First-year UConn head coach Jason Candle finally has settled on a starting quarterback for Week 1.

He’s chosen to go with a familiar face, tabbing Kalieb Osborne as the starter for the Saturday home game against FCS program Lafayette, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Friday night. Osborne started one game for Candle at Toledo last season.

Osborne, a Michigan native, is a 6-foot-4, 218-pound junior with three years of eligibility remaining. A three-star prospect coming out of high school, Osborne didn’t play in his first season with the Rockets in 2024 but last year, appeared in seven games. He completed 32 of his 52 pass attempts for 427 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Osborne added 282 rushing yards – averaging 5.5 yards per carry – and scored two TDs.

Candle apparently never intended to fast-track the decision, and he and his staff took their time weighing the three top candidates: Osborne, Tennessee transfer Jake Merklinger and Tucker McDonald, who backed up Joe Fagnano last season.

The competition went on throughout camp, with Candle saying on Aug. 10 that he wasn't concerned about the quarterback position and he’d let it play out. In his comments to the media on Monday, he indicated that none of the three quarterbacks had eliminated themselves from the conversation. Regardless, Candle said the team was close to a decision.

And on Friday, less than 18 hours before a Saturday noon ET kickoff, UConn fans finally had an answer about the QB1 for Game 1.

Osborne played largely in a reserve role at Toledo last season, but he started the Boca Raton Bowl last Dec. 23, giving him not only a college start but experience against a Power Four team.

He played well in the 27-22 loss to Louisville: 17-of-28 passing for 167 yards and a touchdown. He did not throw an interception. He also led the Rockets in rushing, gaining 77 yards on 18 carries.

He is the only one of the three quarterbacks to have started a college game – something that could give him a dose of confidence against Lafayette on Saturday.

The game will not be televised nationally. WFSB-3, WWAX and UConn+ all will air the contest, with kickoff set for 12:02 p.m. at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. Fox Sports radio 97.9 will carry the game, which also will be on SiriusXM 263 and on the Sirius App 972.

The team of Randy Brochu, analyst Marc Robbins and sideline reporter Dan Booth will have the television call.

Radio listeners will hear Mike Crispino, analyst Wayne Norman and sideline reporter Adam Giardino.

The Huskies finished last season with a 9-4 record under former head coach Jim Mora. Lafayette was 8-4 under John Troxell, who is entering his fifth season.

The two teams have met once. The Leopards defeated the Huskies 20-13 on Oct. 13, 1984, in Easton, Pa.