University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
UConn
Football Set To Take On Rival Connecticut
November 25, 2024 | Football
The Minutemen and Huskies kickoff at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 12 | Massachusetts (2-9) vs. Connecticut (7-4) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, November 30 | 12 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. | McGuirk Alumni Stadium |
| Series History | Massachusetts leads, 38-37-2 Last Meeting | Nov. 25, 2023 | McGuirk Alumni Stadium, Amherst, Mass. | Connecticut 31, Massachusetts 18 |
| Game Notes & Team Information | Massachusetts: Game Notes | Game Program | Record Book Connecticut: Game Notes |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Listen | WHMP 101.5 FM, 1240AM & 1400AM | WCRN 830 AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device |
| Live Statistics | StatBroadcast |
| @UMassFootball | |
| UMass Football | |
| UMass Football | |
AMHERST, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts football clashes with rival Connecticut on Saturday, November 30, at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
SERIES HISTORY
Massachusetts and Connecticut will be meeting for the 78th time in series history, with the Minutemen leading 38-37-2. At 77 previous meetings, Connecticut is the second most common opponent for UMass, trailing only Rhode Island (87).
Last season, met on Nov. 25, 2023 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium with the Huskies prevailing 31-18. Taisun Phommachanh got the start at quarterback for UMass that day and he threw for 230 yards on 18-for-30 passing with a touchdown. Tight end Gino Campiotti scored in his second consecutive game, catching a 10-yard touchdown pass. For the UMass defense, Te'Rai Powell had eight tackles and Tyler Rudolph added seven tackles and a fumble recovery. Billy Wooden had 2.5 TFLs for 11 yards and a sack for seven yards.
In 2022, Massachusetts was stymied on the road, 27-10, by Connecticut at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field (23,430). Cameron Sullivan-Brown totaled a career-high 124 receiving yards, including a career long 53-yard catch for a touchdown Rudolph had 10 tackles in that contest.
The last UMass win came In 2021 when the Minutemen posted a 27-13 win on October 9 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Ellis Merriweather rushed for 171 yards and added two touchdowns to lead UMass to the victory.
The teams first met on Nov. 6, 1897 with M.A.C. prevailing, 36-0. Massachusetts also picked up the 100th win in school history against Connecticut, posting a 28-0 win on Oct. 2, 1920. The teams were charter members of the Yankee Conference, which was announced on Dec. 3, 1946.
Another notable game in the series came on Nov. 16, 1996, and is called The Miracle at McGuirk. Jeff Smith hit Erik Henry on a 20-yard touchdown strike with 31 seconds remaining to complete a 20-point fourth quarter comeback and lead UMass to a 39-38 victory over Connecticut in the final game in Yankee Conference history. The comeback is the greatest in school history.
Then on Nov. 20, 1999, the Minutemen posted an emphatic 62-20 over UConn at McGuirk Stadium in the Huskies last game as a I-AA school. Massachusetts claimed its 18th Atlantic 10 Conference title in the process as Marcel Shipp rushed for three touchdowns in the victory to break Rene Ingoglia's single-season record of 19. Shipp went on to finish the season with 24 rushing scores.
QUICK HITS
Saturday's game will feature a pregame Senior Day ceremony to honor those players exhausting their eligibility as well as additional players who will earn their degrees this year.
After rushing for an impressive 226 yards at #8/10 Georgia (November 23), the Minutemen are averaging 161.6 yards per game on the ground (68th in FBS). The 226 yards rushing marked the first time Georgia had given up at least 225 yards rushing since Oct. 13, 2018 versus LSU.
Massachusetts ranks 12th in FBS in average time of possession (32:28), just behind UTSA (32:30) and ahead of LSU (32:24). Connecticut enters Saturday ranked 83rd (29:35).
The Massachusetts defense is holding opponents to 176.2 passing yards per game, which ranks 11th in FBS, just behind No. 10 Bowling Green (174.8) and ahead of No. 12 Northern Illinois (176.3).
T.Y. Harding is one of 48 FBS players with a punt return touchdown this season (entering week 14).
The Minutemen are tied for 21st in FBS with 10 turnovers lost on the season (six interceptions and four fumbles lost).
According to ESPN.com, UMass' strength of schedule ranks 71st in FBS (out of 134), while UConn ranks 123rd.
In the overtime loss to Liberty (Nov. 16) Gerrell Johnson tallied 10 total tackles for the second consecutive game (at Mississippi State on Nov. 2) to become the first Minuteman since the 2019 season to register 10-plus tackles in back-to-back games, joining Cole McCubrey (12 at Rutgers on Aug. 30 and vs. Southern Illinois on Sept. 7).
Seven Minutemen have combined to rush for 16 touchdowns this season, including CJ Hester (4), Jalen John (4), Taisun Phommachanh (3), Brandon Campbell (3), Jackson Paradis (1), AJ Hairston (1) and Ahmad Haston (1).
PASS GRADE
The Massachusetts defense is holding opponents to 176.2 passing yards per game, which ranks 11th in FBS, just behind No. 10 Bowling Green (174.8) and ahead of No. 12 Northern Illinois (176.3).
The Minutemen posted four pass breakups against CCSU (Sept. 21), 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 30 pass breakups on the season, led by Lake Ellis (5), Tyler Rudolph (3) and Time Grant-Randall (3).
The Minutemen also have five interceptions this season, with the most recent coming from Te'Rai Powell against Liberty (Nov. 16). It marked Powell's second interception of the season, having previously come up with his first career interception against Wagner (Oct. 26).
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.
HARDING: ALL PURPOSE
Redshirt sophomore T.Y. Harding is emerging as an all-purpose threat for the Minutemen.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts native 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 38th in FBS in combined kick return yards this season with 351 and is one of 48 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.
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 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 11 games while totaling career highs in tackles (38/19 solo), tackles for loss (6.5), sacks (5.0), while also adding a quarterback hurry, a pass breakup and two forced fumbles. His tackles for loss and sack totals lead the team.
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. He had four tackles against the Cowboys (Nov. 10) and then against the Rams he had four tackels and a forced fumble (Nov. 24).
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 added a pass defended against the Seahawks (Nov. 3).
Former offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson (2013-16) is on the practice squad for the Atlanta Falcons, while former wide receiver Andy Isabella (2015-18) signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad during week eight.
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).
