As bad as it's been the past three seasons for Navy's football program, things somehow managed to get a little bit worse for the Midshipmen yesterday.

Connecticut, just three years removed from playing Division I-AA, so thoroughly whipped Navy on its own home field, first-year coach Paul Johnson was nearly speechless afterward. The Huskies scored on five of their first six possessions and held Navy to just 82 total yards, cruising to a 38-0 victory.

Navy (1-9), which has lost 14 straight home games, didn't get a first down in the second half and had only 35 rushing yards, the Mids' lowest total on the ground since 1994.

Connecticut (5-6) racked up 509 yards of offense, including 157 on the ground by freshman running back Terry Caulley, who also scored twice. Huskies quarterback Dan Orlovsky wad equally impressive, opening the game by completing his first 11 passes and finishing 29-for-35 for 272 yards and three touchdowns.

"Today is probably a low point," Johnson said. "I know it's a low point for me. I don't know. I don't have any answers."

Though the Mids have struggled this season, losing nine straight games, no one could have seen this performance coming. Last week against Notre Dame, an inspired Navy squad played its best game of the season and nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in school history before falling to the Irish, 30-23.

But yesterday, Connecticut dominated both sides of the ball, stuffing Navy's powerful rushing attack, which was ranked fourth in the country. Twice in the first half, UConn scored a touchdown after a Navy turnover, and as a result the Mids, down 31-0, were emotionally deflated by halftime.

"We definitely didn't come out with the emotion and the determination to shut them down like we did last week," said Navy defensive lineman Andy Zetts. "It's unbelievably disappointing."

Said Huskies coach Randy Edsall: "That was as dominating a performance as I have ever been associated with here at Connecticut."

Injuries in the Notre Dame game to quarterback Craig Candeto (ankle) and fullback Kyle Eckel (knee) forced Navy to play backups Aaron Polanco and Michael Brimage against the Huskies. In muddy, wet conditions, Connecticut's defense took advantage of the Mids' inexperience.

"We came in with three different schemes we were going to play with our defense," Edsall said. "With the weather and a new fullback in there, we put our outside guys on the end to make them pitch the ball. We said we wanted them to pitch the ball to beat us."

Against a fast defense in wet conditions, that wasn't easy. Even when Polanco did get outside on the option with a chance to pitch, there were usually two or three defenders in his face and another waiting to drill the pitch man.

Defensively, Navy tried everything, but the Mids never found a way to slow Connecticut. On the first drive of the game, Navy defensive end Dan Person stripped Caulley at midfield, but Huskies receiver Jason Williams recovered the loose ball. Six plays later, Williams' hustle paid off when Orlovsky found him open in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown.

"We don't ever come close to getting any pressure on the quarterback unless we blitz," Johnson said "And when we [blitz] to get pressure, we're exposed on the back end trying to cover. So it's kind of a pick your poison. If you don't bring them, the guy has all day to stand back there, and if you do bring them, then you have to cover them."

Caulley and Orlovsky kept Navy guessing the rest of the half and Navy's problems began to snowball. Caulley scored on a 17-yard run in the first quarter to make it 14-0. In the second quarter, Orlovsky hit Wes Timko for a 6-yard touchdown to make it 24-0.

Caulley, who rushed for 115 yards in the first half, struck again with 1:08 left in the half, breaking two tackles at the goal line on a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 31-0.

Navy's defense played better in the second half, but Connecticut added another score after Aaron Weedo muffed a punt at the Navy 19-yard line and Orlovsky hit tight end Tim Lassen in the back of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.

"We knew we'd have to throw the ball today in order to win," Edsall said. "I think the weather affected Navy today more than it affected us."

Johnson said in his 20-year coaching career, his triple option offense has never rushed for so few yards.

"We've got a lot of young players, but that's not [an] excuse," Johnson said. "That's still no reason to play like we played today."

Next for Navy

Matchup:Navy (1-9) vs. Wake Forest (5-5)

Site:Groves Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C.

When:Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Radio: WJFK (1300 AM, WNAV (1430 AM)

Yesterday:Wake Forest was idle.