University of Massachusets Athletics
2008 UMass Football Schedule Unveiled
January 15, 2008 | Football
Jan. 15, 2008
AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts has released its 2008 football schedule. Coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances including the 2006 National Championship game and consecutive conference titles, the Minutemen continue to play one of the most competitive schedules in the nation. UMass will take on four teams which played in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2007 and four teams which were ranked in to the Top 15 in the final poll, including National Finalist Delaware on Oct. 4 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. UMass will travel to an FBS school for the ninth time in 10 years as the Minutemen will play at Texas Tech on Sept. 20 in Lubbock. The Red Raiders captured the Gator Bowl on New Year¹s Day 2008.
UMass opens the season on August 30, hosting Albany for the second time in history. The Minutemen then head into a long stretch away from the friendly confines of McGuirk Stadium. The Minutemen play at Holy Cross on Sept. 6 as part of the renewed rivalry which restarted last season in Amherst. UMass then plays at James Madison on Sept. 13. The Dukes finished ranked No. 12 in 2007 as they advanced to the NCAA Tournament, falling to eventual champion Appalachian State. The Minutemen wrap up their three-game road swing at Texas Tech, which beat Virginia in the Gator Bowl, 31-28, and finished the year ranked No. 22 in the FBS Associated Press poll. It will be UMass¹ first trip to the state of the Texas since the 1978 I-AA Championship game, where UMass lost to Florida A&M, 35-28, in Wichita Falls, Texas.
After UMass¹ bye week on Sept. 27, the Minutemen play three of their next four games at home, starting with Delaware, which finished ranked No. 2 in 2007, on Oct. 4. UMass plays at Northeastern on Oct. 11. The Minutemen return home to host Richmond on Oct. 18 on Homecoming 2008. The Spiders reached the NCAA Semifinals and finished the year ranked No. 5. UMass hosts Bryant on Oct. 25, which will be Band Day. The Bulldogs will be in their first year of reclassifying from Division II to Division I.
The Minutemen travel to Rhode Island for the second year in a row on Nov. 1. UMass will host Maine on Nov. 8 before traveling to New Hampshire on Nov. 15. The Wildcats are the fourth NCAA Tournament team UMass will face in 2008. The regular-season wraps up with traditional finale opponent Hofstra on Nov. 22 at McGuirk Stadium. It will mark the fifth year in a row UMass and Hofstra have played the final regular-season game.
All times are to be announced and the dates are subject to change.
"The schedule will once again be extremely competitive," said head coach Don Brown, who begins his fifth season at the helm of UMass this coming fall, after a 10-3 record last season when UMass reached the NCAA Quarterfinals and shared the CAA Championship. "This season we flip to play the other side of the South Division so we will be taking on some of the strongest teams in the nation in Delaware, James Madison and Richmond. Of course, we will continue to play our longtime regional rivals such New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine. The game at Texas Tech will be very interesting as they feature one of the top offenses in FBS football."
2008 UMass Football Schedule
Day Date Opponent Location Saturday August 30 ALBANY McGuirk Stadium Saturday September 6 at Holy Cross Worcester, Mass. Saturday September 13 at James Madison* Harrisonburg, Va. Saturday September 20 at Texas Tech Lubbock, Texas Saturday September 27 OPEN DATE Saturday October 4 DELAWARE* McGuirk Stadium Saturday October 11 at Northeastern* Brookline, Mass. Saturday October 18 RICHMOND* (Homecoming)McGuirk Stadium Saturday October 25 BRYANT (Band Day) McGuirk Stadium Saturday November 1 at Rhode Island* Kingston, R.I. Saturday November 8 MAINE* McGuirk Stadium Saturday November 15 at New Hampshire * Durham, N.H. Saturday November 22 HOFSTRA* McGuirk StadiumHOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS; CAA Games denoted with asterisk. --
