University of Massachusets Athletics

Massachusetts Falls 41-28 To Miami (OH) In Home Opener
September 10, 2023 | Football
In his first career FBS start, quarterback Carlos Davis was 22-for-32 in the passing game, throwing for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Davis threw for an impressive 69% completion percentage, while recording a 163.7 quarterback rating.
Junior quarterback Brady Olson made his 2023-24 season debut midway through the fourth quarter.
Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams led UMass' offensively on the ground with 57 yards of his own on 16 rushing attempts.
George Johnson III hauled in a team-high seven receptions, accumulating 50 yards and a touchdown. Greg Desrosiers Jr. followed behind with 40 total yards off of one reception and three rushing attempts, while Mark Pope paced the Minutemen with four receptions for 70 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown reception.
Dashaun Jerkins tallied his first touchdown and interception as a Minuteman, adding three total tackles and a pass break up.
Defensively, Jerkins pulled down a pick six, one of two turnovers recovered on the game. Gerrell Johnson led UMass in tackles, (8) while Billy Wooden added a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
The RedHawks came out with a quick four-play scoring drive to take a 7-0 lead. After the game's second severe weather delay, Miami answered back with pair of touchdowns to complete the first quarter, highlighted by a 99-yard reception by the RedHawks' Gage Larvadain.
Deshaun Jerkins put the Minutemen on the board to start the second quarter. Jerkins picked off a deflection at the UMass 37-yard line, to rush for a 63-yard touchdown; his first interception and touchdown with UMass.
Miami's Larvadain collected his third touchdown on the day in a six-play drive to close the first half, 28-7.
UMass tightened the contest with quarterback Carlos Davis completing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Desrosiers Jr. in a brisk 2:17, five-play drive.
The RedHawks added a field goal capping off a 2:32, six-play drive late in the third quarter.
Billy Wooden kick started the final frame with a forced fumble and recovery after Miami (OH) quarterback, Brett Gabbert's sack. The play catapulted the Minutemen to an efficient two-play, 43 second drive, highlighted by a five-yard touchdown pass caught by George Johnson III.
Miami (OH) responded immediately with a 69-yard completion to Gage Larvadain. Larvadain fumbled the ball into the endzone, which was recovered by Cade McDonald for a RedHawks touchdown, extending their lead to 38-28.
The RedHawks made it 41-28, converting a 44-yard field goal with 3:32 remaining in the fourth quarter.
- Billy Wooden and Josh Atwood served as the Massachusetts captains.
- The start of the game was delayed two hours due to lightning within an eight-mile radius of the stadium with the game officially kicking off at 5:39 p.m.
- The game was stopped with 2:42 left in the first quarter due to an additional lighting strike within eight miles.
- The game resumed at 9:42 p.m. for a 3:38 delay.
- Redshirt senior quarterback Carlos Davis made his first start with the Minutemen.
- Tyler Rudolph's first quarter interception was the third of his career (first of the season).
- Dashaun Jerkins posted his fifth career interception and first at UMass (3 INT's with Vanderbilt, 1 INT with Ole Miss).
- It was the second pick six of the season for UMass, with Isaiah Rutherford having returned an interception for a TD at New Mexico State.
- Greg Desrosiers Jr. caught his first career receiving touchdown (third career touchdown overall).
- Mark Pope caught his fifth career receiving touchdown and first at UMass (four at Miami).
- Billy Wooden recorded his third forced fumble and fumble recovery over his five-year UMass career.
- George Johnson III recorded his second career receiving touchdown.
- Junior quarterback Brady Olson made his first appearance of the season midway through the fourth quarter.
The Minutemen head to Ypsilanti, Michigan, to take on Eastern Michigan at 2 p.m., on Saturday, September 16 on ESPN+.
Team Stats

UMU 7, UMA 0
UMU - Larvadain,Gage 26 yd pass from Gabbert,Brett (McLaughlin,Kellan kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:46

UMU 14, UMA 0
UMU - Larvadain,Gage 99 yd pass from Gabbert,Brett (Nicholson,Graham kick) 2 plays, 99 yards, TOP 01:02

UMU 21, UMA 0
UMU - Hilton,Kobe 0 yd fumble recovery (Nicholson,Graham kick)

UMU 21, UMA 7
UMA - Jerkins,Dashaun 53 yd interception (Carson,Cameron kick)

UMU 28, UMA 7
UMU - Larvadain,Gage 13 yd pass from Gabbert,Brett (Nicholson,Graham kick) 6 plays, 52 yards, TOP 02:51

UMU 28, UMA 14
UMA - Desrosiers,Gregory 32 yd pass from Davis,Carlos (Carson,Cameron kick) 5 plays, 62 yards, TOP 02:17

UMU 28, UMA 21
UMA - Pope,Mark 50 yd pass from Davis,Carlos (Carson,Cameron kick) 9 plays, 89 yards, TOP 05:00

UMU 31, UMA 21
UMU - Nicholson,Graham 33 yd field goal 7 plays, 44 yards, TOP 02:32

UMU 31, UMA 28
UMA - Johnson,George 5 yd pass from Davis,Carlos (Carson,Cameron kick) 2 plays, 2 yards, TOP 00:43

UMU 38, UMA 28
UMU - McDonald,Cade 1 yd pass from Gabbert,Brett (Nicholson,Graham kick) 1 plays, 70 yards, TOP 00:11

UMU 41, UMA 28
UMU - Nicholson,Graham 44 yd field goal 7 plays, 25 yards, TOP 03:31