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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Missouri
Massachusetts Football Set To Face #21 Missouri At McGuirk On Saturday
October 07, 2024 | Football
Minutemen and Tigers matchup for the first time in program history at 12 p.m. on ESPN2.
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 7 | Massachusetts (1-5) vs. #21 Missouri (4-1) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, October 12 | 12 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. | McGuirk Alumni Stadium |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Here |
| Series History | First Meeting |
| Game Notes & Team Information | Massachusetts: Game Notes | Game Program | Record Book Missouri: Game Notes |
| Watch | ESPN 2 |
| Listen | WHMP 101.5 FM, 1240AM & 1400AM | WCRN 830 AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device |
| Live Statistics | StatBroadcast |
| @UMassFootball | @FBCoachDBrown | |
| UMass Football | |
| UMass Football | |
AMHERST, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts football will face the No. 21-ranked Missouri Tigers for the first time in program history on Saturday, October 12, for a noon kick on ESPN 2 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
It will mark the first time an SEC team visits McGuirk Alumni Stadium and fans are encouraged to wear their maroon to the game.
SERIES HISTORY
Missouri and Massachusetts will be meeting for the first time on Saturday, with the game marking the front half of a home-and-home series between the two teams.
It will be the first of three SEC matchup for the Minutemen this season, with trips to Mississippi State (Nov. 2) and Georgia (Nov. 23) also on the horizon.
Massachusetts ranks tied for 41st in FBS (of 133 ranked) in total defense, allowing 324.2 yards per game.
The Minutemen rank fourth in the country in average time of possession (34:10).
In the FBS, UMass ranks tied with Minnesota for 38th with 119 first downs on the season.
The Minutemen are tied for 19th in FBS with four turnovers lost on the season, while their one fumble lost is tied for sixth (Missouri is also among that group with one fumble lost this season).
Taisun Phommachanh ranks fourth among FBS quarterbacks with 290 yards after contact when rushing the ball, trailing only John Mateer of Washington State (427 yards), Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt (322) and Tyler Huff of Jacksonville State (294).
Five Minutemen have rushed for a touchdown this season, including CJ Hester (2), Taisun Phommachanh (1), Jalen John (1), Brandon Campbell (1) and Jackson Paradis (1).
PASS DEFENSE
The Massachusetts defense is holding opponents to 162.3 passing yards per game, which ranks 19th in the FBS, just behind No. 18 Oregon (162.0) and ahead of No. 20 Kentucky (166.0).
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 21 pass breakups on the season, led by Tyler Rudolph (3) and Tim Grant-Randall (3).
Isaiah Rutherford came up with UMass' most recent interception when he picked off Ethan Hampton of Northern Illinois on Oct. 5 for his first pick of the season and second of his career.
Jalen Harrell (at Miami on Sept. 28) and Ryan Barnes (vs. CCSU on Sept. 21) have each 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
CONTROLLING THE CLOCK
Massachusetts ranks fourth in FBS in average time of possession (34:10), trailing only Oregon State (36:37), Utah (35:27), and Army West Point (34:19). This week's opponent, Missouri, ranks 10th (33:27).
In total time of possession, UMass (205:02 minutes) ranks first, with the Miami Hurricanes (204:46) in second (both teams have played six games).
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.
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).
