The countdown has hit two days until the most anticipated home game in the history of the UCONN football program. Many here are writing the Huskies off, who at last check, are sitting as 18 point underdogs at home. The spread is far and away the largest point differential against the home team in the 10-plus year history of Rentschler Field.
Even the most diehard of fans are finiding it hard to think of a situation where the outcome will be any different, but there are some indications that this game will be closer than the experts believe.
First off is UCONN themselves. Two subpar performances, where, as much as it will pain Huskies fans to hear this, Paul Pasqualoni may be correct. His players have not yet played anywhere near a complete game this season. Be it missed assignments, breakdowns or flat out mental errors, UCONN has shot themselves in the foot many times here in 2013.
Be it Brian Lemelle's dropped punt late in the fourth against Towson, or Taylor Mack's inexcusable attempt to return a field goal against Maryland, the Huskies have beaten themselves more than their opponents have beaten them.
For all the skeptics out there, note this; the Michigan Wolverines have not travelled away from Ann Arbor in a non-conference game outside of Notre Dame and come away victorious since 1999. Yes, teams, players and coaches change every year, and Michigan does not travel away from home out of conference very often, but this is one thing going on UCONN's side of the ledger.
Then there is Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner. The first year starter had Wolverine fans utterly inscensed following the near loss to Akron this past weekend. In three games here in 2013, Gardner has thrown seven touchdowns. However, he has also tossed six interceptions. Remind you of anyone UCONN fans? Against Notre Dame, he threw one in his own end zone when he was up two touchdowns. Against Akron he had one returned twenty-seven yards for another score. Gardner likes taking chances and should the Huskies defense bait him into a couple mistakes, it will be interesting to see if UCONN can use this to their advantage.
On to head coach Brady Hoke. Since he took over for Rich Rodriguez at his alma mater, the maize and blue have only managed to go 5-7 away from home. Included in those twelve games is a 1-1 record in bowl appearances and an absolute melt down last year to Alabama in their season opener. How his young and inexperienced players face what is expected to be a raucous atmosphere Saturday night, will go a long way in determining which team comes out on top.
Finally, there is the home crowd. UCONN fans are salivating at the mere thought of Michigan coming into their house. There will be some Michigan colors in the stands Saturday night, but the majority will still be from the home side. Should the Huskies fans get rowdy and turn a raucous environment into a hostile one, Gardner will be wondering what he walked into in his first ever career start on the road.
The longer the Huskies stay with Michigan, the longer Rentschler Field will be how current NFL quarterback and former Baylor Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III portrayed it.
"When we played at UConn my freshman year, that was the loudest place I've ever been as a football player. The stands are right next to the field, it was packed, and everyone was yelling. That was probably the coolest place for me to play at aside from Texas, Texas A&M and Nebraska."
UCONN will be hoping Devin Gardner and the rest of the Michigan players and faithful walk away with the same impression Saturday night.
