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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, November 21, 2009

CFB: Dixon's 4-yard TD gives UConn 33-30 win over ND


By TOM COYNE
AP Sports Writer

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Connecticut Huskies finally won one for their slain teammate, handing Notre Dame and coach Charlie Weis a second straight bitter defeat on senior day.

Andre Dixon scored on a 4-yard touchdown run in the second overtime to give the Huskies a 33-30 victory, their first win since cornerback Jasper Howard was stabbed to death.

"Jazz this is for you," coach Randy Edsall said, referring to Howard by his nickname. "Best win we have ever had."

The loss was the third straight for Notre Dame (6-5) and will add to the mounting calls for Weis to be fired. The Irish led 14-0 early in the second quarter but didn't score another touchdown until the first overtime.

The Huskies (5-5) had lost three straight painfully close games since Howard was killed. This time they made the plays at the end to win in dramatic fashion.

Jordan Todman ran for 130 yards on 26 carries, including a 43-yard TD run for UConn. He also added a 96-yard kickoff return for a TD. Dixon rushed for 114 yards on 20 carries.

Notre Dame was upset last season by Syracuse in the final home game of a 7-6 season.

This loss was Notre Dame's fifth loss by a touchdown or less this season.

Jimmy Clausen was 30 of 45 passing for 329 yards for Notre Dame. Golden Tate had nine catches for 123 yards and Michael Floyd had eight catches for 104 yards.

While it was Dixon who scored the game-winner, Todman did the most damage. He cut the lead to 14-7 when he made four Irish defenders miss on a long touchdown run in the second quarter. Then when the Irish moved ahead 17-10, he tied it seconds later when he returned the kickoff for a touchdown, racing up the middle, cutting left and going untouched into the end zone.

The Huskies, which have let several games get away from then late, appeared that they might do it again. The Huskies scored touchdowns twice in the final 2 minutes, both runs by Dixon, but both were called back on holding penalties. The Huskies settled for a 29-yard field goal by Dave Taggert to tie the score at 20-20 with 70 seconds left.

Taggert had a chance to win the game in regulation, but missed a 37-yard field goal wide left as time expired. The Huskies got the chance at the game-winner after defensive tackle Kendall Reyes knocked the ball free from Armando Allen Jr. and safety Robert Vaughn recovered for UConn at the 41 with 58 seconds left.

The Huskies took their first lead when former Notre Dame quarterback Zach Frazer threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Kashif Moore to make it 27-20. But the Irish tied the game when Clausen threw a fade to Floyd for a 4-yard TD.

Frazer, who transferred to UConn after finishing fourth in a four-man competition to replace Brady Quinn in the spring of 2007, was 12 of 25 passing for 141 yards and an interception.

UConn appeared ready to take its first lead midway through the fourth quarter after Frazer threw a 37-yard pass to Marcus Easley at the 12. Frazer threw into the end zone for Ryan Griffin, but the pass was intercepted by Irish linebacker Brian Smith.

Tate set school records for catches in a season (83) and season yardage (1,295) with a 39-yard catch in the first quarter that helped set up Notre Dame's first score.

The loss drops Weis' career record to 35-26, a .573 winning percentage. That's worse than the .583 winning percentage of his two predecessors, Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie.

The Irish, who usually run out of the tunnel at Notre Dame Stadium, walked out with linked arms led by the team captains and Weis, a show of support by the players.