University of Massachusets Athletics
60 Minutemen
September 18, 2006 | Football
Sept. 18, 2006
SPRINGFIELD, Mass - Last season, the University of Massachusetts missed out on the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs by losing a game following a loss to a Division I program.
That script has changed this year.
Quarterback Liam Coen threw for 350 yards and two touchdowns, while tailback Steve Baylark rushed for 104 yards and a score as No.9 UMass (2-1, 1-0 Atlantic 10) defeated Villanova 31-21 before 10,887 at Villanova Stadium in an Atlantic 10 opener.
Wide receiver Brandon London had five catches for 104 yards and a touchdown as the Minutemen used 490 yards of total offense and countless big plays from all aspects of the game to win here for the second straight time (19-14 in 2003).
After losing a tough 21-20 contest last week to Navy, coach Don Brown admitted to worrying how his team would respond. In 2005, UMass lost a late-season game at Army and then lost its finale at Hofstra.
"Emotionally, I was very concerned about us today, especially in the first quarter," Brown said. "Obviously, we knew coming in that this was going to bea very, very difficult game for us. We did eke out (a victory) here in 2003, but the reality is, we knew we had a good football team to deal with."
The Minutemen were tested early as they fell behind 7-0 only 41 seconds into the game after the Wildcats took the opening kickoff and needed only two plays to go 72 yards for a TD. Nova wideout Phil Atkinson ran a reverse on the first play 48 yards down the right sideline before fullback DeQuese May rushed up the middle for a 24-yard TD.
"I've got to give credit to Villanova," Brown said. "They came out ready to go. They hit the reverse. They run the counter play in for a touchdown.
"There was never any panic on the sideline. There was some frustration, a little bit of disappointment at times. I felt we settled down and handled it like a mature football team."
The Minutemen moved the ball on their first possession, down to the Wildcat 34-yard line before the drive stalled.
Villanova (0-3, 0-1 Atlantic 10) then threatened to take a commanding lead on its next series when it drove down to the UMass 29 before defensive end John Hatchell recovered a fumble that he forced.
"Every turnover is going to be a big play," Hatchell said. "That one turned up being pretty valuable."
"That couldn't have come at a better moment because obviously, they're moving the ball with regularity," Brown said. "Those are the kinds of things that you look back on in a game like this that leads to success."
UMass drove into Villanova territory on its second posession, but Chris Koepplin's 41-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Peter Caroppolo.
However, the Minutemen finally tied the score, 7-7, on the first play of the second quarter when Baylark ran 10 yards around the left side untouched.
The Wildcats regained the lead, 14-7, when QB Marvin Burroughs found May for a 6-yard TD pass, before Koepplin connected on a 33-yard FG to draw UMass to within four.
UMass took its first lead, 17-14, when Tim Washington scored on a 3-yard run with a minute to go in the half.
UMass had two shots to increase its lead at the start of the second half, but Koepplin was wide left on a 45-yard FG try and off from 29 yards out after George Byrd blocked a punt.
"It (still) changed all the momentum," Byrd said. "It seemed like they gave up."
UMass continued to move the ball and eventually went ahead 24-14 early in the fourth quarter as Coen engineered a 13-play, 90-yard scoring drive. Coen had two big connections in the drive. One came on a third-and-17 from his own 10-yard line when he completed a 36-yard pass to Rasheed Rancher. He then hooked up with fellow wideout Mike Omar for 43 yards.
"You've got to take what the defense is giving you," Coen said. "Just look at that third-and-17. Having the faith that we have in this receiving corps just helps me out a lot more."
Coen sealed the drive when he tossed 1 yard on fourth down to tight end Brad Listorti.
Villanova closed to within 24-21 on another Burroughs TD pass with 8:23 to go in the fourth, but UMass again responded with a big play as Courtney Robinson took the ensuing kickoff 57 yards, with 15 yards added due to a face mask penalty.
Coen clinched the win with a 23-yard TD pass to London.
Coen finished 21 of 28 passing and reached the 300-yard passing mark for the third time in his career. Burroughs went 19 of 30 for 245 yards and a TD.
MASS FACTS: The series is square at 11-11 ... London is the seventh UMass history with 100 catches ... Villanova went 0 for 7 on third down ... Jason Hatchell, John's brother, led UMass with 10 tackles.
