Their fans have blown it off with the excuse that Ward, Jr. couldn't play, but we lost Shirreffs halfway through the 1Q on the targeting call, so both teams essentially played the game with their second string QBs. They did have a lot of other injuries, and the guy flagged for targeting got ejected, but both teams playing with second string QBs cancels out. We got lucky with the trick play, and then they put Ward, Jr. in for the last series and we picked off his pass to seal the victory.

Beating a previously undefeated team in late Nov. is no joke. Even Diaco deserves a lot of credit for that one. Unfortunately for him, it was the apex of his short lived UConn career. It became a locomotive racing downhill to Loserville for the rest of his tenure.

 

[Afroabe224]

As a newer fan game vs Michigan 2013 and vs. Houston 2015

The Rent was off the charts electric for that Michigan game! Totally lost my voice when we went up 21-7. Even though we didn't win, the atmosphere was up there with some of my favorite Gampel MBB games.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Beating USF in the snow. Taggert Kick 42 yds. as time expires. Tailgated in 7 inches of snow.

We were 3 rows deep on the 40 Uconn side cheering DT as he warmed up!! Gave us the look as he headed out.... " I got this!"

 

[Palatine]

Listen to the crowd. First game in East Hartford. Welcome to the Rent.

Then later in the same game, TC put the cherry on the sundae.

Terry Caulley run vs Indiana 2003 UConn football

 

[UConnNick]

It's kinda sad to see these old video clips of Terry, thinking about what could have been for him if he hadn't suffered the catastrophic knee injury at VA Tech.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The home game against Michigan. That was the glitziest college football game I ever attended. Felt glitzier than Jets vs Pats games I've been to, with Brady as QB.

Somehow a bball thread on this topic recently became best atmosphere at a loss. The crowd was amazing that night.

 

[chrisn671]

2011 vs Pitt, Down 21-13 after a Pitt TD Nick Williams takes the kick return to the house 21-20. Pitt gets shut down on their next possession, Teggart kicks a field goal 23-21. Ensuing kick off Ray Graham fumbles the kick off (and Jerome Junior lays a dude out so Robbie Frey can recover.) Few plays later Frazer hits Isaiah Moore on the wheel and it's 30-21. Sandstorm plays before the kickoff and the student section was absolutely berserk. Good guys hold on after RE goes for it on 4th down in our own 20 late.

 

[Excalibur]

I don't get to that many games at The Rent because it requires a 3,600 mile R/T, but I was there for that Rutgers game in 2003. That was not just my favorite game I've attended at the Rent, it was one of the greatest CFB games I've ever seen anywhere, live or on TV. Throughout the second half, it was so competitive you had a feeling it was the type of game where the last team to possess the ball was going to win. It didn't quite work that way, as we forced a turnover deep in Scarlet Knights' territory and scored the winning TD with about a minute or less left. Then our defense kept them from scoring on their last possession. Final score 35-31.

That game also proved that Schiano was a moron. RU is up 24-21 in the 4th, under 10 minutes to do, and they are marching. Brian Leonard is running over our exhausted defensive front, down to about our 35 yard line. Schiano outsmarts himself and tries to go play action on 2nd down -- interception Perkins, 50-yard return. We kick a field goal to tie it, Keron Henry comes down with a ridiculous catch on third and 20 to put us ahead, and we get the fortunate turnover at the end.

 

[Austin316]

The USF snow bowl was my first uconn game I ever attended. I always watched uconn football from home but after that game I became addicted. If I can go to that game I can go to any game.

 

[uconnbill]

DJ throwing the ball out of the stadium, hands down.



Still gives me chills.

My favorite moment as well and I still think about that game all the time.

 

[businesslawyer]

It's still the 2004 night game against Pitt for me. I've still yet to see the Rent as electric as it was that night. If I had to pick a moment from that game maybe Justin Perkins' pick 6 of Palko.

Honorable mention to the Larry Taylor fair catch game. It rained so hard before the game we packed up the tailgate early and headed into the stadium the moment they opened the gates just to hang under the concourse to stay dry.

I had an overnight bag with me because I took a cab from Bradley and met my kids in the stadium. It rained so hard that night during the tailgate that before going into the stadium I went into the back seat of the SUV, took off the clothes that I had worn during the tailgate and put my suit back on.

 

[businesslawyer]

I know finally beating WVU was a huge game and moment at The Rent but it took a super sloppy game by WVU for UConn to win. 5 turnovers? Just my two cents as to why it's not higher on my list.

I agree with this. As dramatic as the win was, it was a below average football game. The next home game, against Pitt, was better played, more important a game (because we knew that with a win a championship was possible) and more dramatic. Dweeb dance aside.

The others on the list:

Opening day against Indiana. The surreal moment showing both if you build it they will come, and that we were instantly no worse than the poorer major conference teams.
'04 versus Pitt. The intensity of the crowd was unreal.
'07 against USF. Dramatic win for the program, dramatic end of game and the first half downpour of the hardest rain ever to hit the Rent.
'10 against Pitt. Described above
'15 against Houston. How HCVV created that mirage is still beyond my comprehension.
'

 

[NavinRJohnson]

I agree with this. As dramatic as the win was, it was a below average football game. The next home game, against Pitt, was better played, more important a game (because we knew that with a win a championship was possible) and more dramatic. Dweeb dance aside.

The others on the list:

Opening day against Indiana. The surreal moment showing both if you build it they will come, and that we were instantly no worse than the poorer major conference teams.
'04 versus Pitt. The intensity of the crowd was unreal.
'07 against USF. Dramatic win for the program, dramatic end of game and the first half downpour of the hardest rain ever to hit the Rent.
'10 against Pitt. Described above
'15 against Houston. How HCVV created that mirage is still beyond my comprehension.
'

Do you think the 2007 game against USF had harder rain than the Louisville game aka Larry Taylor game?

 

[businesslawyer]

Do you think the 2007 game against USF had harder rain than the Louisville game aka Larry Taylor game?

The Louisville game was played in a light mist and heavy fog. It was the tailgate when the downpour occurred. Late in the 1st Quarter against USF, the heavens opened up and poured in a manner we've never seen at the Rent during a game.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

The Louisville game was played in a light mist and heavy fog. It was the tailgate when the downpour occurred. Late in the 1st Quarter against USF, the heavens opened up and poured in a manner we've never seen at the Rent during a game.

I must have confused it then. I do remember Jim Levitt going nuts when USF was heading out on the field when it was heavy heavy rain.