The University of Connecticut upset Liberty on Saturday, topping the Flames 36-33 to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2015. Here’s what you need to know:

  • UConn improved to a 6-5 record with the win, while the Flames drop to 8-2.
  • The Huskies’ most recent bowl game was in December 2015, when they played Marshall in the St. Petersburg Bowl.
  • UConn had won just four games in its last three seasons. Liberty entered the game at 8-1 and ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

UConn’s recent record

UConn didn’t play during the 2020 COVID-19 season and lost its last 16 games as a member of The American Athletic Conference before going independent. Since reaching the Fiesta Bowl in 2010, the program had been to a bowl game just once and won more than three games just twice. — Ubben 

What’s worked for the Huskies under Jim Mora Jr.

For Mora to get the Huskies into a bowl game in Year 1 is one of the most breathtaking coaching jobs of the season. He’s added some punch to the offense, stiffened up the defense and given UConn a chance in games when so often that wasn’t the case for much of the last decade. UConn is bowling, and that sentence will still take some getting used to. — Ubben 

A lot of outside observers thought Mora was an uninspiring retread hire, but Mora was adamant he’d learned from his UCLA experience (where he went 46-30, by the way. Not bad). UConn won 10 games over the previous six years. Now it has six wins in his first season. — Vannini 

How UConn pulled off the upset

Previous UConn wins this season came against weak opponents, but this was the program’s fourth-ever win against a ranked team. Liberty’s only loss was a narrow defeat to Wake Forest. UConn was led by 104 rushing yards by running back Robert Burns, who entered the game with just 147 yards on the season. The Huskies ran for 208 yards (5.5 per carry) with three touchdowns on the ground. They only threw for 110 yards, but returned a Liberty fumble for a touchdown. UConn had a 21-10 lead, then had to come back from a 27-21 deficit entering the fourth quarter. — Vannini 

Highlight of the game

58-yards and into Liberty territory! @itsRobertBurns#HuskyRevolution pic.twitter.com/LfmqisgcDr

— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) November 12, 2022

Required reading

(Photo: Williams Paul / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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