Big East Rivals Honor Jasper Howard

West Virginia wore his number. Connecticut brought his jersey and helmet to the sideline. The Morgantown crowd roared in his honor and stood silent in his memory.

Six days after UConn cornerback Jasper Howard died from a stab wound suffered after a school dance, two Big East rivals kept his memory very much alive.

The Huskies played their heavy hearts out and paid tribute to Howard with everything except a win.

"I just feel empty,'' Connecticut coach Randy Edsall said. "The kids played their hearts out and did what we asked them to do. This is a special group of kids. We've got to take this and just learn how to play like this all the time.''

The Huskies came close to what would've been a moving victory. The two teams traded the lead six times and UConn quarterback Cody Endres finished with a career-game, completing 25-of-41 for 378 yards and two touchdowns.

But Connecticut couldn't catch up to Noel Devine. The Mountaineer running back rushed for 171 of his 178 yards after halftime, and finished off the heavy-hearted Huskies with a 56-yard touchdown run for the final points in West Virginia's 28-24 victory.

"That's what football is all about -- making big plays when your teammates need you,'' Devine said.

The Huskies struggled to clear their minds of their fallen teammate. There were reminders of Howard everywhere in Morgantown, from the hundreds of heart-shaped pins and armbands passed out to the Morgantown crowd, to the banners and signs which paid tribute to the slain cornerback, to the decal with his number on all players' helmets.

UConn committed three interceptions, lost a fumble and missed two field goals.

"I just couldn't stop thinking about him throughout the game,'' UConn running back Andre Dixon said.

But the Huskies, who started in a 7-0 hole after West Virginia's Tavon Austin ran the opening kickoff back 98 yards, never quit the fight in a game that was all about their fallen teammate.

"We really wanted to go out and get this win for Jazz, but we came up short," Easley said.

Short, but only in the win column.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.