East Hartford – A beautiful September night, a good crowd and a former Big East rival in town.

A competitive football game?

Well, three out of four isn’t bad.

Overmatched UConn couldn’t stop Syracuse, a Power Five program out of the Atlantic Coast Conference that moved the ball almost at will and controlled the game with an aggressive, hard-hitting defense.

The Orange (2-0) scored on their first seven drives, pinning a 48-14 loss on the Huskies before an announced crowd of 25,114 at Rentschler Field.

It was that kind of night for the Huskies (1-2), who allowed a season high for points and scored a season low.

“Obviously, we’re really disappointed because we were fully expecting to win this game,” said junior linebacker Jackson Mitchell, who had a team-best 16 tackles. “We knew we could win this game. They’re obviously a really great team, but we’re a good team, too, and we’ve got to believe that and play like that every single Saturday.”

The game was basically over at halftime with UConn trailing 27-7.

Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader carved up the defense, completing 20 of 23 attempts for 287 yards before departing early in the fourth quarter. He accounted for five touchdowns, passing for three and running for two. Sophomore running back Sean Tucker rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown.

UConn was outgained 465 to 202 yards.

Sophomore running back Nate Carter was UConn’s best offensive player for the third straight game, finishing with a team-high 71 yards on 16 carries. He raised his season total to 384 yards.

UConn freshman quarterback Zion Turner threw his fourth touchdown pass of the season, connecting with sophomore Aaron Turner for a 56-yard score. Overall, he completed 14 of 17 passes for 92 yards while directing a conservative attack.

Coach Jim Mora was proud of the way his team kept fighting to the finish despite the lopsided score.

“There were moments in that game where it could have gone either way with these guys with the things that they’ve been through and the battles that they’ve weathered,” he said. “They showed character. You look at the scoreboard, it doesn’t say it. You look at the stats, it doesn’t say it. ... There was a feeling on the sideline and a feeling in the locker room afterward of resolve, of competitiveness, of staying together, of fighting together and not fighting against each other that we can build on.

“And we will build on that.”

All last week UConn social media had some fun with former Big East rival Syracuse coming to The Rent.

Men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley narrated a hype video featuring highlights from past UConn-Syracuse meetings on the court and football field.

In a festive tailgating scene outside Pratt & Whitney Stadium, a few UConn fans threw oranges against a blue tarp. Wearing bright orange Syracuse gear, visiting fans turned out in good numbers to root on their team.

Once the game started, UConn fans had little to cheer about.

The Huskies quickly fell behind 17-0 and managed just 35 yards in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the Orange piled up 172 yards.

The tone was set on the game’s opening drive as Syracuse easily marched 69 yards in 12 plays. Shrader’s one-yard sneak put UConn in a quick 7-0 hole. By intermission, he was 17 for 20 for 222 yards and passed for two touchdowns.

Syracuse’s next four drives resulted in the following scores: Andre Szmyt’s 27-yard field goal, Shrader’s 47-yard pass to Damien Alford, Szmyt’s 28-yard field goal and Shrader’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Courtney Jackson.

Even when UConn’s defense appeared to make a momentum-killing play, Syracuse got the yardage right back with a big play, converting for first downs on 2nd and 23 and 2nd and 17.

The Huskies managed just one good drive in the first half and that came on their third possession. Carter, who continues to impress, rushed 33 yards on five carries to help UConn reach the Syracuse 28.

From there, sophomore Devontae Houston broke through the line and into the clear for a 28-yard touchdown run, cutting the gap to 17-7 early in the second quarter.

Before UConn scored again, Syracuse built a commanding 34-7 lead.

“I’m very frustrated because stuff like that can’t happen, especially at home,” said Aaron Turner, who caught a team-high six passes for 71 yards. “This is a terrible feeling. I really wouldn’t wish this on anybody else. But this is the feeling that we have right now. And we know that we can’t let this happen again.”

It was the first meeting between the two teams since 2018. They’re not scheduled to play each other again until September 2026 in Syracuse.

Next up for UConn is a trip to No. 4 Michigan on Saturday.

The Huskies will be thinner at running back after sophomore backup Brian Brewton suffered a fractured elbow and is likely out for the season. He also broke a finger during warmups.

g.keefe@theday.com