Clayton Tune threw a season high-tying four touchdown passes to lift No. 24 Houston to a 45-17 victory over UConn in a nonconference game on Saturday afternoon in East Hartford, Conn.
Tune completed 21 of 30 passes for 301 yards for the Cougars (11-1), who carry an 11-game winning streak into next Saturday’s American Athletic Conference title game against Cincinnati.
Tune also threw four touchdown passes in Houston’s 44-37 victory over SMU on Oct. 30.
Nathaniel Dell reeled in two scores for his third multi-touchdown performance of the season. He had six catches for 62 yards before exiting with an undisclosed injury.
Jake Herslow had five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown and Jeremy Singleton reeled in five receptions for 100 yards and a score.
Alton McCaskill rushed for 54 yards and his team-leading 16th touchdown of the season before sustaining an undisclosed injury late in the second quarter. He did not return to the contest.
UConn’s Steven Krajewski completed 9 of 19 passes for 79 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 53 more. Micah Leon relieved Krajewski and went 10-for-13 for 62 yards before injuring his left leg for the Huskies (1-11), who lost their final four games of the season.
McCaskill opened the scoring early in the first quarter after using a jump cut before finding daylight as part of a 31-yard touchdown run. The rushing score was his 12th in his last eight games.
Tune connected with Herslow on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 11:44 left in the second quarter before UConn answered just over five minutes later, courtesy of a 34-yard scoring reception by Kevens Clercius.
Undaunted, Houston cobbled together a nine-play, 58-yard drive that was capped off by Dell’s 6-yard touchdown reception.
Joe McFadden’s 25-yard field goal just before halftime trimmed UConn’s deficit to 21-10. However, Dell reeled in a 13-yard touchdown with 11:08 left in the third quarter.
Dalton Witherspoon’s 23-yard field goal and Tune’s 34-yard pass to Singleton staked the Cougars to a 38-10 lead late in the third quarter.
Houston pulled Tune to begin the fourth quarter, but Malik Dixon greeted Ike Ogbogu rudely by stepping in front of his pass and returning it 27 yards for a touchdown.
–Field Level Media
