University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Louisiana Tech
UMass Hosts Louisiana Tech for 2016 Band Day at Gillette Stadium
October 10, 2016 | Football
Minutemen play final Gillette Stadium game of the season on Oct. 15
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes | |
| Game Seven | Massachusetts (1-5) vs. Louisiana Tech (3-3) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, Oct. 15 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, Mass. | Stadium Guide | Clear Bag Policy |
| Series History | First meeting |
| Live Statistics | Sidearm Sports |
| Watch Live | NESN | NESNplus | ESPN3 |
| Listen (Radio) | 105.5 FM WEEI (Western Massachusetts), 830 AM WCRN (Worcester) 95.9 FM WATD (South Shore), 1200 AM WXKS (Boston, Manchester, Providence) |
| Listen (Online) | WEEI Streaming Player | TuneIn App (mobile devices) |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts | Louisiana Tech | Conference USAÂ |
| Team Records | Massachusetts | Louisiana Tech |
| @UMassFootball | @CoachWhipUMass | @UMassAthletics | |
| UMass Football | UMass Athletics | |
| Tickets | UMass Ticket Central |
Minutemen Close Gillette Stadium Slate Against Louisiana Tech
University of Massachusetts football plays its final game at Gillette Stadium on the 2016 season with a Sat., Oct. 15 tilt against Louisiana Tech at 3:30 p.m. The game, which is also 2016 Band Day, will be broadcast live on NESN, NESNplus and ESPN3.
The UMass-Louisiana Tech contest marks the first between the teams in the history of the programs. The Bulldogs are one of eight first-time opponents on the schedule for Massachusetts during the team's first season of FBS independence, which also includes BYU, No. 25 Florida, Hawai'i, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Troy and Tulane.
Last time out, Massachusetts faced off with Old Dominion at S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, Va., and suffered a 36-16 setback. Trailing 22-9 midway through the third quarter, Andrew Ford found Andy Isabella for Isabella's team-leading fourth touchdown reception that cut the deficit to 22-16 with five minutes, 38 seconds remaining in the frame. However, it was as close as UMass pulled to tying as the Monarchs iced the contest with 18-yard rushing touchdowns from Ray Lawry and Jeremy Cox spanning the third and fourth quarters.
Off To The Races
Marquis Young needed only 13 career games to reach the 1,000-yard rushing mark. A sophomore, Young hit the four-digit mark during play at No. 25 Florida with his 13th rushing attempt of the game. Young used 165 career carries to go over the 1,000-yard mark, an average of 6.07 yards per attempt.
He is the first UMass running back to eclipse 1,000 career rushing yards during the FBS era. Only two Minuteman freshmen accumulated better first seasons with the team: Steve Baylark (1,177 yards; 2003) and R.J. Cobbs (1,067 yards; 2002).
The Cedar Cliff Connection
UMass quarterback Andrew Ford and tight end Adam Breneman played together previously as members of the Cedar Cliff High School football program in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Ford made his first start for the Minutemen against FIU and targeted Breneman throughout the game, resulting in 10 receptions, 77 yards and one touchdown for the 6-foot-4 tight end. Six of those completions to Breneman went for first downs. Breneman and Ford connected six times against Mississippi State for 79 yards, added four more completions versus Tulane and had three completions at Old Dominion, making Breneman the most targeted receiver by Ford over the last four games.
Breneman is the all-time leading receiver in Cedar Cliff history and all-time leading tight end in Pennsylvania high school history (in all receiving categories).
Ford was the 2013 Gatorade Player of the Year, football's Mr. Pennsylvania and an Elite 11 QB as a senior. He set Cedar Cliff records in passing yards, touchdowns thrown and completion percentage.
Running Right Into The Record Book
Marquis Young has twice rushed for an 83-yard touchdown, doing so at No. 6 Notre Dame on Sept. 26, 2015 and again on Sept. 24, 2016 versus Mississippi State. Those rushing attempts tie Young for 10th all-time on the longest run from scrimmage by a Minuteman and make him one of only two UMass football players to appear twice on the list (Frank Alessio, 84 yards, twice, tied-sixth).
The Camera Adds Six Points
Bernard Davis caught a toe-drag touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against Mississippi State that was initially ruled to be incomplete due to Davis landing out of bounds. Following an official's review of the play, Davis was credited with the 19-yard score as replays showed Davis landed his left foot inches in-bounds before he and the Bulldogs' defender landed on the sideline.
It was Davis' second career touchdown pass and first since Sept. 25, 2013 against Maine. His previous touchdown also came at Gillette Stadium in the South endzone.
ESPN Top-10 Love For Williams
Jalen Williams' 31-yard juggling touchdown catch through the defense of two Mississippi State players while falling to the ground was tabbed the ESPN No. 4 Play of the Day on the night of Sat., Sept. 24. It was Williams' first of two touchdown receptions against the Bulldogs.
Making Sure The First Time Is Memorable
Sadiq Palmer's first collegiate reception went for a 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter against Mississippi State. In 2016, Palmer is one of 19 players (11 wide receivers, five tight ends, one fullback, one running back, one quarterback) who had their first career catch go for six points. He is one of only four freshmen to do so.
Two With Two
UMass produced back-to-back games with multi-touchdown receivers against Mississippi State (9/24) and Tulane (10/1). Jalen Williams had two on three catches versus the Bulldogs before Andy Isabella scored on a pair of 12-yard receptions against the Green Wave.
The last time a pair of Minutemen had two or more touchdowns in back-to-back games was in 2014 when Jean Sifrin caught two TDs at Colorado (Sept. 6) before Rodney Milles scored twice against Vanderbilt (Sept. 13).
Depend On The Tight End
Tight end Adam Breneman caught 10 passes against FIU covering 77 yards and one touchdown. It is the most receptions by a UMass tight end since Rob Blanchflower caught 10 ball for 100 yards and one score versus Central Michigan on Nov. 23, 2012.
In the last five games, Breneman owns 26 receptions for 290 yards and two touchdowns. It is the most receptions in that span and tied for the most yards with Andy Isabella (25 catches).
Forcing The Issue
Junior Ali Ali-Musa owns two forced fumbles in his first season as a Minuteman. Junior Da'Sean Downey has three in his six games played this year, his third year with the team. They represent all of Downey's forced fumbles as a Minuteman.
Ali-Musa's first was on running back Lamical Perine at No. 25 Florida. The second came against FIU when he ended the Golden Panthers' final drive with a forced fumble on quarterback Alex McGough.
Downey collected one each against No. 25 Florida (QB Luke Del Rio), FIU (QB Alex McGough) and Mississippi State (QB Nick Fitzgerald).
Knock 'Em Downey
Linebacker Da'Sean Downey had a pair of sacks covering 18 yards lost against FIU. It made him the first Minuteman with multiple sacks in one contest since Kassan Messiah (2.0-14) at Bowling Green on Oct. 10, 2015. The last Minuteman with more sack yards in a single contest was Michael Hanson (2.0-23) at William & Mary on Oct. 27, 2007.
Downey's 4.0 sacks in 2016 tie him with Justin Anderson (4.0-20; 2013) for the most in one season by a Minuteman during the FBS era.
The Grizzled Veteran
Redshirt senior Khary Bailey-Smith is the only Minuteman with appearances in each of the team's five FBS seasons (2012-present). Three additional members of the squad were true freshmen during the inaugural year at the FBS level in Bernard Davis, Vondell Langston and John Robinson-Woodgett. Bailey-Smith made two appearances in 2015 before suffering a season-ending injury that allowed him to redshirt. Davis, Langston and Robinson-Woodgett each redshirted one year without seeing time during it.
