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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
3-9 , 2-6
Buffalo
5-7 , 3-5
Football Victorious in Season Finale at Buffalo, 31-26
November 27, 2015 | Football
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University of Massachusetts football ended the 2015 campaign with a 31-26 win at Buffalo on Friday. The Minutemen racked up 295 yards on the ground for 458 total offensive markers.
Freshman Marquis Young paced the Minutemen with 240 yards on 35 carries for three touchdowns. He's the first Minuteman to score three or more touchdowns in a game since Shadrach Abrokwah vs. Eastern Michigan on Oct. 18, 2014. Young is also UMass' first 200+ yards rusher since Tony Nelson's 204 yards at Hofstra on Nov. 22, 2008.
Quarterback Blake Frohnapfel finished 9-of-22 for 163 yards. He connected on a long throw of the day, for 49 yards, to receiver Tajae Sharpe. Sharpe ended the day with 138 yards on six receptions for his 10th career 100+ yard game.
Defensively, redshirt sophomore defensive back Jesse Monteiro paced the unit with 12 tackles, including eight solo stops. Tonight's game marks his first 10+ tackle outing. Senior linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox added 10 tackles while sophomore linebacker Da'Sean Downey chipped in with nine stops and his first career interception to seal the win.
The Minutemen scored quickly and furiously, taking a 14-0 lead with 9:15 to play in the first quarter after two rushing scores from Young. The Bulls scored next on a 18-yard pass from Joe Licata to Matt Weiser at 6:38 in the second quarter and a 22-yard Adam Mitcheson field goal at the 3:37 mark. Licata finished 19-of-40 for 287 yards and a touchdown. Weiser was the top Buffalo receiver with six catches for 68 yards.
Trey Dudley-Giles saved another Buffalo score late in the first half with an interception in the end zone, his fourth of the season. On the ensuing drive, the Minutemen scored on a 14-yard scamper from Frohnapfel to close the first half with a 28-17 lead.
The Bulls scored first in the season half on 23-yard field goal from Mitcheson, the lone points of the third quarter. Buffalo trailed UMass, 28-20 heading in to the final 15 minutes.
Buffalo scored on a five-yard touchdown run at the 14:34 mark of the fourth quarter but the two-point conversion failed as the Minutemen lead the Bulls, 28-26. Logan Lauren put the exclamation mark on the win with 37-yard field goal with 2:13 to play, giving UMass a 31-26 lead.
Team Stats
UMASS 7, UB 0
UMASS - Young, M. 6 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 7 plays, 48 yards, TOP 1:36
UMASS 14, UB 0
UMASS - Young, M. 47 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 3 plays, 56 yards, TOP 0:31
UMASS 14, UB 7
UB - WEISER, Matt 18 yd pass from LICATA, Joe (MITCHESON, Adam kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:30
UMASS 14, UB 10
UB - MITCHESON, Adam 22 yd field goal 10 plays, 22 yards, TOP 2:27
UMASS 14, UB 17
UB - TAYLOR, Anthone 2 yd run (MITCHESON, Adam kick), 3 plays, 19 yards, TOP 0:39
UMASS 21, UB 17
UMASS - Young, M. 1 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 9 plays, 76 yards, TOP 4:04
UMASS 28, UB 17
UMASS - Frohnapfel, B. 14 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 0:53
UMASS 28, UB 20
UB - MITCHESON, Adam 23 yd field goal 11 plays, 59 yards, TOP 6:00
UMASS 28, UB 26
UB - JOHNSON, Jordan 5 yd run (MCGILL, Marcus passfailed), 11 plays, 68 yards, TOP 4:51
UMASS 31, UB 26
UMASS - Laurent, L. 37 yd field goal 12 plays, 48 yards, TOP 5:06
