University of Massachusets Athletics

Football Drops 34-13 Game At Georgia Southern
September 08, 2018 | Football
Fredericks records first rushing touchdown as a Minuteman; Ford eclipses 6,000 career passing yards
Ā
Andrew Ford started a quarterback and went 22-of-33 with 190 yards. Ross Comis rotated into the lineup as well and finished 1-for-3 with 26 yards.
Ā
Andy Isabella was the most frequent target to the tune of a career-high nine receptions for 95 receiving yards. Taylor Edwards followed with his first four collegiate receptions covering 32 yards. Jordan Fredericks also posted seven carries, 34 yards and the lone UMass touchdown.
Ā
Bryton Barr, Joseph Norwood and Chinedu Ogbonna led the defensive effort. Ogbonna provided a personal-best 10 stops, including eight solo tackles, while Barr and Norwood notched seven apiece. Barr also had 1.0 TFLs and a fumble recovery.
Ā
Mike Caggiano put Massachusetts on the board with the team's first field goal try of the season. He capped the game's inaugural drive, a 12-play, 60-yard series, with a 32-yard conversion from the left hash mark.
Ā
Georgia Southern tested the Maroon and White defense and worked its way into the redzone before UMass produced a stop on fourth down. Facing a 4th-and-2 situation, Barr and Joe Previte bottled up Eagles running back Wesley Fields for a one-yard gain and earned the ball back for the offense.
Ā
However, the Eagles scored on their next drive when Shy Werts found Cam Brown open in the back-left corner of the endzone from five yards out. The touchdown completion was the first pass attempt of the game for Georgia Southern. The home side added to their lead during their third drive when Tyler Bass booted a 41-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead midway through the second quarter.
Ā
The teams traded scoring drives into halftime as Georgia Southern went ahead 17-10 before the break.
Ā
Fredericks and the Ford-to-Isabella connection walked Massachusetts down the field for a game-tying one-yard plunge by Fredericks with two minutes, 11 seconds to go. Georgia Southern followed with an eight-play drive that soaked 96 seconds from the clock and ended with Werts' three-yard rushing score for the 17-10 advantage.
Ā
The Eagles received the second half kickoff and tacked on three points via Bass' career-long 50-yard conversion with 10:01 still to play in the frame. Caggiano answered for the Minutemen on the ensuing possession when the Manalapan, New Jersey, native sent a career-long of his own through the uprights from 41 yards away. It gave Caggiano his first collegiate game with multiple field goals attempted and made.
Ā
Georgia Southern took control of the contest with the final 14 points. Colby Ransom provided a 17-yard scoring reception with 4:23 to play for a 27-13 advantage before Monteo Garrett iced the contest via a five-yard run with 2:08 to go in the game.
Ā
The Maroon and White finish their three-game road trip with travel to Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, on Sat., Sept. 15. Kickoff on beIN Sports is set for 7:30 p.m.
Ā
Follow Massachusetts football on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@UMassFootball).
Ā
Team Stats

UMASS 3, GS 0
UMASS - CAGGIANO, Mike 32 yd field goal 12 plays, 60 yards, TOP 4:48

UMASS 3, GS 7
GS - C. Brown 5 yd pass from S. Werts (T. Bass kick) 9 plays, 86 yards, TOP 4:50

UMASS 3, GS 10
GS - T. Bass 41 yd field goal 8 plays, 50 yards, TOP 3:22

UMASS 10, GS 10
UMASS - FREDERICKS, J. 1 yd run (GARCIA, Cooper kick), 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:00

UMASS 10, GS 17
GS - S. Werts 3 yd run (T. Bass kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:36

UMASS 10, GS 20
GS - T. Bass 50 yd field goal 9 plays, 43 yards, TOP 4:51

UMASS 13, GS 20
UMASS - CAGGIANO, Mike 41 yd field goal 9 plays, 51 yards, TOP 2:32

UMASS 13, GS 27
GS - C. Ransom 17 yd pass from S. Werts (T. Bass kick) 5 plays, 70 yards, TOP 3:00

UMASS 13, GS 34
GS - M. Garrett 5 yd run (T. Bass kick), 10 plays, 68 yards, TOP 5:23