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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
0-5 , 0-1
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Western Michigan
3-3 , 2-0
UMass Football Drops MAC Opener 21-3 To Western Michigan
October 04, 2025 | Football
Timmy Hinspeter had 14 tackles.
AMHERST, Mass. – Massachusetts Football dropped its Mid-American Conference opener to Western Michigan, 21-3, on Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium (10,014).
The Minutemen, playing as part of Homecoming Weekend, went up 3-0 but were stifled the rest of the way as a defensive battle unfolded.
Middle linebacker Timmy Hinspeter once again led the way with 14 tackles for UMass, and he also added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Linebacker Tyler Martin and defensive back Zeraun Daniel, who missed the previous three games with an injury, each added 10 tackles on the day.
Brandon Rose got the start at quarterback for the Minutemen and went 9-for-17 for 72 yards before giving way to AJ Hairston, who finished 11-for-18 for 131 yards and an interception.
Western Michigan quarterback Broc Lowry was 18-for-25 in the game for 163 yards and a touchdown and also finished as the Broncos leading rusher with 92 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown.
How It Happened
Highlighted by a pair of catches from Jacquon Gibson for 39-yards, Massachusetts capped an 11-play, 57-yard opening drive with a 36-yard Derek Morris field goal to make the score 3-0 at 9:42 of the first quarter.
UMass forced the Broncos into a three-and-out on their next drive, holding quarterback Broc Lowry to two rushes for just three yards, before a roughing the punter call kept the drive alive. Two plays later UMass linebacker Timmy Hinspeter forced a fumble, recovered by Tyler Martin to give the ball back to the Minutemen with 7:35 remaining in the first quarter.
Massachusetts held Western Michigan to 65-yards on 13 plays, maintaining a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter of play.
UMass marched into Western Michigan territory with a 12-play, 57-yard drive that culminated in a missed field goal attempt from Morris. Graduate Student Juwaun Price highlighted the drive with five rushing attempts for 50 yards.
Western Michigan pulled ahead, 7-3, with an eight-yard receiving touchdown by Michael Brescia to complete a five-play, 72-yard drive in the second quarter.
On their next drive, the Broncos executed a 12-play, 61-yard drive which ended with a missed field goal by Palmer Domschke that went off the upright.
The two teams headed into halftime with Western Michigan holding a 7-3 advantage.
The Broncos increased their advantage, capping a 10-play, 50-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run from Lowery to make the score 14-3 with 1:26 remaining in the third quarter.
Hinspeter recovered a Bronco muffed punt with 15 seconds left in the third quarter, setting up the Massachusetts offense on the 14-yard line. Massachusetts saw its conversion attempt on fourth-and-five broken up as AJ Hairston fired a back shoulder pass to Jake McConnachie on the right side of the endzone.
Western Michigan added to its lead, 21-3, completing an 11-play, 87-yard drive with a 25-yard rushing touchdown from Devin Miles.
Bronco linebacker Domanick Moon intercepted a pass intended for Elijah Faulkner, giving Western Michigan the ball with 5:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. Western Michigan kneeled to finish the game, the final score 21-3 in favor of the Broncos.
Notes
- UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes and Mid-American Conference (MAC) Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher took part in the ceremonial pregame coin toss ahead of the Minutemen's first conference game since returning to the MAC.
- Shymell Davis, Derrieon Craig, Jovoni Borbon and Keegan Andrews served as the UMass game captains.
- Timmy Hinspeter posted his first career forced fumble midway through the first quarter.
- Tyler Martin recovered his first career fumble on the force from Hinspeter in the first quarter.
- Hinspeter registered 14 total tackles, tallying 10-plus tackles for the second straight game (17 at #20/19 Missouri – 9/27).
- Tyler Martin tallied a career-high 10 tackles (two solo, eight assisted)
- Zeraun Daniel marked a career best with 10 tackles (one solo, nine assisted)
Next Up
Massachusetts travels to Kent, Ohio, to face Kent State on Saturday, October 11, at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
Team Stats
WMU 0, UMA 3
UMA - Morris,Derek 36 yd field goal 11 plays, 57 yards, TOP 05:18
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WMU 7, UMA 3
WMU - Brescia,Michael 8 yd pass from Lowry,Broc (Domschke,Palmer kick) 5 plays, 72 yards, TOP 02:38
WMU 14, UMA 3
WMU - Lowry,Broc 4 yd run (Domschke,Palmer kick), 10 plays, 50 yards, TOP 04:24
WMU 21, UMA 3
WMU - Miles,Devin 25 yd run (Domschke,Palmer kick), 11 plays, 87 yards, TOP 05:58
