It was historic the first time a UConn football team had ever played in — and won — a bowl game. Led by the arm of senior quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the open-field running of freshman Larry Taylor and a stingy defense, the Huskies opened up a 30-7 lead by halftime and cruised home to a 39-10 Motor City Bowl victory over the University of Toledo.

The game was played at Ford Field in Detroit before a record crowd of 52,552.

The UConn win showed the nation how talented and spirited the Husky football team was, but it also demonstrated something else: that Husky fans are among the most passionate, devoted and vocal fans in the country. And they also “travel well,” willing to go anywhere, anytime, to cheer on their Huskies.

Senior Brian Abamelik ’05 (CLAS) holds a sign proudly stating how far he traveled to attend UConn’s first bowl game.

The bowl game, after all, was in icy Michigan, not sunny California or Florida, and it took place just after a Christmas holiday that will be remembered for its winter storms and nightmarish travel snafus.

Even so, the University had more than 10,000 true blue-and-white fans on Dec. 27 to cheer on their Huskies.

“Toledo is only 45 miles from Detroit,” said John Feudo, director of the UConn Alumni Association,   “but we had the greater fan presence by far. And we won over the neutral spectators in the stadium. We came in as underdogs, we’re a very dynamic team and our fans were clearly more energetic.

“Coming into the airport and seeing U-C-O-N-N spelled out in hotel window lights, you knew this was going to be a special occasion for Husky fans,” he added. “And that’s exactly what it turned out to be.”

For David Bergamesca ’88 (BUS), who traveled from his home in New Jersey, it was an “amazing” experience. “Everywhere we went in Detroit we came across UConn fans,” he said.“It was like a family reunion.”

The 2004 season was also historic because it marked UConn’s first year as an official Big East football squad. The Huskies went 3-3 in the Big East which, along with their 7-4 overall record, was enough to get them into the Motor City Bowl.

Most of the victories were at “the Rent” — Rentschler Field in East Hartford — including a solid win over Pittsburgh, the eventual Big East champion.

But for hundreds, even thousands of UConn supporters, tailgating and cheering yourself hoarse at the Rent just is not enough. These are the Huskies’ road warriors, the hardiest, most enthusiastic fans of all.

And in 2004 the road was busier than ever. The UConn Alumni Association sponsored buses to three away games (nine to Boston College, two to Syracuse and one to Rutgers). In 2003 there were nine buses and all were to West Point for the Army game.

For Lisa McGuire ’83 (CLAS), director of public affairs for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, “going to away games is a different experience altogether. You’re in the enemy camp, part of that island of UConn blue in a sea of yellow or maroon or gold.”

“Last year,” she added, “the team generated interest because it had generated expectations. The last three seasons have been winning seasons and included wins over some very good teams like Iowa State and Wake Forest. UConn is a winner and we all like a winner.”

Fans outside the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.

In fact, since 2002, UConn has won 20 games, which puts the team among the national leaders in regular season wins. In first place is Oklahoma with 28 wins.

The 2004 schedule was a bit unbalanced. The Huskies played six of their first seven games at home, then three of their last four away. The first away game, against Boston College, came after UConn defeated Murray State and Duke at the Rent.

The UConn road contingent was larger than in past years in part because of the growing desire of the Husky faithful to support the team. The trip for one group of UConn fans began at a commuter parking lot off Route 195, near Interstate 84, as a group organized by the UConn Alumni Association waited in line for a fan kit that included a football T-shirt, a blue-and-white pompom shaker and a boxed dinner for the ride to Boston.

Some fans had personal reasons for making the journey to Chestnut Hill and Alumni Stadium.

Heather Failla ’96 (BUS) gave her brother Lou a ticket to the game as a birthday present. “It’s a big game between these two teams,” she says. “My brother’s a big fan and I have to support my school, so here we are.”

Jeff Ossen ’62 (CLAS), ’66 M.S. said going to the game was “a pre-honeymoon gift” for his fiancée, Eileen Moran; they were getting married in October. Jeff, who also taught business law at UConn, said a Husky victory over BC could be every bit as historic as the one he remembered over Yale back in 1966.

“It was our first win ever over Yale, and this could be our first win ever over BC,” he explains.

However, the Huskies lost the game 27-7 before a national television audience.

Betty Kitch, an avid Husky supporter who attended each of the UConn-BC games, found some good news in the defeat. “When we first played Boston College they seemed like a pro team in comparison,” she says. “We were like little kids against them. Now we’re bigger, stronger and faster, and we put up a fight.”

A few weeks after UConn fans said good-bye to Boston College, they said hello to a new rivalry with old basketball foe Syracuse. After an extended home stand, the Huskies had improved to 5-2, defeating Army, Pittsburgh and Temple, losing only to powerful West Virginia.

On the ride to Syracuse the two words on everyone’s lips were “bowl eligible.” With a victory over the Orange, UConn could become eligible for its first bowl game in history. Syracuse, however, would have other ideas.

Milio and Jackie Danise, a retired couple who have been following UConn football since its Yankee Conference days, took the long bus trip in stride. Jackie, who was a UConn student from 1952-53, says “we go to almost all the away games and enjoy being part of the UConn family. The team has become so much better over the years and is really fun to watch.”             

Husky fans, accompanied by the UConn Band, formed a solid, disruptive blue wedge in the orange color scheme of the Carrier Dome. Before entering the stadium, they smiled politely at the Orange fans’ attempt at tailgating, a lackluster hamburger-hot dog affair compared to the splendiferous cuisine found at the Rent.

Syracuse survived the Husky onslaught with a 42-30 victory but, according to the stat book, UConn should have won this game. They had the edge in first downs (35-18), passing yardage (445-125), and total yardage (566-406), but turnovers, penalties and Syracuse’s propensity for big plays (including a successful Hail Mary at the end of the half) sealed Connecticut’s fate.

Fans work together to hold up a U-C-O-N-N sign at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

Mary Lee Oleksiw, past president of the UConn Club, who attend the game with her husband, Jim Oleksiw ’75 (ENG), said it was heartening to see so many UConn fans at the Carrier Dome. “Our numbers are growing year by year since the days when we played UMass and URI,” she adds.

On Nov. 13, UConn journeyed down to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech, hoping to win their sixth game of the season and become officially bowl eligible. The Yellowjackets proved too fast and too strong, however, and handed the Huskies a decisive 30-10 defeat. Yet many alumni saw a brighter side, despite the outcome.

Bergamesca, the road warrior from New Jersey, said that the game in Atlanta served as a reunion point with fellow alumni he knew as an undergraduate who now live in Florida and North Carolina.

“When you’ve got friends scattered around the country, you can combine trips,” he said. “It’s a great chance to get together with guys who I haven’t seen in years. I’m proud of having gone to UConn. Now watching UConn play is from August to April.”    

Scott Hickman ’82 (CANR), who flew down to Atlanta to watch the game, said there was an impressive number of UConn fans, including the group with Hickman that held up a huge “GO HUSKIES” sign.

“We were definitely vocal,” he said, “especially in the first half when the game was within reach. But in the second half the UConn contingent became quieter, although we tried our best to keep our spirits up.”

Jean Brennan ’86 (BUS) of Chattanooga, Tenn., holds Alexis Bivens of Ringgold, Ga., at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.

Still, for Steve Murray ’80 (CANR), the experience of cheering for the Huskies as he did was rejuvenating. “While I was hoping for a different final score, I couldn’t have asked for a better day,” he said. “Here I am in Atlanta, sitting with my best friends from college, surrounded by hundreds of enthusiastic fellow UConn alumni rooting on the Huskies in a big time college football game.   I never thought I’d see the day, and I can’t wait to do it again in September!”

Returning from Georgia with a 5-4 record, UConn took care of business and settled the bowl eligibility question once and for all with a solid 29-0 victory over Buffalo University.

The last game of the season, an away game at Rutgers on Thanksgiving Day, would not be factor for a bowl invitation even if the Huskies lost. But it was a victory the Huskies wanted because they had not won a road game all year. Rutgers was an up-and-down team, having beaten Michigan State in their first game of the season only to lose to Division I-AA New Hampshire the next week.

More than 1,000 UConn fans traveled to Rutgers Stadium early on Thanksgiving morning to cheer the Huskies on to an inspired 41-35 win, highlighted by a stunning 32-yard touchdown pass play from Orlovsky to tight end Dan Murray.

After the win, all UConn had to do was wait for a bowl invitation. On the afternoon of Nov. 30, the auditorium at UConn’s Thomas J. Dodd Research Center was filled with UConn players—and some devoted road warriors — in anticipation of a bowl invitation. The call came from Ken Hoffman, executive director of the Motor City Bowl, who asked if UConn would play in Detroit against Mid-American Conference champion Toledo.

“I am both honored and pleased to accept the invitation,” responded UConn director of athletics Jeffrey Hathaway. The crowed exploded with applause. The stage was set for what was to become UConn football’s biggest and most historic road trip.

UConn’s alumni road warriors will pack their bags for an even more ambitious travel season in September with a return to Georgia Tech and then journeys to Army, West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

Fans silhouetted against the night sky at Boston College.