EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -Donald Brown ran for 146 yards and four first-half touchdowns as Connecticut won its season opener 35-3 over Hofstra on Thursday.
It was the Huskies' seventh win without a loss against Championship Subdivision teams since UConn started playing major college football in 2002.
Brown, a junior, split time with Andre Dixon a year ago. But Dixon rolled an ankle in practice this week, leaving Brown to carry the load. Brown had two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters, and 130 yards rushing at halftime. He finished with 23 carries in less than three quarters of work.
Hofstra announced just before kickoff that senior quarterback Bryan Savage would miss the game with an injured back. Junior Cory Christopher took his place, throwing for 130 yards and two interceptions. He also carried the ball 21 times for just 25 yards, and was sacked seven times.
UConn's Tyler Lorenzen was 14-for-25 for 184 yards, and three interceptions, two of them as UConn appeared to be going in for touchdowns. Lorenzen had just six interceptions in all of 2007.
Brown had another touchdown run called back because of a penalty and the Huskies also had an 85-yard return by Darius Butler on the opening kick nullified by a holding call away from the ball.
UConn went three-and-out on the first drive, but Hofstra gave the ball back on its own 1 when returner Anthony Nelson muffed the punt.
Brown scored on the next play, then ran for 52 of the 60 yards in Connecticut's next scoring drive, which ended with another 1-yard plunge.
A Hofstra penalty for too many men on the field during a UConn punt set up a 19-yard Brown touchdown run, and he scored again from 2-yards out with 41 seconds left in the half.
Another Hofstra penalty on a punt, this one for roughing the kicker, led to a 2-yard touchdown from redshirt freshman tailback Robbie Frey in the fourth quarter.
Hofstra's points came on a 28-yard, third-quarter field goal from Brian Hanley that was set up by a 54-yard interception return from Ray McDonough.
An interception by Anthony Vernaglia set Hofstra up at the UConn 12 yard line later in the quarter, but the Pride failed to convert on a fourth down.
UConn was undefeated at home last year and now has an eight-game winning streak at Rentschler Field.
