Wasabi Fenway Bowl Game Post Game

[UCan3]

The QB play was terrible. He had pretty much every receiver but Bell too. If Bell played it wouldn’t have made a difference.
In the first half, half his passes got blocked at the line of scrimmage.

He very much looked like a 4th string QB.

when you say terrible did I miss something or did he throw some interceptions fumble? Give the ball away just making sure I didn't miss anything watching the game yesterday. I was watching it on YouTube recording and I did fast forward through some commercials, but it must've missed something. He certainly looked OK not great and like a back up, but certainly would not categorize it as terrible terrible.

 

[UCan3]

I can't blame Bell one bit. The offense was unequipped to get him the ball. He would be playing for nothing.

well, he could've played for the fans that showed up and supported him in the last two years. Or to try to get us to 10 wins or to support the other players on the field. Not blame him for taking one snap - you can count me out for that take

 

[AllHusky]

While our group sat during pregame in the bitter cold (in seats built for 1912 bodies), one of our guys said he found what he called "the best bet on the board" and we should pound it to cover all our expenses and provide us all with a steak dinner. His track record is pretty good. What was the bet? Total Rushing Yards!!
Army 263 UConn 73.5. His reasoning?-
"Army is Army but the oddsmakers blew it on UConn. We have a young running QB who likely won't be passing much, Cam Edwards, Mel Brown and Victor Rosa are all playing. The O line is pretty sound even with the two opt outs. I think we can muster at least 20 yards rushing per quarter. I'm betting big on UConn over 73 rushing yards for the game!" Final outcome? We rushed for 183 Yards!
Luckily, we all listened to the logic and bought in. Not only did we recoup all of our expenses for the game, we enjoyed dinner at a fabulous Boston steak house.
Later, the guru said--"always look for the one bet that makes the most sense.Take the time to find it. Sometimes there isn't one, sometimes it's there but you won't see it-- but quite often It's staring you in the face"
Good advice!

Awesome. Best post of the last 3 weeks!!

 

[J187Money]

My sister’s company does business with Wasabi. They were thrilled with the turnout last year and lobbied hard for us this year. From what I hear they are very happy.

Tough beat but was kind of expected given the players we had. Still had a good time. My expectations were realistic.

 

[cullaville]

Get a grip. The game didn’t matter. This is college football in 2025.

the game was played so it mattered

 

[cullaville]

I don't understand why people can't see this for themselves.

He would be playing for the University that gave him the chance and his teamates

 

[JohnFSilver]

I don't think I have ever been less interested in a game ever for UConn FB. It is like a one off exhibition. You can't make any judgments off it. It didn't validate or invalidate the season, and it isn't anything of a precursor of what is to come.

If mora didn't leave, would the team have been in that kind of state? I don't think so. But who knows?

This is the oddest game UConn has played since it played mass twice in a season.

It was less valuable evaluation wise than a spring game.

 

[JohnFSilver]

the game was played so it mattered

Game don't matter. Like, if the players don't care, then it doesn't matter.

 

[JohnFSilver]

It was only in the last month that we were told the bowl means nothing which is an admission our football program plays for nothing as of right now. That will need to change ASAP if you want fans to support the program.

That is being a whiner. Sorry, context matters. UConn lost its coach. Half team is in portal. This was an exhibition in almost every regard. They played their fourth string freshman QB in 25 degree weather.

UConn fulfilled its contract to the bowl. Good for them. The check cleared. Good for them.

As far as anything else?it says a lot more about these three things that have killed bowl season.

1. CFP playoff
2. Coach carousel timing
3. Transfer portal

Because of those three things, the culture of the sport has changed.

 

[tiger paw]

Disappointed but not unexpected. Had to replace a 7Yr record setting QB with a freshman QB with 1 career pass. 38 bowl games plus 12 team playoff. That means 49 teams end their season with a loss. Still not the low spot for 2025 season. That for me was the Delaware game. Too many bowl games. Cut it down to 16 games. Attendance was very low for a most of these games. All teams that do not get a bowl bid get extra days of spring practice + pre season camp.

 

[CL82]

I know 5 people who won’t be attending any bowl game unless the players are 100% committed. Every kid should be required to sign a personal pledge to their teammates that they promise they will play the full season, bowl game included. Loved Fagnano and Bell, but kind of lost a lot of respect for and interest in them going forward. I’ve been a critic of Mora’s classless move from day 1. Same goes with coaches. You leave before a bowl, there is a huge penalty. Sick of this garbage. We were raised to respect the game, respect commitment and effort, support your teammates, and lay it out on the field. It was a game of character, honor and toughness. That’s why I loved the game. They are killing what I love. It pisses me off.

I still think the answer is simply the backload the NIL with the final payment only payable if you participate in any bowl games. It's an easy solution and if kids decide, it's not worth the back end of their deal, so be it.

 

[CL82]

They played their fourth string freshman QB in 25 degree weather

It was played with "the fourth string quarterback" because at least two quarterbacks ahead of him opted out. It's circular reasoning to justify opting out because people opted out..

 

[BRS24]

Did I correctly hear the announcers sometime in the 3rd (??) quarter say that other players were also calling it a day after Bell did?

 

[ZooCougar]

when you say terrible did I miss something or did he throw some interceptions fumble? Give the ball away just making sure I didn't miss anything watching the game yesterday. I was watching it on YouTube recording and I did fast forward through some commercials, but it must've missed something. He certainly looked OK not great and like a back up, but certainly would not categorize it as terrible terrible.

I say it from the standpoint that I still have two eyes.

He’s a 6 foot 3 QB but had as many blocks as completions.

Honestly people like you are why we had bad QBs for so long. You seriously don’t know what good QB play is.

 

[CL82]

There have been football players that have shut it down well before the season is over. It goes back to character (and NFL front offices rightly judge them on that decision).

Azzi could stop playing and still be drafted #1 overall. And she is certainly risking another ACL injury. If the WNBA paid like the NBA it would be hard to fault her decision from a rational perspective. But we would judge her character negatively (as people are currently doing regarding Bell not playing in a post-season exhibition game in which UConn didn't have a QB capable of completing a pass to him if he have played).

But we aren't talking about Azzi ending her UConn career in January. We are talking about Azzi not playing in a post-season exhibition tour to celebrate yet another title. Meaningless games that have no bearing on anything and especially not her future (although with UConn, you could easily argue that none of their football games matter because they are an independent -- and I am of the opinion that this is true outside of the larger context of a conference realignment that none of the current players will benefit from).

Added later: But we have to keep in mind that with football and bowl games -- the combine is around 8 weeks away. And muscle strains could adversely impact his prep and performance at that event, hurting his draft stock and potentially costing him a position on an NFL roster. So it isn't only crippling injuries (like a Jaylon Smith) that are of concern, but a far larger range of more typical injuries that occur during a football game. As of end of the scheduled reason, Bell stopped being a football player and become an underwear Olympian.

The logic is the same for every sport. You may feel differently about different sports, but the logic is the same.

 

[gioff2323]

We’ve come a long way in a short time. We are now angry with bowl selections, players opting out, coaches moving to greener pastures, and bowl losses. 4 years ago we’d have done backflips over most, if not all, of those.

It was a disappointing end, but we are so much further along from where we were recently.

 

[mike012]

Reality is this situation has been going on for a long time we were just finally hit by it. This explains why the G5 team could beat a P4 team in the access bowl The P4 team didn’t give a cr@p while the G5 team was playing a playoff game. Also explains why G5 will never win a playoff game as now the P4 team really cares. Our lack of depth showed and Army was playing a playoff game for them. Now you know how Oklahoma felt playing a bunch of cow tippers in Boise state at the fiesta bowl.

 

[Stinger92860]

They sure as heck are now. After what just went down, you would disagree?

That’s not my definition of a stakeholder. They could all decide to opt out and give up, which a few clearly did. To me thats an obstructionist or a blocker of the greater good, supporting their own interests versus supporting the larger team (teammates and the school) or the customers (us, the fans). I mean they are paid now, thats an employee going on strike. To they have some power, yes they do.

 

[Stinger92860]

He would be playing for the University that gave him the chance and his teamates

He was paid to play this year. Would you support someone with NIL, your money, when they basically give you the finger? Not me.

They can decide not to play, or say No Mas after 3 plays, but I don’t have to like it or agree with it. A guy like Cam I would pay to see play again wherever he lands. As far as the weather, if Fagnano or Bell are drafted by the Bills will they quit at the end of October because it’s too cold? What about playing down the road in Foxboro where there is no roof or in Green Bay, will they decline?

 

[RSTuthill]

He’s a 6 foot 3 QB but had as many blocks as completions.

Honestly people like you are why we had bad QBs for so long. You seriously don’t know what good QB play is.

He had 17 passing attempts and 11 completions. Would you like to revise your remarks?

 

[Huskygamble19]

this was the worst possible draw for UCONN with a team that hasn't any players that sit it out. UCONN was down even before the start. I noticed something funny at the end of the game..the chant of "Yankees Suck"....Fenway Park at its best lol.

 

[Deepster]

I will say, they need to hit Fenway with a wrecking ball. The facilities there are embarrassing. The original seats are a torture chamber. Getting around the stadium inside and outside is a nightmare and the concessions are worse than the XL center.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Why would a sponsor have anything to do with these absurd bowl games? I was watching a few minutes of the Clemson/Penn State game on TV and saw several Clemson receivers simply refuse to catch the ball if they might get hit. Why bother if that is how the players are treating the game?

 

[ec33]

The logic is the same for every sport. You may feel differently about different sports, but the logic is the same.

What people are failing to appreciate is that the player gets to make their own choice on whether the risks are worth. You - as the fan - think that you get to decide whether they should assume the risk.

 

[amishboy]

It is not up to UConn whether we get a P4, soon to be P2, invite.

Yes, and that was exactly my point!

 

[amishboy]

Don't care if it's front and center. Get it done. No excuses now because as you said the bowl system won't exist soon. We will need something to play for soon and we clearly can't trust it will be a bowl. And if the bowls do exist, we clearly can't trust our players will want to play in it.

And I'll also be clear seeing you said it. I don't enjoy UConn football resembling UMass football in front of a national tv audience. And that should be prevented at all costs from repeating itself going forward.

Sorry, but even seeing us get crushed on national TV doesn't put us anywhere near UMass football! [Although you may remember, just a few years ago, we were neck-and-neck with them in a race to the bottom. Thank you, Jim Mora!]

 

[Shamar]

What people are failing to appreciate is that the player gets to make their own choice on whether the risks are worth. You - as the fan - think that you get to decide whether they should assume the risk.

Just asking football players to you know play football. Also its what they are paid to do. I don’t think that is too much to ask.

 

[amishboy]

Every one, right? You are making a false distinction between bowl games and any game during the season.

Here's your original quote:
View attachment 115138
Anytime you play sports you put yourself at risk. A college golf player could injure himself preventing him from having a pro career. A college volleyball player could get concussed, preventing her from a career in…say...accounting. How is one of those things any less "absurd" than another? So following your train of thought to its logical end point, you're advocating for no collegiate sports.

You mean the UConn baseball team might play a post-season EXHIBITION game after the College World Series? And the men’s basketball team might play an EXHIBITION game after the NCAA tournament? And the women’s basketball team after their tournament? The men’s and women’s soccer teams after the NCAA tournaments?

Huh, never knew that. /s

 

[amishboy]

I know 5 people who won’t be attending any bowl game unless the players are 100% committed. Every kid should be required to sign a personal pledge to their teammates that they promise they will play the full season, bowl game included. Loved Fagnano and Bell, but kind of lost a lot of respect for and interest in them going forward. I’ve been a critic of Mora’s classless move from day 1. Same goes with coaches. You leave before a bowl, there is a huge penalty. Sick of this garbage. We were raised to respect the game, respect commitment and effort, support your teammates, and lay it out on the field. It was a game of character, honor and toughness. That’s why I loved the game. They are killing what I love. It pisses me off.

Get off my lawn, you young whippersnappers!

[okay, you have every right to feel as you do, but do you seriously think any of this flies these days?! Given what he accomplished here, Mora should have been a serious candidate for national honors. I was completely unsurprised to learn that he was leaving, even if it was for somewhere that many didn’t consider advancement.]

 

[ArtTheFan]

When we stay “broken” it is the bowl games that are especially broken. Army + Navy are likely the only teams set up to compete full strength bowl games.

We ran into one of them.

This morning, we feel like fans of NC did last year.

The defense was listless and Army came to play.

I did not think our QB played terrible. He had few players to throw to and in 2nd half made some decent passes.

If anything, yesterday reminded me of how important it is that we get into a conference.

I was ready to make Bell one of my all time favorites for deciding to play yesterday. In my eyes, kind of tarnished his image a bit. He could have played a half like Cam.

I take nothing away from the game - like nothing. Predictable based on the players that decided to play and the head coach that left us. I was not expecting miracles.

Our defense which allows like 400+ yards a game, played like it. They need a reset next year.

Our QB, as I said yesterday, played his first game ever in a bowl game. If you tell him after the Duke game that he will be the starting QB at Fenway, he would possibly laugh at you.

That said, I want Cam and Rosa to return. I am looking forward to 2026 and the Candle era...