Two football games matter a lot less than a life cut short, but on the day that the Connecticut football family played its first home game following the senseless death of Jasper Howard, it was hard to deny the sense that the Huskies just don't deserve what they're getting.

For the second straight week, a late lead in a Big East game turned into a 28-24 loss. For the second straight week, a hard effort went unrewarded. For the second straight week, a team played through turnovers and mistakes to inch its way in front of a dogged opponent, only to give up the ghost at the very end of an afternoon.

Life isn't fair, and the UConn players and coaches know this better than anyone else in college football, after enduring the awful death of their teammate and friend. The Huskies, to a man, are aware of what really matters in life, and none of them would ever entertain the idea that losing a pair of games even remotely approaches the value of Jasper Howard's living presence--laughing, joking, encouraging--in practice and in other everyday doings.

Yet, after taking another hard-luck loss against Rutgers on Saturday at Rentschler Field, it has to be said that for a team that's endured an uncommon amount of very bad news, it would be nice to see these UConn kids experience something good. Something positive. Something that will plant smiles on faces give a fan base a reason to shout with joy.

When running back Jordan Todman scored on a 4th and goal run with 38 seconds remaining in regulation time, it appeared that just such a moment would throw some sunshine into a dark and dreary rainy-day season. Leading 24-21 while oh-so-close to the finish line, coach Randy Edsall's team had to feel even better when the Scarlet Knights--who burned UConn for a touchdown on the game's opening kickoff (the second time in as many weeks that's happened to the Huskies)--couldn't do anything with their last-minute kick return. With Rutgers starting at its own 19, victory--though not guaranteed--was extremely likely. A home crowd in East Hartford, Conn., was about to shed tears of happiness at the end of an emotional day.

Instead, a deflated mood would soon descend on a stadium that was denied a chance to celebrate.

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Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage threw an 18-yard deep-in pass to receiver Tim Brown. UConn's secondary (which would have been manned by Howard, of course) took severe angles to the spot where Brown caught the pass at his own 37, instead of making sure to cut off Brown's running lanes. When three blue-shirted Husky defenders converged near the spot of the catch, Brown unexpectedly found a running lane to his left. The receiver sprinted upfield with the ball and then steadily pulled away from anyone and everyone who was pursuing him. With just 22 seconds on the clock, Brown reached the end zone to complete Rutgers' abrupt rally, which sent Rentschler Field into a state of silence.

More things matter more deeply than football results do. Still... it's time for UConn's kids to catch a break one of these days. Edsall and his coaching staff can only hope that a bit of good fortune will emerge as this sad 2009 season continues.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer