Connecticut coach Randy Edsall said his team never lost its confidence in a season touched by tragedy. The Huskies' five losses have come by a total of 15 points in a season overshadowed by the death of cornerback Jasper Howard.

But Edsall acknowledged there is something a bit different about UConn after last week's 33-30 double-overtime win at Notre Dame.

"Maybe the smiles weren't fake this week,'' he said.

The Huskies (5-5, 1-4 Big East) host Syracuse (4-7, 1-5), knowing they can earn a bowl bid if they can beat the Orange on Saturday and South Florida on Dec 5.

It was a goal that seemed out of reach after the team lost three consecutive games in the wake of the Oct. 18 stabbing that took the life of Howard.

Cornerback Robert McClain said the team wanted badly, perhaps too badly, to win one for their fallen teammate, "Jazz.''

"Saying we were going to get a win for Jazz, and finally getting that win for Jazz, and finally putting everything together and finishing a game, it's big for this program getting that win, and it's big for us getting that win,'' McClain said.

The Orange are also coming off their biggest win of the season, a 31-13 victory over Rutgers, and are planning to play spoiler.

"We also want to end the season on a note of, 'Here we go, we've won our last two football games as we go into another season,' which is recruiting and going into the spring,'' said first-year coach Doug Marrone. "You always want to end it on the correct note.''

The game will pit Connecticut's strong running game against Syracuse's rushing defense, which ranks ninth in the nation, giving up just 92 yards per game.

UConn's tailback tandem of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon have combined for 1,800 yards rushing this season. Todman needs just 44 to become the 11th running back in school history to reach 1,000 yards in a season. Dixon is right behind him, needing 156 yards.

"We're confident, and now we feel we can win games again, and we can make something real positive happen at the end of the season,'' Dixon said. "But you can't sleep on Syracuse.''

The Orange have allowed just one back, Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis, to gain more than 100 yards in a game this season.

They are led by junior linebacker Doug Hogue, a converted running back, who had 6 1/2 tackles for a loss and 3 1/2 sacks against Rutgers.

This will be the final game for Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus, the former Duke basketball player, who transferred to use his one season of football eligibility. Paulus said he came to Syracuse to help steer the Orange football program in the right direction, and he feels that goal has been accomplished.

"We've gotten better in a lot of aspects,'' he said. "One of the things is to see how hard we've been fighting and how we've been playing hard and scrapping, trying to do what we can to do the right things on and off the field. And it's great to see some of the results.''

There is another distraction for Connecticut this week. Edsall has been linked to the job in Kansas, where coach Mark Mangino has been under fire after allegations by players that he has been verbally abusive and insensitive to his players. Lew Perkins, the school's athletic director, came to Kansas from Connecticut, where he hired Edsall.

"You think I'm going to touch that with a 10-foot pole?'' Edsall said. "I can't control what's being said or rumors that are spread. I haven't talked to anybody. I just want to get this team prepared for Syracuse. There's no sense talking about it when there's nothing to talk about.''