Vanderbilt @ Connecticut preview

Vanderbilt at Connecticut

Here's a chance for the Big East to salvage a smidgen of pride after starting the season 1-10 against outside competition. But Connecticut (2-2) is no lock against visiting Vanderbilt (1-2), which has the potential to win a second straight game for the first time in two years.

No pushover in the early going, Vandy had an extra week to prepare for the Huskies and celebrate a 28-14 upset of Ole Miss on Sept. 18 that ended the Commodores' 10-game SEC losing streak. In its first two games, Vandy put up more resistance than many expected while losing to Northwestern and LSU.

UConn routed Buffalo 45-21 last week, rallying from a 14-14 halftime tie as quarterback Cody Endres came off the bench to throw for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. He had been suspended one month for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, but his play against Buffalo won him the starting job against Vandy.

The Huskies also found a new rushing threat in Robbie Frey, who gained 112 yards in the second half filling in for Jordan Todman, out with an injured elbow. Todman is expected back this week. He leads the Big East with 149.3 yards per game and rushed for 1,188 last year.

Frey and Todman will go against a Vandy defense that has been hit hard by injuries and struggled against the run, allowing an SEC-worst 206 rushing yards a game. UConn's running attack has averaged 212.

There is some uncertainty in UConn's kicking game with freshman kicker Chad Christen moving up to be listed as co-starter along with junior Dave Teggart, a third-year incumbent who made 7 of 11 field goal attempts in the first four games. Teggart and backup linebacker Jerome Williams were arrested Tuesday for getting into a fight with each other at an apartment complex, but coach Randy Edsall said neither would be suspended for Saturday's game.

Huskies sophomore linebacker Sio Moore had 16 tackles and an interception against Buffalo, earning Big East defensive player of the week honors.

UConn's offense has averaged 394 yards a game. Vandy ranks 109th in the nation in both scoring (17.3 ppg) and total offense (289 ypg), albeit against somewhat stronger competition. Neither team has mounted much of an air attack, with UConn ranked 92nd at 181.3 yards a game and Vandy 113th at 127.7. Commodores' quarterback Larry Smith has thrown for 383 yards and one touchdown.

Vandy's top ball-carrier is Warren Norman, last year's SEC freshman of the year, gained 111 yards against Mississippi and has 225 for the season — despite undergoing knee surgery Aug. 25.

Vandy has been the most penalized team in the SEC, with 66 yards a game. But the Commodores have protected the ball, compiling a plus-3 turnover margin. Against Ole Miss, they had no turnovers and three takeaways.

Vanderbilt is 10-7-1 all-time against the Big East and beat Connecticut in their only previous meeting, 28-24 at home in 2002.