Commentary by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb

This in my kind of weekend – a University of Connecticut football game on Saturday followed by a New England Patriot’s game Sunday. Not to mention the Boston Red Sox clinching the American League East title in a 6-3 success over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday evening.

That said – Husky fans will likely hold their collective breaths tonight when UConn football, winless thus far this season, faces 15th-ranked Michigan on a national stage. The sold out game is slated to be broadcast at 8 p.m. on ABC. It is an understatement to say that Michigan has a long tradition as a football powerhouse and from viewing televised clips, their players look to be at least twice the size of our guys. Add to Michigan’s size, talent and an apparent distaste for having to play at a smaller venue and they will probably come out smokin’. Never mind a win, I just hope they won’t be picking blue & white bodies up off the field tonight at Rentschler stadium in East Hartford.

“Obviously, this will be a great challenge for us,” UConn Head Coach Paul Pasqualoni is quoted as saying on the UConn football website, “… We have to rise up and get ready to play this game, put our best foot forward and give every ounce of energy we have.”

Rise up – okay. On the heels of two emotional losses – one to Maryland against their former coach and the other to a Division I-AA team, I certainly hope that ‘rising up’ applies to the coaching staff as well as the boys out on the gridiron. The beauty of sports is that on any given day in any given match-up the unexpected can occur. One team can have an off game and the other can play the game of a lifetime.

No matter what, it is big night for the UConn football program.

Connecticut News is reporting a large turnout of Michigan fans infusing millions of dollars into the local economy. Obviously, this game is a win for area hotels and merchants.

I’m in the Huskies corner and would love to see them stage an upset; if not a victory then I’d like to see them hold their own and come out with a respectable performance. At the very least, these guys -those who survive- can someday tell their grandchildren they went up against storied Michigan.