The Baltimore Ravens topped the Philadelphia Eagles 24-7 in the preseason opener on Saturday night in Baltimore.
The Ravens, under new coach Jesse Minter, are expected to be a contender in both the AFC North and the AFC at-large.
The Eagles, though they are often filled with drama surrounding quarterback Jalen Hurts, figure to be a player in the NFC East once again.
For the Ravens, the preseason opener was a good chance to get a look at reserve quarterback Joe Fagnano, who they signed as an undrafted free agent and then gave a three-year deal to this offseason.
The UConn alum made a strong first impression, going 22-28 for 224 yards and a touchdown, averaging 8.0 yards per completion. He had have an interception but he helped engineer multiple scoring drives.
His touchdown pass went to Ja'Kobi Lane.
TOUCHDOWN @cantGuardJak1!!!!!
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 15, 2026
Tune in on @wbaltv11. pic.twitter.com/OcUOBGsDkv
It was good to see Fagnano get his first reps in the NFL and make the most of them. Not known as a runner, he's a completely different player than Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, which makes the organization's commitment to him interesting.
About Fagnano in college
Fagnano spent seven seasons in college (2019-25), taking full advantage of redshirt years and COVID exemptions. He played four years at the University of Maine and then spent three years at UConn, serving as the starter in 2024 and 2025. Last season, he completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,448 yards. He had 28 touchdowns against just one interception and a passer rating of 161.0.
UConn went 9-3 in the regular season and earned a spot in the Fenway Bowl, which it lost to Army. He did not play in that bowl game. The Huskies finished 9-4.
Fagnano paired with All-American wide receiver Skyler Bell and dynamic running back Cam Edwards to create a three-headed monster on offense.
All three players are gone, with Bell getting drafted by the Buffalo Bills and Edwards transferring to Michigan State.
As for the current Huskies
Well, new head coach Jason Candle has to find answers to the departures of all three players. With a bevy of running backs, it seems like the group can find good production out of the backfield, but the quarterback position is still up in the air, as are the top wide receivers.
UConn will open up its season on Sept. 5 at home against Lafayette. It will be the first game of the Candle era.