Holy Cross @ UConn preview

Randy Edsall begins his second stint as coach at Connecticut when the Huskies host FCS foe Holy Cross on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams. Edsall, who went 74-70 in 12 years at UConn before parlaying a Fiesta Bowl berth into an ill-fated stop at Maryland, looks to right a program that has not had a winning season since he left five years ago and went 11-26 under Bob Diaco over the past three campaigns.

UConn will turn to David Pindell at quarterback after the Lackawanna Community College transfer beat out incumbent senior Bryant Shirreffs for the starting nod. Pindell is a dual threat in the backfield as he rushed for 459 yards with seven touchdowns while throwing 31 scoring passes and piling up 2,424 yards in the air as Lackawanna went 10-0 during the regular season last year. The Huskies return six starters on offense including running back Arkeel Newsome, who racked up 1,257 yards from scrimmage last season and scored a team-high seven touchdowns. Holy Cross last reached the postseason in 2009, when it won nine times and hasn't won more that six in a season since.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3.com, SNY

ABOUT HOLY CROSS (2016: 4-7): The Crusaders were picked to finish fourth in the Patriot league's preseason coaches' poll paced by all-conference linebacker Nick McBeath, one of a dozen returning starters. McBeath led the conference with 106 tackles last season but Holy Cross still struggled defensively allowing 32.3 points a game (sixth in the Patriot League). Peter Pujals returns at quarterback after an injury-riddled campaign and enters the season ranked second all-time at Holy Cross in career completions (833), pass attempts (1,366) and yards of total offense (10,524).

ABOUT UCONN (3-9): Cornerback Jamar Summers set an American Athletic Conference record with eight interceptions in 2015 and while he picked off only two passes last season he is regarded as one of the nation's best. UConn was woeful offensively in 2016, averaging 14.8 points a game which ranked last in the nation. Edsall led the Huskies to five bowl berths in his final seven seasons at UConn and looks to reinvigorate a program that lost its last six games last season and played in front of sparse crowds throughout the campaign.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Edsall was 22-34 in five seasons at Maryland with only two bowl berths
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2. Shirreffs served as UConn's primary starter for the last two years, throwing for at least 2,000 yards each season with a combined 829 rushing over that stretch.

3. Holy Cross leads the all-time series 19-8-1 but the teams haven't met since 1985.

PREDICTION: UConn 30, Holy Cross 20