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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Temple
Massachusetts Football Kicks Off 2025 Season At McGuirk Against Temple On Saturday
August 25, 2025 | Football
Minutemen and Owls meet for the first time in Amherst at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
| University of Massachusetts FootballĀ Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 1 | Massachusetts (0-0) vs. TempleĀ (0-0) |
| Date |Ā Time | Saturday, August 30Ā |Ā 3:30Ā p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass.Ā Ā |Ā McGuirk Alumni Stadium |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Here |
| Series History | Temple leads, 3-0 Last Meeting | Sept. 24, 2022 | Lincoln Financial Stadium, Philadelphia, Pa.Ā | TempleĀ 28, Massachusetts 0 |
| Game Notes & Team Information | Massachusetts: Game Notes Ā | Ā Game Program Ā | Ā Record Book Temple: Game Notes Ā | Ā Media Guide |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Listen | WHMP 101.5 FMĀ &Ā 1400AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device |
| Live Statistics | StatBroadcast |
| @UMassFootballĀ | |
| UMass Football | |
| UMass Football | |
AMHERST, Mass. --Ā The 142nd season of Massachusetts football kicks off against TempleĀ at 3:30 p.m.Ā on Saturday, August 30Ā in Amherst, Massachusetts,Ā at McGuirk Alumni StadiumĀ in a game that will also be streamed on ESPN+.
It will mark the 14th FBS season for UMass and first season in the Mid-American Conference since playing as an affiliate member from 2012-15.Ā
ĀSERIES HISTORY
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Massachusetts and TempleĀ will be meeting for the fourth time inĀ seriesĀ history, withĀ the Owls holding a 3-0 mark in the seriesĀ
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It will mark the first time the Owls have visited Amherst and the first time the teams will play outside of an NFL stadiumĀ
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The most recent meeting took place on Sept.Ā 24,Ā 2022Ā at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with Temple posting a 28-0 win on that day.Ā It was a 7-0 game atĀ halftimeĀ before Temple pulled awayĀ
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On September 15, 2017, TempleĀ downedĀ UMass 29-21 in a game that was also played at Lincoln Financial Field.Ā UMass quarterback Andrew Ford finished 23-of-37 withĀ 377 yardsĀ passing and two touchdowns and heĀ alsoĀ rushed for another score. Current MinnesotaĀ VikingsĀ defensive back Isaiah Rodgers had seven tacklesĀ
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The Minutemen and Owls met for the first timeĀ in series historyĀ on September 19, 2015, playingĀ as Mid-American Conference foes.Ā Temple was able to come away with a narrow 25-23 winĀ at Gillette Stadium, despite a late touchdown reception by Jamal Wilson andĀ 393 passingĀ yardsĀ from Blake FrohnapfelĀ
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Current Temple Defensive Coordinator/Safeties coach Brian SmithĀ played at UMassĀ from 1997-2000Ā and also coached for the Minutemen from 2004-06.Ā
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Smith was a three-year starter in the defensive backfield andĀ wasĀ a keyĀ part of the 1998 team that won the NCAA Division I-AA National ChampionshipĀ
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The UMass-Temple rivalry has roots in men's basketball, dating back to when both teams played in the A-10 and becoming even more prominent when John Cheney and John Calipari's teams clashed in the early 90'sĀ
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At the peak of the rivalry,Ā Cheney famouslyĀ interruptedĀ Calipari'sĀ postgame press conferenceĀ on Feb. 13,Ā 1994Ā afterĀ Mike Williams hit a buzzer-beater for a 56-55Ā win at the Mullins CenterĀ
HARASYMIAK ERA
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On December 10, 2024, JoeĀ HarasymiakĀ was formally introduced as the program's 32nd head coach during a press conferenceĀ atĀ the Martin Jacobson Football Performance CenterĀ
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HarasymiakĀ arrived inĀ Amherst with 17 years of coaching experience, including sevenĀ seasonsĀ as the defensive coordinator at two FBS institutions: Minnesota (2018-21) and Rutgers (2022-24)Ā
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HarasymiakĀ advanced up the coaching ranks at Maine, starting as a defensive assistant/defensive backs coach in 2011 and working his way to serving as head coach from 2016-18Ā
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He led the Black Bears to the 2018 CAA Championship with a 7-1 conference record. Maine then advanced to the first Football Championship Subdivision national semifinal game in program historyĀ
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A native of Waldwick, New Jersey,Ā HarasymiakĀ graduated from nearby Springfield College in 2008 after playing defensive back for the Pride from 2004-07Ā
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RETURN TO THE MAC
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The University of Massachusetts officially joined the Mid-American Conference (MAC) as a full member, beginning on July 1, 2025Ā
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The 2025-26 season will be UMass football's first year of #MACtion since playing as an affiliate member (football only) from 2012-15Ā
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InĀ addition to football,Ā UMass willĀ nowĀ compete in the Mid-American Conference in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's indoor/outdoor track & field, women's lacrosse, rowing, women's soccer, softball, women's swimming and diving and women's tennis.Ā
QB1
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After a camp competition,Ā redshirt juniorĀ Brandon Rose was named the starter by JoeĀ HarasymiakĀ on Monday, Aug. 18,Ā beating outĀ graduate studentĀ Grant Jordan andĀ redshirt freshmanĀ A.J. HairstonĀ
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Rose transferred from Utah, where he spent the last three seasons and played inĀ the firstĀ three gamesĀ of his careerĀ in 2024Ā
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MaadeĀ his first collegiate start against BYU,Ā finishingĀ 12-of-21 forĀ 112 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing for 55 yardsĀ
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A Temecula, California native, RoseĀ attendedĀ Murrieta Valley High SchoolĀ and was named Southwestern League MVP and led his team to a league championship as a seniorĀ
OWNING THE CLASSROOM
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UMass football posted a 3.15 GPA following the spring semester, its best team GPA for a semester since 2018.Ā
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Fifty-nineĀ players posted at least a 3.0, 25 players posted at leastĀ 3.5 and three playersĀ had 4.0Ā GPAs.Ā
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Fourteen players were then named to the Dean's List including Owen Anderson, Keegan Andrews, Ryan Barnes, Kendall Bournes,Ā Derrieon Craig,Ā Zeraun Daniel, Dallas Elliott, Timmy Hinspeter, Marcus Lye, T.J. Magee, Kyle Ott, Savion Robinson, Brock TaylorĀ and Magnus Von SaldernĀ
DEPARTMENTAL SUCCESS
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The University of Massachusetts athletics department finished 84th overall in the final 2024-25 Learfield Directors' Cup standings.Ā
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It marked the best Learfield Directors' Cup finish in 25 years for UMass, dating back to a 51st-place ranking in the final 1998ā99 standings.Ā
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Massachusetts totaled 241.00 points in 2024-25, earning those points from field hockey (83), men's soccer (73), hockey (60)Ā and women's lacrosse (25). All told, 303 schools were ranked in the final 2024-25 standings.Ā
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In addition to leading the A-10, the 241.00 points would also have led the Mid-American Conference (MAC).Ā
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MAC + UMass Standings (Top-4)Ā
84. UMassĀ
88. Western MichiganĀ
109. AkronĀ
112. MiamiĀ
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