University of Massachusets Athletics
No. 3 UMass Hosts Holy Cross In 2007 Football Opener
August 27, 2007 | Football
#3/3 UMASS (0-0) vs. HOLY CROSS (0-0)
Saturday, September 1, 2007 • 1 P.M.
McGuirk Stadium, Amherst, Mass.
(17,000/FieldTurf )
Streaming Video: UMassAthletics.com
Radio: WRNX (100.9 FM - Flagship)
WCRN (830 AM), WATD (95.9 FM) • UMASSATHLETICS.com
No. 3 UMass Hosts Holy Cross In 2007 Football Opener
• The 2007 season kicks off on Saturday as the No. 3 UMass football team plays host to Holy Cross at 1 p.m. The reigning conference champions and national finalists are looking to continue last season's success when they won a school-record 13 games including a school-record 12 games in a row. The Minutemen went a perfect 8-0 at home in 2006 and 8-0 in conference play. Saturday is Campus Appreciation Day, the first 4,000 fans will receive UMass football schedule magnets. Game sponsor Fidelity Investments will be giving away 4,000 mini footballs.
• Saturday's game marks the start of the 125th season of UMass football. UMass comes into the season with an all-time record of 524-501-51 in 1,066 all-time games. The Minutemen come off a 13-2 season in which they advanced to the National Championship game of Division I-AA/Football Championship Subdivision. UMass finished 2006 ranked No. 2 in the nation behind only Appalachian State, which beat the Minutemen 28-17 in the NCAA final.
• 2006 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and AFCA Region I Coach of the Year Don Brown is in his fourth year at UMass and comes into the season with a 26-11 record. All-time, he is in his 11th year as a head coach and has a 78-37 all-time mark, winning 68 percent of his games, 70 percent while at UMass.
• Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the UMass Sports Network with Bob Behler returning for his ninth year as "Voice of the Minutemen." Former kicker Matt Goldstein will handle the color commentary. The pregame show begins at 12:30 on WRNX (100.9 FM), the flagship of the network. The game can also be heard live online at UMassAthletics.com. UMass will provide live streaming video as UMassAthletics.com with an audio from Behler and Goldstein. The game will part of UMass All-Access, which will be a pay service this season. For $9.95 you receive all UMass games each month or you can pay $79.95 for all UMass games for all sports for the 2007-08 season.
For Openers
• The Minutemen have posted a 57-56-11 record in season openers in their previous 124 years. UMass has won its last five season openers in a row. They have also won seven of the past eight openers, downing New Hampshire in 1999, William & Mary in 2000, Central Connecticut State in 2002 and 2003, Delaware State in 2004 , winning at Richmond in 2005 and beating Colgate last season, 28-7. The lone loss came to William & Mary to open up the 2001 season. Prior to 1999, the Minutemen had not won their season opener since the 1993 season.
• UMass has dominated opponents in its last five openers combining to pound Central Connecticut (twice), Delaware State, Richmond and Colgate by a combined score of 201-23, an average score of 40.2-4.6. In three games of those games (2002-04) UMass scored more than 50 points, beating CCSU (52-3 in 2002 and 51-7 in 2003) and DSU (51-0 in 2004).
• UMass has been a high-scoring team in season openers over the last nine years, scoring more than 30 points on six occasions. Since 1998, UMass has scored an average of 35.1 points in its season opener with a high of 52 vs. CCSU in 2002.
• The Minutemen have won their last five home openers in a row. Last season, they opened with a 28-7 victory over Colgate. Two years ago, UMass routed Albany, 40-0 on Sept. 17, 2005. Over the last nine years, UMass has lost its home opener just once, that 31-10 loss to William & Mary in 2001.
• This will be the first time UMass opens its season against Holy Cross since 1993, when UMass beat the Crusaders, 37-7 on Sept. 11.
Looking Back At 2006
• UMass reached the 2006 National Championship game where they lost to defending national champion Appalachian State, 28-17, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Minutemen finished with a school-record 13 wins as they finished ranked No. 2 in the nation. The Minutemen went a perfect 8-0 in the Atlantic 10, the first team to go undefeated in league play since Villanova in 1997. UMass also went 8-0 at home, to set a record for home wins in a season.
• The UMass football team captured the 2006 Lambert Trophy, symbolic of the team top team in the East, presented by the ECAC. The Minutemen were the winners in the I-AA/FCS Division.
• To advance to the NCAA final, UMass topped Lafayette, 35-14 in the first round; conference rival New Hampshire, 24-17 in the NCAA Quarterfinals and won at hostile Montana, 19-17 in the NCAA Semifinals.
Preseason Polls
• The Minutemen are ranked No. 3 in the first poll of the FCS Coaches for 2007. Head coach Don Brown is a voter in the poll. UMass is also No. 3 in the Sports Network poll of the media and sports information directors.
• Holy Cross is among those "receiving votes" with 33, in the Sports Network poll after a 7-4 season in 2006. They competed for the Patriot League crown, finishing 4-2 in the league.
UMass-Holy Cross Series
• In-state foes Holy Cross and UMass renew their rivalry with a two-game series starting this year at McGuirk Stadium ... The teams will meet in Worcester on Sept. 6, 2008 ... The teams last played in 1996, a UMass 28-10 victory ... In the last four meetings, the Minutemen dominated the series compiling a 148-17 margin of victory including a stretch of 120 consecutive points ... The Minutemen have won the last five games and six of the last seven ... Prior to this 11-year hiatus, the teams played every season from 1990-95 and every year from 1970 through 1987 ... UMass assistant Sean Spencer coached at Holy Cross in 2004.
• The last time the teams played was Sept. 14, 1996 in Worcester. Ron Brockington and Frank Alessio both rushed for over 100 yards, to lead Massachusetts to a 28-10 victory over Holy Cross at Fitton Field. The Minutemen jumped out to an early lead, as current UMass Assistant Strength Coach Anthony Catterton tossed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Erik Henry to open the scoring. Catterton would add a two-yard touchdown run, giving UMass a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Crusaders put their first points on the board midway through the second quarter, when Dana Fiatarone kicked a 27-yard field goal to cap a 12-play, 73-yard drive. The Minutemen came right back on their next possession, with Catterton throwing a 16-yard scoring pass to Bryan Healy, making the score 21-3. But the Crusaders would respond before the end of the half, with Brion Stapp hitting Brian Hopkins for a 4-yard touchdown pass, to cut the UMass lead to 21-10 at the break. Catterton led the Minutemen by hitting on nine of 18 attempts for 224 yards and three scores, in addition to rushing for 36 yards and a touchdown. David Streeter led Holy Cross with 20 tackles, while Khari Samuel posted nine tackles to lead UMass. UMass finished the day with a 487-309 edge in total yards.
UMass Preseason Favorite To Win CAA
• Massachusetts, which returns 12 starters off last year's squad that advanced to the NCAA FCS National Championship game, is picked to capture the inaugural CAA Football Championship in 2007 according to a vote of the league's 12 head coaches and selected media. Along with the Minutemen, New Hampshire's senior quarterback Ricky Santos and James Madison's senior safety Tony LeZotte were each selected as Preseason All-CAA Football Players of the Year. The results of the poll, along with the 2007 All-CAA Football Preseason squad, was announced during Wednesday's CAA Football Media Day at the ESPNZone in Baltimore, Md.
• The Minutemen, who earned a record 20 All-Conference honors in 2006, placed a total of seven on the Preseason All-Conference squad this season. Offensive linemen Matt Austin and Nick Diana, join tight end Brad Listorti to represent UMass on the offensive side of the ball. Defensive lineman David Burris, as well as Charles Walker and preseason All-American Jason Hatchell, both linebackers, represent UMass in the defensive front. Cornerback Sean Smalls is the seventh Minuteman selected to the preseason squad.
Minutemen Preseason All-Americans
• The Sports Network has included nine CAA football players including three from UMass on its preseason All-American team. Offensive lineman Matt Austin and linebacker Jason Hatchell have been named to the first team while tight end Brad Listorti is on the second team.
• The College Sporting News has named two UMass seniors to their its pre-season All-America football team. Hatchell was selected to the first team, while Austin was chosen for the second team. UMass was one of 19 schools with multiple players chosen.
• Listorti has been named a Preseason All-American by Street & Smith's. Listorti heads into the 2007 season as one of the top tight ends in the nation. UMass is No. 12 in the preseason national poll.
• Hatchell, a senior from Mullica Hill, N.J., led the Minutemen in tackles last year with 134. He has been UMass' top tackler in 16 of the last 26 games. He has 10 games with 10 or more tackles. In 2006, Hatchell was named second team All-American by Don Hansen's and earned first team honors from the Atlantic 10 and the New England Football Writers. This will be Hatchell's third season as a starting linebacker.
• Austin, a senior from Reading, Mass., will be in his fourth season as starter in the Minuteman offensive line. Last season, he was part of an offensive line that allowed just 16 sacks in 15 games and blocked for a 1,000 yard season for running back Steve Baylark. Austin was chosen third team All-American by The Sports Network and first team by the Atlantic 10 and the New England Football Writers.
• Listorti comes into the season with a 14-game pass-catching streak after he corralled 38 last year for 604 yards and three touchdowns. He was an All-Atlantic 10 Third-Team selection.
McGuirk Magic
• The Minutemen hosted their third all-time home playoff game on Dec. 2, 2006 and are now 3-0 in those post-season games. UMass went a perfect 8-0 at home in 2006, setting the school-record for best record at home, set in 2003. UMass has been tough to beat in the friendly confines of McGuirk Alumni Stadium since the start of the 1998 season. The Minutemen have gone 43-11 (.796) at home over the last six years, improving their all-time record at McGuirk to 151-72-2 (.673).
• Since 1992, UMass has had a losing record at home only once, while posting a home mark of 63-23 (.733) during that span. In 2003, UMass went 7-0 at home to set the former record for most home victories in the 40-year history of McGuirk Stadium. UMass has a chance to tie that record on Saturday in the NCAA Playoff game against Lafayette. The 2003 squad also became the first UMass team to go undefeated at home since 1993, when it posted a 5-0 mark at McGuirk Stadium.
• UMass has won 12 of its last 13 games at home after dropping the 2005 home regular-season finale to New Hampshire on Oct. 29. They have won 19 of the last 22 dating to 2003.• UMass has won six of its last seven games at home after dropping the 2005 home regular-season finale to New Hampshire on Oct. 29. They have won 14 of the last 17 dating to 2003.
Quartet of Captains In 2007
• UMass will have four team captains in 2007. On the offensive side of the ball, the Minutemen will be led by senior offensive lineman Matt Austin and senior wide receiver J.J. Moore. On defense, the leaders will be senior linebackers Jason Hatchell and Charles Walker.
