Massachusetts Football Hits The Road To Take On Mississippi State

University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information
Game 9	Massachusetts (2-6) at Mississippi State (1-7)
Date \| Time	Saturday, Novemebr 2 \| 4:15 p.m.
Location	Starkville, Miss. \| Davis Wade Stadium
Series History	Mississippi State leads, 2-0-0 Last Meeting \| Nov. 4, 2017 \| Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Miss. \| Mississippi State 34, Massachusetts 23
Game Notes & Team Information	Massachusetts: Game Notes \| Game Program \| Record Book Mississippi State: Game Notes
Watch	SEC Network
Listen	WHMP 101.5 FM, 1240AM & 1400AM \| WCRN 830 AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device
Live Statistics	StatBroadcast
Twitter	@UMassFootball \| @FBCoachDBrown
Instagram	UMass Football
Facebook	UMass Football

AMHERST, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts football hits the road for a matchup with Mississippi State on Saturday, November 2, at 4:15 p.m. on the SEC Network.

SERIES HISTORY

The University of Massachusetts and Mississippi State previously played in 2016 and 2017 with the Bulldogs prevailing in both those contests.

Their most recent matchup took place on November 4, 2017, in Starkville, Mississippi, where Mississippi State won 34-23. Ross Comis was the starting quarterback for UMass in that game and wide receiver Andy Isabella led the Minutemen with 158 receiving yards and one touchdown (Isabella was recently signed to Pittsburgh's practice squad).

In the first meeting in the series, Mississippi State won 47-35 on September 24, 2016 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Andrew Ford threw four touchdown passes for the Minutemen on that day, including two to Jalen Williams.

In the UMass record books, Isaiah Rodgers holds the single-game record for most kickoff returns, with nine in the 2016 meeting (Rodgers currently plays for the Eagles). In the 2017 meeting, Logan Laurent kicked a 48-yard field goal, which is tied for the sixth-longest in program history.

It will mark the second of three SEC matchups for the Minutemen this season and Saturday will be UMass' 13th since moving up to FBS.

QUICK HITS

Massachusetts ranks 36th in FBS in total defense (of 133 ranked), allowing 328.0 yards per game.

The UMass defense is holding opponents to 157.5 passing yards per game, which ranks sixth in FBS.

Massachusetts ranks 25th in FBS in average time of possession (31:46), while Mississippi State ranks 118th (27:07).
T.Y. Harding is one of 40 FBS players with a punt return touchdown this season (entering week 10).

The Minutemen are tied for 22nd in FBS with seven turnovers lost on the season (five interceptions and two fumbles lost).
Taisun Phommachanh ranks 66th in FBS in total offense, averaging 227.9 yards per game.

Phommachanh also ranks 67th with 1,541 passing yards this season and he has accounted for 11 touchdowns this season (eight passing and three rushing).
According to ESPN.com, the Minutemen's remaining Strength of Schedule ranks 27th.

Five Minutemen have rushed for nine touchdowns this season, including CJ Hester (2), Taisun Phommachanh (3), Jalen John (1), Brandon Campbell (2) and Jackson Paradis (1).
Trivia: Entering week 10 (Oct. 28 – Nov. 3), UMass is the most recent team to defeat currently 7-0 Army West Point (UMass won 21-14 on Oct. 28, 2023 at Michie Stadium).

PASS GRADE

The Massachusetts defense is holding opponents to 157.5 passing yards per game, which ranks sixth in FBS, just behind No. 5 Notre Dame (156.1) and ahead of No. 7 Minnesota (162.5).

The Minutemen posted four pass breakups against CCSU, marking their third game of the season with at least four pass breakups (also had vs. Eastern Michigan on Aug. 31 and nine at Toledo on Sept. 7).

Massachusetts has totaled 23 pass breakups on the season, led by Tyler Rudolph (4), followed by Tim Grant-Randall (3).
The Minutemen also have four interceptions on the season, with the most recent coming by Te'Rai Powell against Wagner (Oct. 26), marking the first interception of his career.

Isaiah Rutherford notched his first interception of the season and the second of his career at Northern Illinois (Oct. 5), while Jalen Harrell (at Miami on Sept. 28) and Ryan Barnes (vs. CCSU on Sept. 21) also recorded their first career interceptions this season.

MINUTEMAN IN MEMORIAM: GREG LANDRY

Former Massachusetts all-time great quarterback Greg Landry passed away on Friday, Oct. 4 at 77 years old. Behind Landry's golden arm and running ability, UMass won two Yankee Conference Championships in his three seasons as a starter. Landry led UMass in passing all three of his seasons and led the Minutemen in both rushing and scoring in 1965 and 1967.

The Detroit Lions selected Landry with the 11th pick of the 1968 NFL draft and he went on have a successful 14-year pro career with the Lions and the Baltimore Colts from 1968-81. He then spent two seasons in the USFL before returning to the NFL to play one game for the Chicago Bears.

Landry was an All-Pro for the Lions in 1971 and started for the NFC in the Pro Bowl. He totaled 16,052 passing yards in his NFL career with 98 touchdowns and 103 interceptions. He also gained more than 2,600 yards on the ground with 21 TDs. In 1976, he earned the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award after passing for 2,191 yards and 17 TDs.

Landry served as an assistant coach for his former team, the Detroit Lions, after spending several years on the coaching staff at the University of Illinois. He was the offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears when they won Super Bowl XX.
Landry was one of six Minutemen named to the Yankee Conference 50th Anniversary team, announced in June of 1996, and he was inducted into the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980.

POWER FOUR TRANSFERS FOR 2024

Massachusetts added 14 transfers into the program with previous power four experience:
Owen Anderson - Illinois
Brandon Campbell - Houston/USC
Sterling Galban - Texas Tech
Mao Glynn II - Cincinnati
Jaylen Hudson - Wake Forest
Frank Ladson Jr. - Miami/Clemson
Jaelyn Lay - Clemson
Jacob Lurie - Vanderbilt
Brandon McElroy - Arizona State
Etinosa Reuben - Georgia Tech/Clemson
Brayden Rohme - California
Benjamin Roy Jr. - UCLA
Sam Staruch - Michigan\
Paul Tchio - Georgia Tech/Clemson

Additional players on the 2024 roster who previously joined from the Power Four include:
Ryan Barnes – Notre Dame
John Burton – Arizona
RJ Edwards – Arizona
Jalen Harrell – Miami
Zukudo Igwenagu – Rutgers
Shambre Jackson – Florida State
Jalen John – Arizona
Steven Ortiz – Arizona/Minnesota
Taisun Phommachanh – Clemson/Georgia Tech
Tyler Martin – Arizona
Tyler Rudolph – Penn State
Isaiah Rutherford – Notre Dame
Matt Smith – Duke
Tyson Watson – Michigan State
Jermaine Wiggins Jr. – Arizona

JULIEN ON THE LOOSE

Redshirt junior Louce Julien posted his second and third sack of the season and totaled three tackles for loss (for 10 yards) in the win over Wagner (Oct. 26). Julien's three tackles for loss were the most by a Minuteman since Billy Wooden had three at New Mexico State on September 23, 2023.

On the season, Julien has played all eight games while totaling career highs in tackles (29/16 solo), tackles for loss (4), sacks (2), while also adding a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble.

HARDING: ALL-PURPOSE

Redshirt sophomore T.Y. Harding helped lead the Minutemen past Wagner (Oct. 26) with a receiving touchdown and 58-yard punt return touchdown that iced the game in the fourth quarter. It was the first UMass punt return touchdown since Isaiah Rodgers, currently a defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles, returned a punt for a touchdown at Charlotte on September 14, 2019.
Harding ranks 42nd in FBS in combined kick return yards this season with 254 and is one of 40 FBS players with a punt return touchdown this season.

Harding, who started the season on the scout team, now has five touchdowns including four receiving and the punt return TD. He is now averaging 71.57 all-purpose yards per game.

MINUTEMEN IN THE NFL

Former cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2016-19) signed with the Eagles after three seasons with Indianapolis. After working back from a broken hand suffered in the preseason, Rodgers made his season debut against Tampa Bay on Sept. 29 and chipped in with a solo tackle and a blocked kick.

Former running back Ellis Merriweather (2020-22) was elevated to the Packers' active roster from the practice squad ahead of their season opener against the Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil. It was his first career regular season game on an active NFL roster, but he did not appear in the contest.

Former long snapper Evan Deckers (2018-21) won the Tampa Bay Buccaneers job out of camp and made his season debut in week one but was placed on the IR before week five.
Former defensive back Josh Wallace (2019-22) signed with Los Angeles Rams as a free agent after he graduated from UMass and spent his final season of eligibility with Michigan (2023). He made his debut on Oct. 6 against the Packers and totaled a pair of solo tackles. He has two starts on the season and has added a pass defended.

Former offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson (2013-16) is on the practice squad for the Atlanta Falcons.

The NFL coaching ranks also include a lot of former Minutemen, including Tampa Bay Offensive Coordinator Liam Cohen (2004-08) and Chiefs Defensive Line Coach Joe Cullen (1986-89).

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