Though we are still three-ish months away from the start of the new college football season, prognosticators everywhere are already gearing up for the 2026 iteration of the sport. 

Earlier this week, ESPN's Billy Connelly put out his early preview of the American Conference, and the Independent University of Connecticut Huskies.

UConn went 9-4 a season ago, earning a berth in the Fenway Bowl, but this is certainly a season of transition. Not only did head coach Jim Mora bolt for Colorado State, the team also lost record setting quarterback Joe Fagnano and All-American wide receiver Skyler Bell, who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills.

Connelly calls the Huskies a "mystery team" heading into the new year.

It stinks that this is such a heavy transition year, as UConn's home schedule is awfully fun: Maryland, Syracuse and North Carolina will visit East Hartford, as will last season's two best Sun Belt teams (James Madison and Old Dominion). There are some memorable win opportunities if UConn is solid, but such massive turnover makes the Huskies a mystery team.

UConn lost 44 players to the transfer portal while bringing in 56 transfers, 19 of which played for new head coach Jason Candle at Toledo.

Sept 5: vs. Lafayette

Sept. 12: vs. Maryland

Sept. 19: at Southern Miss

Sept. 26: at Miami (Ohio)

Oct. 3: vs. Syracuse

Oct. 10: at Temple

Oct. 24: vs. UMass

Oct. 31: at Air Force

Nov. 7: vs. North Carolina

Nov. 14: vs. James Madison

Nov. 21: vs. Old Dominion

Nov. 28: at Wyoming

The biggest question facing this Huskies team is how they handle the losses of Fagnano, Bell and Cam Edwards, who transferred to Michigan State. Can they find enough offense, against this challenging schedule, to sustain themselves?

And then, of course, can all the players gel together in a meaningful way that provides chemistry on the field and off?

(The following are just a portion of the additions to Candle's roster, via CFBDepth.com).

--K'Von Sherman, LB (Toledo)

--Jake Merklinger, QB (Tennessee)

--Trey Cornist, RB (Central Michigan)

--Emanuel Ross, WR (Syracuse)

--Kalieb Osborne, QB (Toledo)

--Avery Dunn, LB (Toledo)

--John Lista, LB (Penn)

--Ky Wilson, WR (Youngstown State)

--Tahjae Mullix, DL (Oregon State)

--Zakaih Saez, DL (Oregon State)

--Christian Richter, OL (Marshall)

--Steve Miller, DB (Southern California)

--Matt Ragan, TE (Boston College)

--Melvin Hills III, DE (Texas)

--Cam Abshire, WR (Oklahoma State)

--Cyncir Bowers, RB (West Virginia)

--Zy'marion Lang, WR (Toledo)

--Kamren Flowers, WR (Toledo)

--Renick Dorilas, DB (Rutgers)

--Dominic Rivera, OL (Toledo)

--Raphael Greene-Nyarko, OL (Toledo)

--Jamel Howard Jr., DL (Wisconsin)

--Nathan Pahanich, OL (Wake Forest)

--Jediyah Willoughby, WR (Toledo)

--Alex Godavitarne, TE (D-2)

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