University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
0-8 , 0-4
Central Michigan
5-3 , 3-1
Football Falls To Central Michigan On The Road
October 25, 2025 | Football
Zeraun Daniel finished with a career-high 13 tackles and added his first career forced fumble.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Massachusetts football fell at Central Michigan, 38-13, on Saturday afternoon at Kelly/Shorts Stadium (20,489).
Safety Zeraun Daniel led the way in tackles with a career-high 13, while adding his first career forced fumble and a tackle for loss. Linebacker Tyler Martin followed with 10 tackles and Marques White had three tackles for loss and a sack, marking his fifth sack of the season.
AJ Hairston went 21-for-51 for 176 yards and an interception, while rushing for 29 yards on the day.
Rocko Griffin made his return after missing the last three games due to injury and in a limited role rushed for 56 yards on seven carries, including a 43-yard rushing touchdown.
How It Happened
Central Michigan ended a seven-play, 77-yard drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Brock Townsend on its first drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
On a second-and-10 to start UMass' next drive, AJ Hairston ran for 21 yards to move the Minutemen down the field. A seven-yard pass to Donnie Gray helped Massachusetts move into Central Michigan territory, before a 43-yard rushing touchdown for Rocko Griffin capped the five-play, 75-yard drive make it a 7-7 contest.
The Chippewas reclaimed the lead, 14-7, as Townsend ran five yards for his second rushing touchdown at the 4:02 mark of the first. Then a quarterback run by Angel Flores moved the score to a 21-7 with 1:24 left in the opening quarter on the Chippewas next drive.
In the second quarter, Cade Graham made a 29-yard field goal to pull Central Michigan ahead, 24-7 at the 10:44 mark.
After a Marques White sack forced a Central Michigan punt, the Minutemen drove 69 yards in 14 plays from their own 20-yard line. Derek Morris capped the drive with a 29-yard field goal, moving the halftime score to 24-10 in favor of the Chippewas.
Central Michigan opened the second half with a 51-yard receiving touchdown for Townsend to lead 31-10 at the 13:17.
An interception gave the Chippewas the ball back on their own 42-yard line, starting its next drive at 12:04. A 19-yard pass completed from Joe Labas to Nasir Williams pushed Central Michigan to a 38-10 lead to finish a seven-play, 58-yard drive.
UMass pushed down the field into field goal range, as Morris made a 50-yard field goal, marking his second longest of the season, to make it a 38-13 game.
Central Michigan came out on top 38-13 after a quiet fourth with neither team scoring.
Notes
- Rocko Griffin, Jaquon Gibson, Jovoni Borbon and Keegan Andrews served as the UMass game captains.
- In addition to previously announced long term injuries, Derrieon Craig, Timmy Hinspeter, Dean Shaffer (out for season), David Onuoha, Ryan Barnes, Kamren-Watkins Hunter, Sullivan Weidman, Reece Adkins, Shambre Jackson and Shymell Davis all missed the game due to injury.
- Rocko Griffin returned after missing the past three games with an injury and rushed for a 43-yard touchdown at 8:05 of the first quarter, which was his second rushing touchdown of the season and the 13th of his career.
- Jacquon Gibson returned in a limited role after missing the previous two games with an injury.
- Kenyon Massey caught a career-long 22-yard pass from AJ Hairston in the second quarter.
- Marques White had his fifth sack of the season for a loss of seven yards in the second quarter.
- Zeraun Daniel recorded his first career forced fumble while playing in his 27th career game.
- On the same play, Zach Farris came up with his first career fumble recovery while playing in his 37th career game.
- Daniel finished the game with a career-high 13 tackles (previous high was 10, which he did on five occasions).
- It marked Central Michigan's first turnover in 15 quarters.
Next Up
Massachusetts begins weeknight #MACtion play with a 7 p.m. ET road game at Akron on Tuesday, November 4.
Team Stats
UM 0, CMU 7
CMU - Townsend,Brock 1 yd run (Graham,Cade kick), 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 04:05
UM 7, CMU 7
UM - Griffin,Rocko 43 yd run (Morris,Derek kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:43
UM 7, CMU 14
CMU - Townsend,Brock 5 yd run (Graham,Cade kick), 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:59
UM 7, CMU 21
CMU - Flores,Angel 9 yd run (Graham,Cade kick), 3 plays, 61 yards, TOP 01:25
UM 7, CMU 24
CMU - Graham,Cade 29 yd field goal 8 plays, 53 yards, TOP 03:53
UM 10, CMU 24
UM - Morris,Derek 29 yd field goal 14 plays, 69 yards, TOP 01:51
UM 10, CMU 31
CMU - Townsend,Brock 51 yd pass from Labas,Joe (Graham,Cade kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:53
UM 10, CMU 38
CMU - Williams,Nasir 19 yd pass from Labas,Joe (Graham,Cade kick) 7 plays, 58 yards, TOP 04:14
UM 13, CMU 38
UM - Morris,Derek 50 yd field goal 12 plays, 43 yards, TOP 03:44
