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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
1-5 , 0-0
NIU
3-2 , 0-1
NIU Pulls Away Late To Top Massachusetts Football 34-20
October 05, 2024 | Football
T.Y. Harding recorded a career-high 85 yards receiving and two touchdowns
DEKALB, Ill. – Despite a career receiving game by T.Y. Harding, the University of Massachusetts football team was stymied on the road, 34-20, by Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Huskie Stadium (12,466).
The Huskies were able to pull away late with a strong rushing attack in the second half.
Jakobie Keeney-James and Harding led the UMass receivers with four receptions each for 87 yards and 85 yards, respectively, which included a career-long 58-yard catch for Harding. Harding added two touchdowns on the day, for the first time in his career, to go along with his career-high receiving yards. CJ Hester led on the ground with a career-best 71 yards on 15 carries.
Quarterback Taisun Phommachanh was 15-for-30 on passing for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Phommachanh also ran for 27 yards on 13 carries.
On defense, Jalen Stewart recorded a team-leading 14 tackles with five solo and nine assisted. His 14 tackles mark the first time since 2022 a Minuteman posted 10 or more tackles in a game.
Louce Julien followed with eight total tackles and had a quarterback hurry. Christian LeBrun had one sack for a one-yard tackle for loss. Donovan Dyson scooped his first fumble recovery of his career, while Isaiah Rutherford came away with his second career interception, and first of the season.
How It Happened
Northern Illinois took advantage of an early UMass turnover and was able to take a 7-0 lead on a 15-yard pass at 14:10 of the first quarter.
Massachusetts responded to tie it up at 7-7 on a four-play, 75-yard drive. Taisun Phommachanh converted a third-and-seven with a 14-yard rush, before completing a 58-yard touchdown pass to T.Y. Harding at the 11:56 mark.
On the Huskies next drive, NIU's quarterback Ethan Hampton threw a pass to the endzone that was picked off by Isaiah Rutherford at 10:02 to give the Minutemen the ball at their own 20-yard line, marking his first interception of the season.
Massachusetts then took a 10-7 lead on a 29-yard Jacob Lurie field goal to finish a 12 play, 71-yard drive at 12:33 of the second quarter. The big play on the drive, which took 5:37, was a 21-yard grab by Sterling Galban.
On the ensuing Northern Illinois drive, the Huskies faced a fourth-and-two at the UMass 40-yard line and flipped a pass out wide, but Jeremiah McGill stepped up to make the tackle just short of the line to gain to get the ball back for the Minutemen.
After forcing UMass to punt, the Huskies tried to answer back but Gavin Williams fumbled on Massachusetts' side of the field and Donovan Dyson scooped it up for his first career fumble recovery.
Taking advantage of the fumble recovery, the Minutemen extended their lead to 13-7 as Lurie capped a 10-play, 46-yard drive with a 27-yard field goal. UMass converted its fourth third down of the day with a 10-yard run from CJ Hester to advance to the NIU 41. An 11-yard rush for Hester placed Massachusetts on the 18-yard line, before a three-yard run up the middle for Phommachanh set up the fourth-and-one field goal attempt for Lurie with six seconds remaining in the first half.
Northern Illinois took the second half kick and put together a seven play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie it at 13-13 after Kanon Woodill missed the extra point. The touchdown came on a 22-yard run by Jaylen Poe.
UMass drove down to the NIU 25 on the game's next drive but was unable to convert on a fourth-and-three to keep it a 13-13 game with 6:18 left in the third quarter.
NIU took over at its own 25 before back-to-back rushes for Poe, including a three-yard touchdown run, finished a 13-play, 75-yard drive to give the Huskies a 20-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Massachusetts next drive saw Jakobie Keeney-James haul in a 40-yard pass from Phommachanh to give the Minutemen a first down on the NIU 18. On a fourth-and-two at the NIU 10-yard line, Phommachanh threw a pass to Sterling Galban in the endzone, but Galban couldn't hang on.
Northern Illinois capitalized on the turnover on downs from its own 10-yard line, taking a 27-13 lead at 5:29. The Huskies' rushed for 90 yards on nine plays, capping their drive with a one-yard run up the middle by Williams.
During an eight-play, 75-yard drive that claimed 2:13 off the clock, Phommachanh and Keeney-James connected for 31 yards on a first down, before Galban grabbed a 16-yard pass for another first down at the NIU 16. Faced with a fourth-and-10 situation, the Minutemen went for it, as Harding caught a 16-yard pass for his second touchdown reception of the day to make it a 27-20 game.
An 89-yard kick return by the Huskies' Poe placed NIU on the UMass four-yard line. Northern Illinois pushed Hampton up the middle on a third-and-goal into the endzone for a one-yard touchdown rush to lead 34-20.
UMass turned the ball over on a fourth-and-10 in its final drive, allowing NIU to hold on to its 34-20 lead for the final 1:16 of the game.
Notes
- For the sixth consecutive game, Josh Atwood, Taisun Phommachanh, Te'Rai Powell and Tyler Rudolph served as the Massachusetts captains.
- T.Y. Harding caught his second touchdown of the season/of his career to make it a 7-7 game in the first quarter, before adding his third in the fourth quarter.
- Harding's 58-yard reception in the first quarter marked a career-long, while marking his first career multi-touchdown contest.
- Isaiah Rutherford came up with his first interception of the season and the second of his career (both with UMass).
- Donovan Dyson recovered his first career fumble in the second quarter.
- Harding posted a career-high 85 reception yards.
- CJ Hester rushed for a career-best 71 yards.
- Jalen Stewart registered 14 tackles, marking the first time since 2022 a Minuteman had 10-plus tackles in a game (Jalen Mackie – 10 vs. Army, 11/26/2022)
Next Up
Massachusetts returns to McGuirk Alumni Stadium for a matchup with ninth-ranked Missouri on Saturday, October 12, at 12 p.m. on ESPN2. Limited tickets are available here.
Team Stats
MAS 0, NIU 7
NIU - Lampe,Brock 15 yd pass from Hampton,Ethan (Woodill,Kanon kick) 1 plays, 15 yards, TOP 00:06
MAS 7, NIU 7
MAS - Harding,T.Y. 58 yd pass from Phommachanh,Taisun (Lurie,Jacob kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:14
MAS 10, NIU 7
MAS - Lurie,Jacob 27 yd field goal 12 plays, 71 yards, TOP 05:37
MAS 13, NIU 7
MAS - Lurie,Jacob 27 yd field goal 10 plays, 46 yards, TOP 03:19
MAS 13, NIU 13
NIU - Poe,Jaylen 22 yd run (), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:37
MAS 13, NIU 20
NIU - Poe,Jaylen 3 yd run (Woodill,Kanon kick), 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 07:06
MAS 13, NIU 27
NIU - Williams,Gavin 1 yd run (Woodill,Kanon kick), 9 plays, 90 yards, TOP 05:22
MAS 20, NIU 27
MAS - Harding,T.Y. 16 yd pass from Phommachanh,Taisun (Lurie,Jacob kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:13
MAS 20, NIU 34
NIU - Hampton,Ethan 1 yd run (Woodill,Kanon kick), 3 plays, 4 yards, TOP 00:57
