Rebuilding #108

UConn

FBS Independents · 2026 preseason baseline

Projection

33.1

SP+ preseason

−11.2

Returning prod.

45%

Recruiting

42%

2026 portal cycle

Net positive on talent-weighted flow.

+2.10z

talent-weighted z-score

applied: +0.42 pts

Top gains

  • 3★ QBJake Merklinger from Tennessee
  • 3★ QBKalieb Osborne from Toledo
  • 3★ EDGEJoshua Mickens from Ohio State

Top losses

  • 4★ DLStephon Wright to Colorado State
  • 3★ QBNick Evers to Missouri
  • 3★ EDGENykobi Brown to Colorado State

Portal moves are weighted by recruiting stars, position (QB and skill positions weighted higher), and eligibility. Withdrawn entrants are excluded. The z-score is normalized across teams appearing in the 2026 portal cycle. See the full portal leaderboard →

2025 season · final grade

The 2025 season, graded.

B CeilingB

Ahead of the projection.

Realized SP+ +5.1 · SP+ rank #53

Projection

43.0

Realized

57.3

Δ

+14.3

Δ grade

B

Ceiling SECONDARY

B

Projection vs realized

Realized 57.3 Projection 43.0

The yellow tick is UConn's August 13, 2025 preseason SP+ rating (−4.9) — the last preseason release before Week 1, from Bill Connelly / ESPN. The dark bar is the final 2025 SP+ (Connelly, post-championship). Both mapped to the 0–100 scale by score = 50 + SP+ × (50/35), clamped [1, 99]. The gap between them is Δ: +14.3. Δ banded A through F gives the letter grade.

What the grade means

A B means UConn finished between 8 and 20 points above the projection (Δ +14.3). Ahead of the projection, and on purpose.

Ceiling grade: B · secondary lens · 25% of upside headroom used. Δ divided by the room UConn had to move (upside if Δ is positive, downside if negative). Ceiling normalizes for projection height: a projection-90 team has 10 points of upside room, a projection-50 team has 50.

The letter grade always records the same relationship: realized minus projection, banded A through F. A team can sit in the Elite tier and still receive a D. LSU in 2025 is that case.

Read the methodology →

Offense (2025)

32.0

SP+ offensive rating

Defense (2025)

28.5

SP+ defensive rating (lower = better)

Nat'l SP+ rank

#53

Final 2025 SP+ ranking

2025 portal cycle (context)

Net positive on talent-weighted flow.

+1.01z

talent-weighted z-score

Top gains

  • 4★ EDGEStephon Wright from Texas Southern
  • 3★ EDGEAntoineo Harris Jr. from Utah State
  • 3★ EDGETrent Jones II from Iowa State

Top losses

  • 4★ DLPryce Yates to North Carolina
  • 4★ LBJulien Simon
  • 3★ QBCole Welliver to New Mexico

Portal moves are weighted by recruiting stars, position (QB and skill positions weighted higher), and eligibility. Withdrawn entrants are excluded. The z-score is normalized across teams appearing in the 2025 portal cycle (context).

Returning production (2025): 68% of prior-year PPA back on the field (Bill Connelly's percentPPA metric via CFBD). This is a narrative reference — the 2025 grade itself is Δ vs preseason SP+ only.