| UMass Minutemen football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1879; 146 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Ryan Bamford | ||
| Head coach | Joe Harasymiak 1st season, 0–10 (.000) | ||
| Stadium | Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium (capacity: 17,000) | ||
| Location | Amherst, Massachusetts | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | MAC | ||
| All-time record | 577–624–50 (.481) | ||
| Bowl record | 0–0 (–) | ||
| Claimed national titles | |||
| Div. I FCS:1998 | |||
| Conference titles | |||
| Yankee:1960,1963,1964,1966,1967,1969,1971,1971,1972,1974,1977,1978,1979,1981,1982,1986,1988,1990 A-10:1998,1999,2003,2006 CAA:2007 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 1 | ||
| Rivalries | Boston College (rivalry) UConn (rivalry) Buffalo (rivalry) | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Maroon and white[1] | ||
| Fight song | Fight Mass | ||
| Mascot | Sam the Minuteman | ||
| Marching band | The Power and Class of New England | ||
| Outfitter | Adidas | ||
| Website | UMassAthletics.com | ||
TheUMass Minutemen football team represents theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst in theNCAA Division IFootball Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Minutemen compete as a member of theMAC. Since 1965, their home games have been played atWarren McGuirk Alumni Stadium on the university's campus inAmherst, Massachusetts.
UMass began play in 1879[2] and have since appeared in threeFCS National Championship games, winning the title in 1998. The Minutemen began a two-year Football Bowl Subdivision transition period in 2011, becoming bowl eligible in 2013. UMass began its FBS tenure as an associate member of theMid-American Conference (MAC) but left the conference after the 2015 season rather than become a full member. Afterwards, the Minutemen competed as an independent, however in February 2024 the UMass athletics department announced that they would rejoin the MAC as a full member, effective July 1, 2025.[3]
UMass named Joe Harasymiak as their next head football coach on December 4, 2024.[4]
UMass began playing football on November 22, 1879, when the school was known as Massachusetts Agricultural College, and the team was known as the "Aggies." They were first organized the previous fall by Francis Codman, but did not play their first game until November 22, 1879, defeating theAmherst College freshman team 4–0. As this was their only game that year, 1879 is noted as their first undefeated season, matched only by the 1889 season (2–0) and the 1963 season (8–0–1). Massachusetts later teamed up with Storrs Agricultural College (now theUniversity of Connecticut) and Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now theUniversity of Rhode Island) to form theAthletic League of New England State Colleges for the purpose of scheduling football matchups between the schools. The first meeting between the Aggies and each of the other schools resulted in a shutout win for Massachusetts, as they defeated Connecticut, 36–0, in 1897 and Rhode Island, 46–0, in 1903.
Massachusetts won their 100th game on October 2, 1920, toppingrival Connecticut in a 28–0 shutout. The team played their 1000th game on November 11, 2000, losing to conference foeDelaware, 19–31. The team's nickname has endured several changes throughout the years. Though the official nickname remained "Aggies", "Statesmen" was also used interchangeably beginning when the school was renamed to Massachusetts State College in 1931. The nickname was officially changed to the "Redmen" when the name of the college became the University of Massachusetts in 1947.
Pittsburgh assistant coachVic Fusia took over the Redmen football program in 1961 and under his tutelage, UMass compiled a record of 59–32–2.[5][6] The Fusia era included an undefeated 8–0–1 campaign in 1963 as well as records of 8–2, 7–2, 6–3 and 7–2 in the following years. However, two losing records in three seasons led to Fusia's dismissal after the 1970 season.[7]Denver Broncos linebackers and defensive backs coachDick MacPherson, a former UMass assistant from 1959 to 1960, took over after Fusia's firing.[8] Under MacPherson, the Redmen compiled a record of 45–27–1.[9] In response to changing attitudes regarding the use of Native American-themed mascots, they changed their mascot in 1972 to the Minuteman, based on the historical "minuteman" relationship with Massachusetts; women's teams and athletes are known as Minutewomen.[10]
Bob Pickett was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach of the Minutemen football program in 1978.[11] Under Pickett's tutelage, the Minutemen won four conference championships and compiled a record of 36–28.[11] Despite the successes, back-to-back losing seasons in 1982 and 1983 led to Pickett's dismissal.[12]
Washington offensive coordinatorBob Stull was the next head coach for UMass, and he led the Minutemen to a 10–12 record in two seasons before leaving the program to accept the head coaching position atUTEP.[13] Under Stull, the Minutemen struggled to a two-win campaign in 1984 but improved to seven wins in 1985.[13]
Jim Reid was promoted from defensive coordinator following Stull's departure and led the Minutemen for six seasons, compiling a 36–29–2 that included five non-losing seasons during his tenure.[14] Reid and UMass parted ways after the 1991 season.[14]
UMass once again promoted their defensive coordinator, this time makingMike Hodges the team's head coach.[15] Under Hodges, the Minutemen compiled a record of 35–30.[15] Steady decline in the team's play that culminated with a 2–9 record in 1997 resulted in Hodges' firing.[16]
In his first stint as coach of UMass from 1998 to 2003,[17]Mark Whipple won theNCAA Division I-AA national championship.[17] His UMass teams rewrote the record books, setting more than 40 team records.[18] The 1998 national championship team posted school records in points scored (524), touchdowns (73), total yards (7,074), passing yards (4,050), completions (306), and first downs (354).[18]
Whipple left college football for a position as an assistant coach with thePittsburgh Steelers of theNFL in 2004.[19]
In 2004,Northeastern head coachDon Brown returned to UMass, where he'd served as defensive coordinator from 1998–1999 to take over as head coach.[20] During his tenure as head coach from 2004 to 2008, UMass posted the best five-year record in school history, 43–19. In his first year, he led the Minutemen to a 6–5 record, including victories over fourth-rankedColgate, seventh-rankedNew Hampshire, and ninth-rankedMaine. During 2005, Brown helped UMass to a 7–2 start and a final ranking of No. 19. That year, the Minutemen defeated fourth-rankedJames Madison and handed Delaware their worst home loss in two decades, 35–7.[21]
In 2006, Brown led Massachusetts to the Atlantic 10 conference championship and a finish as runners-up to the national championship. They ended the season ranked No. 2 with a 13–2 record. At home, he set a school record with a perfect 8–0 record inMcGuirk Stadium. That season, Brown was named the AFCA Region I Coach of the Year, Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, and New England Football Coach of the Year.[21]
In 2007, UMass again won its conference, now as a member of theColonial Athletic Association. The team advanced to the semifinals and finished the season with a No. 6 final ranking.[21]
Brown left following the 2008 season to become defensive coordinator at Maryland.[22]
UMass promoted offensive coordinatorKevin Morris to head coach following Brown's departure.[23] Under Morris, the Minutemen compiled a record of 16–17.
On April 20, 2011, after decades of studies and speculation, the UMass Minutemen formally announced they elevated their football program to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and became a member of the Mid-American Conference beginning with the 2012 season. The announcement was made atGillette Stadium, where the Minutemen play some of their home games. In 2011, UMass completed their last season in the Colonial Athletic Association, and were not eligible for NCAA postseason play.[24] UMass played a full FBS and MAC schedule in 2013 and became eligible for the MAC championship and bowl participation.
Morris was fired as UMass' head coach following a 5–6 season in 2011.[25]
Notre Dame offensive coordinatorCharley Molnar was hired as UMass' head coach in December 2011.[26]
The NCAA made a formal announcement of UMass' admission to FBS in the summer of 2013 after the program met specified benchmarks over its two transitioning years. The primary criteria centered around average attendance, an increase in scholarships from 63 to 85, and specific scheduling requirements. The NCAA did announce that the team must meet attendance requirements or face a 10-year probationary period.[27] Along with joining the Mid-American Conference for football, the men's and women's basketball teams would play four non-conference games against MAC teams.[28]
UMass struggled mightily under Molnar's tutelage, compiling back-to-back 1–11 campaigns in 2012 and 2013, the first two seasons UMass was a member of the MAC andFBS.[29][30] Molnar was fired after two seasons as head coach.[31]
Mark Whipple was selected as Molnar's replacement, returning to UMass after eleven years and stints in the NFL and college football as an assistant coach.[32]In March 2014, the MAC and UMass announced an agreement for the Minutemen to leave the conference after the 2015 season due to UMass declining an offer to become a full member of the conference. In the agreement between the MAC and the university, there was a contractual clause that had UMass playing in the MAC as a football-only member for two more seasons if UMass declined a full membership offer. UMass announced that it would look for a "more suitable conference" for the team.[33] Possibilities included becoming independent[34] or joining theAmerican Athletic Conference,[34]Conference USA,[34] or theSun Belt Conference.[35]
In September 2014, UMass announced that they would become independent beginning with the 2016 season.[36][37]
In 2014 and 2015, the Minutemen finished with a 3–9 record.[38][39]
UMass finished 2–10 in 2016.[40] The Minutemen kicked off the season on September 3 with a 24–7 loss to No. 25Florida.[41] After a 26–7 loss to archrivalBoston College,[42] Whipple's team picked up its first win of the season by defeatingFIU by a margin of 21–13.[43] The next week, they lost toMississippi State by a score of 47–35.[44] On October 1, UMass lost toTulane by a margin of 31–24.[45] That was followed by a 36–16 defeat at the hands ofOld Dominion.[46] Next, Whipple's Minutemen were doubled up byLouisiana Tech in a 56–28 loss.[47] After a 34–28 loss toSouth Carolina,[48] Whipple's Minutemen defeatedFCS opponentWagner by a score of 34–10.[49] On November 5, UMass lost toTroy by a margin of 52–31.[50] That was followed by a 51–9 blowout at the hands ofBYU.[51] In the season finale, the Minutemen lost toHawaii by a score of 46–40.[52]
The Minutemen finished 4–8 in 2017.[53] They began the season on August 26 with a 38–35 loss toHawaii.[54] In the season's second game, UMass lost toCoastal Carolina by a score of 38–28.[55] A third straight loss followed in the form of a 17–7 defeat at the hands ofOld Dominion on September 9.[56] Next, Whipple's team lost toTemple by a margin of 29–21.[57] On September 23, the Minutemen played a hard-fought game but ultimately fell short againstTennessee by a score of 17–13.[58] After a 58–50 loss toOhio,[59] UMass finally broke through with their first victory of the season, defeatingGeorgia Southern by a margin of 55–20.[60] They recorded a second straight win the following week with a 30–27 double overtime victory overAppalachian State.[61] After a 34–23 loss to No. 21Mississippi State,[62] Whipple's Minutemen defeatedFCS opponentMaine by a margin of 44–31.[63] They picked up their fourth win of the season a week later by virtue of a 16–10 victory overBYU.[64] UMass concluded the season with a 63–45 loss toFIU on December 2.[65]
Coach Whipple stepped down on November 20, 2018.[66]
On December 3, 2018,Florida State offensive coordinatorWalt Bell was hired as UMass' newest head coach.[67] UMass would finish their 2019 season 1–11, opening 0–4. They would secure their first and only win vs Akron 37–29 on September 28, then drop the next 7 games.On August 11, 2020, UMass announced the cancellation of the 2020 season. Athletic DirectorRyan Bamford explained, "The continuing challenges surrounding theCOVID-19 pandemic posed too great of a risk."[68] On September 21, UMass announced its intention to play a limited number of fall football games.[69] UMass finished their fall campaign 0–4. They returned to a 12-game format in 2021.The Minutemen opened their 2021 season with a 51–7 loss at Pitt, starting a 5-game losing streak. They picked up a 27–13 win againstUConn, however, to snap the streak. Bell was fired on November 7, 2021, following a 35–22 loss against FCS-ranked University of Rhode Island at homecoming on November 6, 2021, bringing his 2021 season record to 1–8.[70] Offensive coordinatorAlex Miller was named his interim replacement.[71] UMass would drop their final 3 games of the season, finishing 1–11.
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On November 22, 2021, Don Brown, then serving asArizona defensive coordinator, was officially rehired as the next coach of the UMass Minutemen. Brown would lead the Minutemen to a 1–11 season, beating FCS teamStony Brook 20–3 on September 17 and dropping their final game 7–44 toArmy on November 26.
UMass' 2024 season will be the last season competing as an independent. The Minutemen will rejoin theMid-American Conference (MAC) as a full member beginning in 2025.[72][73]
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| Year | Coach | Conference record | Overall record | Postseason | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Mark Whipple | 6–2 | 12–3 | NCAA Division I-AA (FCS) Championship Game | 55–43 | Georgia Southern |
UMass has won a total of 22 conference championships, 12 shared and 10 outright.[75]
| Season | Conference | Head coach | Overall record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960† | Yankee Conference | Charles Studley | 7–2 | 3–1 |
| 1963 | Vic Fusia | 8–0–1 | 5–0 | |
| 1964 | 8–2 | 5–0 | ||
| 1966 | 6–3 | 5–0 | ||
| 1967 | 7–2 | 5–0 | ||
| 1969 | 6–3 | 5–0 | ||
| 1971† | Dick MacPherson | 4–4–1 | 3–1–1 | |
| 1972 | 9–2 | 5–0 | ||
| 1974† | 5–6 | 4–2 | ||
| 1977 | 8–3 | 5–0 | ||
| 1978 | Bob Pickett | 9–4 | 5–0 | |
| 1979† | 6–4 | 4–1 | ||
| 1981† | 6–3 | 4–1 | ||
| 1982† | 5–6 | 3–2 | ||
| 1986† | Jim Reid | 8–3 | 5–2 | |
| 1988† | 8–4 | 6–2 | ||
| 1990 | 8–2–1 | 7–1 | ||
| 1998† | Atlantic 10 Conference | Mark Whipple | 8–2–1 | 7–1 |
| 1999† | 9–4 | 7–1 | ||
| 2003† | 10–3 | 8–1 | ||
| 2006 | Don Brown | 13–2 | 8–0 | |
| 2007† | Colonial Athletic Association | 10–3 | 7–1 |
† Co-champions
| Season | Date | Round | Opponent | Result | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | November 26 | Quarterfinal | Lehigh | L 23–30 | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| Season | Date | Round | Opponent | Result | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | December 9 | Semifinal | Nevada | W 44–21 | Reno, Nevada |
| December 16 | Championship | Florida A&M | L 28–35 | Wichita Falls, Texas | |
| 1988 | November 26 | First Round | Eastern Kentucky | L 17–28 | Richmond, Kentucky |
| 1990 | November 24 | First Round | William & Mary | L 0–38 | Williamsburg, Virginia |
| 1998 | November 28 | First Round | McNeese State | W 21–19 | Lake Charles, Louisiana |
| December 5 | Quarterfinal | Lehigh | W 27–21 | Amherst, Massachusetts | |
| December 12 | Semifinal | Northwestern State | W 41–31 | Natchitoches, Louisiana | |
| December 19 | Championship | Georgia Southern | W 55–43 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| 1999 | November 27 | First Round | Furman | W 30–23OT | Greenville, South Carolina |
| December 4 | Quarterfinal | Georgia Southern | L 21–38 | Statesboro, Georgia | |
| 2003 | November 29 | First Round | Colgate | L 7–19 | Hamilton, New York |
| 2006 | November 25 | First Round | Lafayette | W 35–14 | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| December 2 | Quarterfinal | New Hampshire | W 24–17 | Amherst, Massachusetts | |
| December 12 | Semifinal | Montana | W 19–17 | Missoula, Montana | |
| December 15 | Championship | Appalachian State | L 17–28 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| 2007 | November 24 | First Round | Fordham | W 49–35 | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| December 1 | Quarterfinal | Southern Illinois | L 27–34 | Carbondale, Illinois |
In their time in theNCAA College Division andNCAA Division I-AA, UMass played in three bowl games, where they went 1–2. Since joining Division I FBS in 2012, the Minutemen are one of only four programs in the classification to havenot competed in a bowl game.
| Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Tangerine Bowl | East Carolina | L 13–14 |
| 1972 | Boardwalk Bowl | UC Davis | W 35–14 |
| Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Pioneer Bowl | Florida A&M | L 35–28 |
| No. | Years | Season(s) | Coach | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1879–1897 | No coach | 30–58–6 | .351 | |
| 2 | 1898 | 1 | David F. Weeks | 1–4–1 | .250 |
| 3 | 1899–1900 | 2 | Fred W. Murphy | 12–8 | .600 |
| 4 | 1901–1903 | 3 | James Halligan | 16–8–2 | .653 |
| 5 | 1904, 1907–1908 | 1, 2 | Matthew Bullock | 13–8–5 | .596 |
| 6 | 1905 | 1 | Walter Craig | 3–7 | .300 |
| 7 | 1906 | 1 | George E. O'Hearn | 1–7–1 | .167 |
| 8 | 1909 | 1 | J. W. Gage | 1–6–2 | .222 |
| 9 | 1910 | 1 | Willard Gildersleeve | 1–6–2 | .222 |
| 10 | 1911 | 1 | Jack Hubbard | 2–7 | .222 |
| 11 | 1912–1915 | 4 | Arthur Brides | 12–15–4 | .452 |
| 12 | 1916 | 1 | George Melican | 2–4–2 | .375 |
| 1917-1918 | NO TEAM | ||||
| 13 | 1919–1927 | 9 | Harold Gore | 33–32–5 | .507 |
| 14 | 1928–1930 | 3 | Charles McGeoch | 6–17–2 | .280 |
| 15 | 1931–1935 | 5 | Mel Taube | 29–13–2 | .682 |
| 16 | 1936–1940 | 5 | Elbert Carraway | 9–32–3 | .239 |
| 17 | 1941–1942, 1946 | 2, 1 | Walter Hargesheimer | 11–11–1 | .500 |
| 1943-1944 | NO TEAM | ||||
| 18 | 1945, 1947–1951 | 1, 5 | Thomas Eck | 17–23–4 | .432 |
| 19 | 1952–1959 | 8 | Charlie O'Rourke | 21–39–4 | .359 |
| 20 | 1960 | 1 | Chuck Studley | 7–2 | .778 |
| 21 | 1961–1970 | 10 | Vic Fusia | 59–32–2 | .645 |
| 22 | 1971–1977 | 7 | Dick MacPherson | 45–27–1 | .623 |
| 23 | 1978–1983 | 6 | Bob Pickett | 36–28 | .563 |
| 24 | 1984–1985 | 2 | Bob Stull | 10–12 | .455 |
| 25 | 1986–1991 | 6 | Jim Reid | 36–29–2 | .552 |
| 26 | 1992–1997 | 6 | Mike Hodges | 35–30 | .538 |
| 27 | 1998–2003 | 6 | Mark Whipple | 49–26 | .629 |
| 28 | 2004–2008 | 5 | Don Brown | 43–19 | .693 |
| 29 | 2009–2011 | 3 | Kevin Morris | 16–17 | .485 |
| 30 | 2012–2013 | 2 | Charley Molnar | 2–22 | .083 |
| 31 | 2014–2018 | 5 | Mark Whipple | 16–44 | .280 |
| 32 | 2019–2021 | 3 | Walt Bell | 2–23 | .063 |
| 33 | 2021 | 1 | Alex Miller (interim) | 0–3 | .000 |
| 34 | 2022–2024 | 3 | Don Brown | 6–28 | |
| 35 | 2024 | 1 | Shane Montgomery (interim) | 0–2 | .000 |
| 36 | 2025–present | 1 | Joe Harasymiak | 0–10 | .000 |
| Massachusetts Minutemen | |||
| Name | Position | Consecutive season at Massachusetts in current position | Previous position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Montgomery | Offensive coordinator /quarterbacks | 1st | ECU – Offensive Analyst (2023) |
| Damian Mincey | Run game coordinator /running backs | 3rd | Albany – Wide receivers (2018-2021) |
| Matt Zanellato | Wide receivers | 3rd | Saginaw Valley State (D2) – Wide receiver's coach (2021) |
| Matt Layman | Tight ends | 5th | UMass – Tight ends / Grad. Asst. (2019–present) |
| Alex Miller | Offensive line | 4th | New Hampshire – Offensive line (2011–2020) |
| -- | Co-defensive coordinator /safeties | 1st | -- |
| Keith Dudzinski | Co-defensive coordinator / insidelinebackers | 3rd | Arizona – Outside linebackers / special teams coordinator (2021) |
| Steven Daniels | Defensive line | 2nd | Boston College – Asst. director of defensive recruiting (2022) |
| Mike McCray | Outsidelinebackers | 3rd | Notre Dame – Grad. Asst. (2021) |
| Michael Livingston | Defensive backs | 2nd | Sacred Heart (D2) – defensive pass game coordinator/cornerbacks coach (2017–2021) |
| Ben Albert | Special teams coordinator | 3rd | Duke – Defensive lines coach (2016–2021) |
| Scott McLafferty | Director of strength & conditioning | 2nd | Colorado State – Director of strength & conditioning (2020–2022) |
| Reference:[76] | |||
Massachusetts andBoston College are in-state rivals.[77] The first game played between the two schools took place in 1899 and was played at a neutral location. Boston College won 18–0.[78] At the time, UMass was known as Massachusetts Agricultural College. The relative proximity between the schools encouraged them to schedule additional matches in the subsequent years.
BC and UMass met again inAmherst in 1901, 1902, and 1912, with UMass winning all three contests before the series was halted.[78] The two universities did not meet again on the football field until 1966, when they began a seventeen-year series in which the teams would play each other in the last week of UMass' football season. UMass was in a lower division than BC during the entirety of the rivalry. As such, Boston College dominated the stretch, winning fifteen of the seventeen games, routinely blowing out the overmatched Minutemen.
After 22 years, the rivalry was renewed as UMass traveled toChestnut Hill to play Boston College once again. UMass was yet again outmatched, losing 29–7. The universities agreed to play two more times over the next seven years, and Boston College won both games easily.
In April 2011, UMass announced plans to join theMid-American Conference and move up to theNCAAFootball Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of college football in the country. Boston College had been a member of this division for decades, and there was much speculation that the two schools may cultivate a renewal of the rivalry. This was confirmed when it was reported in September 2011, that they had agreed to play a three-game biannual series beginning in 2014.[79] Two of the games will be played at BC'sAlumni Stadium and the other will be held atGillette Stadium.
Most recently, the two teams met in September 2021, with BC winning 45–28.
| Games played | First meeting | Last meeting | UMass wins | UMass losses | UMass ties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1899 (Lost 18–0) | 2021 (Lost 45–28) | 5 | 23 | 0 |
The first game played between Massachusetts andUConn took place on November 6, 1897, in Amherst.[80] UMass won 36–0. At the time, UMass was known as Massachusetts Agricultural College and Connecticut was officially Storrs Agricultural College. They had formed a loose association with other public colleges in New England such as present dayNew Hampshire andRhode Island for the purpose of scheduling football matchups between the schools.[81]
The colleges continued to schedule matches intermittently until afterWorld War I, when they began to play on an almost-yearly basis through the mid-1920s.[80] The series was discontinued until 1932, when the schools again met each year until World War II saw both universities disband their football teams. The schools would not match up again on the gridiron untilUConn joined Massachusetts in theYankee Conference in 1952. UConn and UMass played every season from that point on until UConn began their transition to what was then Division I-A in 2000.[81]
UMass leads the all-time series 36–34–2.[82] Massachusetts dominated the rivalry early, winning the first eight and 13 of the first 15 meetings between the two universities. Connecticut went on a streak of their own after that, winning 14 of the next 16 games. The 1960s again belonged to the then-Redmen of Massachusetts, as they lost only two games that decade. In the remaining years of the rivalry, the series was much more even, with neither team able to put together a winning streak of more than four games.[81]
In April 2011, UMass announced plans to join theMid-American Conference and move up to theNCAAFootball Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of college football in the country. Prior to this decision, the two schools had scheduled a game for August 30, 2012. UMass later became a FBS Independent school starting in 2016.
| Games played | First meeting | Last meeting | UMass wins | UMass losses | UMass ties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | 1897 (Win 36–0) | 2021 (Win 27–13) | 38 | 37 | 2 |
On October 15th, 2025, Massachusetts and fellowMAC programBuffalo announced a new rivalry series sponsored byMilton-CAT called The Flagship Cup[83] ahead of their matchup on October 18th. Buffalo currently leads the all-time series 9-6.
The first field that the Minutemen played at was called Alumni Field, and was situated on the south end of campus. This field was replaced in 1915 by a new venue, also called Alumni Field. It was replaced in 1965 by Alumni Stadium, and later became the location of the Whitmore Administration Building.
The Minutemen played their last home football game for three years at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, a 17,000 seat stadium on the UMass Amherst campus in 2011. The stadium itself sits just over the town line in neighboringHadley. The inaugural game took place on September 25, 1965, when UMass defeated theAIC Yellow Jackets, 41–0. Since the opening, UMass has enjoyed a decided home-field advantage, posting a 182–79–2 record when playing at McGuirk. The attendance record at McGuirk was set during a UMass football game againstBoston College on November 25, 1972; 20,000 fans were in attendance. McGuirk was partially renovated for a return of UMass football. The expansion included a new performance center with new locker rooms and training facilities, and a new press box.[84] In the 2012 and 2013 seasons UMass played all their home games at Gillette Stadium, but they returned to McGuirk beginning with three games in 2014.[85] Since 2019, the Minutemen have played all of their home games at McGuirk Stadium.
UMass first played at Gillette Stadium in the "Colonial Clash" against theUniversity of New Hampshire on October 23, 2010. This game was renewed for the 2011 season as UMass played New Hampshire there again. For 2012–2013 the team played all of their home games at Gillette. UMass later split their home games between Gillette Stadium and the on-campus McGuirk Alumni Stadium.[86] The last home game UMass played at Gillette Stadium was in 2018.
| Player | All-Pro | Pro Bowl |
|---|---|---|
| Milt Morin | none | 1968,1971 |
| Greg Landry | 1971 | 1971 |
| Victor Cruz | 2011 | 2012 |
| Player | Position | Team | Years at UMass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claudin Cherelus | LB | Carolina Panthers | 2017–2019 |
| Jack Driscoll | OT | Philadelphia Eagles | 2015–2017 |
| Isaiah Rodgers | CB | Minnesota Vikings | 2016-2019 |
| Josh Wallace | CB | Los Angeles Rams | 2019-2022 |
| Elijah Wilkinson | OT | Atlanta Falcons | 2013–2016 |
UMass has had more than 70 players named to variousAll-American teams sinceLou Bush garnered the first selection for the Minutemen (then called the Aggies) in 1934.
The following is a list of all Minutemen who were named Player, Coach, or Rookie of the Year for their respective conference.[87]
| Year | Name | Position | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Dave Palazzi | QB | YanCon Rookie of the Year |
| 1988 | Tim Bryant | QB | YanCon Rookie of the Year |
| 1988 | John McKeown | LB | YanCon Defensive Player of the Year |
| 1988 | Jim Reid | HC | YanCon Coach of the Year |
| 1990 | Gary Wilkos | QB | YanCon Offensive Player of the Year |
| 1990 | John Johnson | RB | YanCon Rookie of the Year |
| 1990 | Jim Reid | HC | YanCon Coach of the Year |
| 1992 | Rene Ingoglia | RB | YanCon Rookie of the Year |
| 1994 | Brian Corcoran | DL | YanCon Defensive Player of the Year |
| 1998 | Khari Samuel | LB | A-10 Defensive Player of the Year |
| 1999 | Adrian Zullo | WR | A-10 Rookie of the Year |
| 2002 | R.J. Cobbs | RB | A-10 Rookie of the Year |
| 2003 | Mark Whipple | HC | A-10 Coach of the Year |
| 2004 | Shannon James | DB | A-10 Defensive Player of the Year |
| 2005 | Christian Koegel | P | A-10 Special Teams Player of the Year |
| 2006 | Steve Baylark | RB | A-10 Offensive Player of the Year |
| 2006 | Don Brown | HC | A-10 Coach of the Year |
| 2010 | Tyler Holmes | LB | CAA Defensive Player of the Year |
The following is a list of all Minutemen inducted in theCollege Football Hall of Fame.
| Name | Position | Years at UMass | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dick MacPherson | HC | 1971–1977 | 2009 | [88] |
| Milt Morin | TE | 1963–1965 | 2010 | [89] |
Announced schedules as of October 21, 2025.[90]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2032 | 2036 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| atRutgers | Hawaii | atColorado | Bryant | atUSF | Army | Army |
| Sacred Heart | Stony Brook | Wagner | Temple | |||
| atUConn | atIndiana | atPenn State | atUCF | |||
| atHawaii | atTemple | New Mexico State | ||||
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