Syracuse, NY -- In the afterglow of Syracuse University’s 13-10 win at Rutgers last weekend – a victory that made the Orange bowl-eligible for the first time in six seasons – head coach Doug Marrone said his team still has challenges ahead.

One of those will roll into the Carrier Dome on Saturday in the form of the Connecticut Huskies. The Orange (7-3, 4-2 Big East) will face a Huskies team (5-4, 2-2 Big East) that still needs a victory to become bowl eligible, isn’t out of the Big East Conference race, and one that has consecutive wins over preseason conference favorites West Virginia and Pittsburgh.

“The storyline behind this game is you’re facing a team that’s playing as good as anybody in the Big East now, coming off two big wins,” Marrone told reporters Monday morning at his weekly news conference. “They’re a very good football team that was picked by some to win this conference. We’re a football team that’s trying to get to the upper level, and get back to consistency and winning, and we have a long way to go.”

UConn, which rode a 222-yard performance by running back Jordan Todman to a 30-28 win over league-leader Pittsburgh on Thursday night, comes into the Carrier Dome on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPNU) on the upswing.

In Todman, the Huskies have the nation’s fourth-best running back (147 yards per game) and easily the top producer in the Big East. But UConn has also struggled.

Just last month, the Huskies lost (27-24) at Rutgers, and were shut out (26-0) at Louisville two weeks later. The Huskies will have had two extra days of rest before the SU game, courtesy of the Thursday night game Nov. 11.

UConn also comes to Syracuse after last year’s season-ending 56-31 victory over the Orange at Rentschler Field – a game that included a late touchdown throw by the Huskies that many interpreted as a cheap shot by coach Randy Edsall, who played and coached at SU.

Marrone didn’t want to hear any of that on Monday.

“It’s the game of football,” he said. “You go out there and you compete on every play. There’s no grudge. There’s no payback. There’s none of that stuff.”

Marrone went on to say that he and Edsall go way back.

“First of all, coach (Edsall) played here. And then he was a graduate assistant when I was a player here, and then he became a coach here. And, we worked together on the same staff at Georgia Tech,” Marrone said. “I probably talk to him more than anybody when we’re at the Big East Conference (media events).”

While Marrone said he was pleased and happy for the seniors who earned a bowl appearance last weekend, he’s really not focused on anything but beating UConn.

“I would lie to you if I said we haven’t accomplished anything,” he said. “We’ve accomplished a lot.”

But the coach added that he hasn’t had any time to reflect on reaching seven wins, nor has he given any thought to which post-season game his team might play in.

“I haven’t thought of that. I really haven’t. I don’t know if anyone realizes the time schedule that we’re under,” said Marrone, explaining that he and other coaches were in the office until about midnight Sunday evaluating video from the Rutgers game, then came in bright and early Monday to began planning for UConn.

“There’s really not a lot of time to … talk to anyone one the phone, or email or text, or talk about the season,” he said. “We’re on to the next opponent, win or lose.”