EAST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Bryant Shirreffs threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns in his first start and UConn held off Villanova from the championship subdivision 20-15 on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
Tight end Tommy Myers had a 14-yard touchdown catch on UConn's opening drive and set up a touchdown on the first drive of the second half with a 69-yard catch and run.
Ron Johnson ran 23 times for 69 yards and a score for the Huskies and Arkeel Newsome took a middle-screen pass 27-yards for a touchdown with just under 5 minutes left that proved to be the game winner.