BOSTON — Freshman running back Godspower Nwawuihe and junior quarterback Cale Hellums each rushed for two touchdowns as Army rolled to a 41-16 win over UConn in Saturday’s Fenway Bowl.
The Black Knights (7-6) won their third straight bowl on the strength of the run game, recording 368 yards on the ground. Army broke open a 14-10 halftime score with 13 points in the third quarter and finished with a 476-267 advantage in total offense.
Nwawuihe, who had previously rushed for just 25 yards on the season, logged a game-high 171 on 12 carries and his first two career scores. He was named the game’s Offensive Most Valuable Player. Army linebacker Kalib Fortner (six tackles, half a sack) was named Defensive MVP.
Hellums recorded 45 yards on 15 carries on top of completing 7 of 8 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. His 18 rushing scores this season are the second-most in Army history.
Noah Short posted Army’s best receiving performance of the season, catching all seven of Hellums’ completions for 108 yards and a touchdown.
“I’m really proud of our players, the way they played today, the way they prepared for this game,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. “And I think it just was, it epitomized what we hope Army Football will be, that it’s not only a great performance, but guys that are fighting and giving everything they’ve got to the very end.”
Ksaan Farrar made his first career start at quarterback for UConn (9-4), going 11-of-17 passing for 84 yards while rushing for a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Cam Edwards (108 yards on 11 carries) ran for the game’s opening score. Edwards broke off his first two runs back-to-back to help UConn open the scoring with 9:17 left in the first. The redshirt junior busted down the sideline for a 34-yard gain on 4th-and-2, setting up his 12-yard touchdown run up the middle on the next play.
Hellums led the Black Knights to a game-tying score on the next series, airing out a 40-yard pass to Short on his first attempt.
Army used a 10-play, 90-yard drive to take a 14-7 lead on Nwawuihe’s first score with 3:04 left before halftime, but UConn closed within 14-10 as Chris Freeman kicked a 49-yard field goal as time expired.
Nwawuihe broke through a pile near the line of scrimmage for a 70-yard run to the house on the Black Knights’ second play after the break. The Army lead remained 20-10 following a blocked extra point.
Despite offsetting penalties that erased David Clerk’s 42-yard reception bringing Army back into the red zone, Hellums led the Black Knights down field and managed a 1-yard sneak to extend the lead to 27-10 with 6:22 left in the third quarter.
Army’s next drive was a 15-play, 89-yard series that ended with Hellums scoring a 6-yard touchdown with 8:18 left, moving the Black Knights’ advantage to 34-10.
Farrar led UConn on a late scoring drive, rushing for an 11-yard score with 5:47 left.
Carson Smith’s 6-yard scoring run put an exclamation point on Army’s victory with 1:20 left.
–Joshua Kummins, Field Level Media
