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As the calendar turned to October in Connecticut, the magnificence of the changing colors of the leaves mirrored in some odd way the matchups the UConn football team had on their schedule for the month.

As much as I had hoped the wide array of red, orange, and yellow leaves would stay on their perches a little longer, the reality of nature soon had those same leaves falling to the earth.

Unfortunately for the Huskies, the opportunity to take that next step in their ascension up the Big East ladder fell just as swiftly.

Oddly though, in my yard there is still one tree with at least 80 percent of its leaves still intact, some even still green.

In some weird way, I compare that tree to UConn's matchup with No. 5 Cincinnati on Saturday night, and to the season in general.

Inevitably, those leaves will fall, forcing me to clean up and dispose of them, but it would be great if they held tight against the prevailing breezes for just another week.

UConn's bowl hopes will not float away with a loss to the Bearcats, but they will be hanging on the smallest strand of fiber.

Three more wins are a must for the Huskies to become bowl eligible. After Saturday, a trip to South Bend awaits the Huskies, followed by two home dates against Syracuse and South Florida.

With the Huskies finding new ways to lose in the fourth quarter with each passing week, none of those matchups can be considered a gimme.

Despite the fourth quarter futility, Cincinnati should in no way be looking past the last Big East team to pin a loss on the Bearcats in last year's game.

Coupled with a perfect record and an outside chance to play in the BCS title game, coach Brian Kelly's squad should be beyond amped up for the prime time matchup with UConn.

For the Huskies, the prime time game Saturday, and next week's game at Notre Dame, should open more eyes across the country to the program coach Randy Edsall is building in the Northeast.

Upsets in both contests could do wonders for UConn's bowl hopes, but more importantly future recruiting, as Edsall tries to elevate the talent level throughout the Huskies' depth chart.

All for the hopes that future seasons' aspirations aren't as predictable and over with the falling of the leaves.

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