UConn and Duke. Names synonymous with basketball.

But Saturday, at a packed Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., their football counterparts pushed those programs off the front pages.

UConn defeated Duke 37-34 in a game that became an instant classic, with one big play, one dramatic twist after another.

“I felt like tonight's win was kind of accumulation of all the lessons we've learned this year,” UConn head coach Jim Mora said after the game. “You know, close games we've had. A lot of our games have been close. I think it was a testament to the will of our young men, trust they have in each other.”

Heading into the game Saturday between UConn (7-3) and Duke (5-4, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), no one knew quite what to expect beyond a matchup between two of the nation’s top quarterbacks. And UConn’s Joe Fagnano and Duke’s Darian Mensah didn’t disappoint.

Prior to the game, Mensah ranked No. 5 in the nation with 2,572 passing yards (plus 21 touchdown passes and two interceptions). Fagnano trailed him at No. 6 with this line: 2,529 passing yards, 22 TDs and no interceptions.

Fagnano was 27-of-39 passing for 311 yards and three TDs, remaining without an interception. He outplayed Mensah, lured to Duke by big NIL money, who was 22-of-31 passing, 222 yards, three scores and two interceptions.

The score changed 10 times, each team resilient in response to points by an opponent. It seemed that the team with the final possession of the ball would win.

And the 38,106 fans in the crowd – UConn’s highest attendance since 2013 -- had to fear Duke taking possession with 1:58 on the clock at their own 25-yard-line after Fagnano hit Skyler Bell for a touchdown from 19 yards out to give the Huskies a 35-34 lead. Fagnano ran for a two-point conversion to put the Huskies up by a field goal.

Mensah threw two incomplete passes before hitting Nate Sheppard for a 5-yard gain. With time dwindling, the Blue Devils had a fourth-and-5 play, and Mensah connected with Que Sean Brown for 6 yards and a first down.

On the next play, Mensah ran for 12 yards, then led Duke to another first down 10 seconds later, the ball on the UConn 39 and kicker Todd Pelino waiting for a potential game-tying field goal attempt as the seconds ticked away.

After Tyrece Mills broke up a Mensah pass intended for Cooper Barkate, UConn sacked Mensah for a loss of 19 yards, with Bryun Parham stripping the ball from Mensah and Trent Jones recovering it with 18 seconds remaining.

A quick UConn kneel down, and this seesaw, heart-pounding game was over. UConn finished with 467 yards, Duke with 390.

Mora said he felt the presence of the crowd on the final drive.

“I heard them. I thought they contributed a ton to us getting that stop at the end; I think that they put pressure on Duke. That’s what you want from your home crowd.”

The crowd streamed onto the field in celebration – an act that has drawn big fines from some conferences this season.

With the Huskies not belonging to a conference, Mora had some fun with the moment.

“I’m hopeful that our conference doesn’t fine us,” Mora quipped before turning serious.

“It’s just really cool for our players. Those are the moments that they’ll remember forever.”

Bell, who caught what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown, likely won’t forget it.

“Just all the work we put in --my brothers behind me, man --we put in work all week for days like this, to come out on top of victories like this.”

And he understands his role with the Huskies.

“I gotta make a play,” he said in his on-field postgame interview. “That's what I'm here for. That's what I'm here to do: go off, make plays, make DBs look bad.”