University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Bryant
Massachusetts Football Hosts Bryant On Saturday
September 01, 2025 | Football
Minutemen and Bulldogs kickoff at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 2 | Massachusetts (0-1) vs. Bryant (0-1) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, September 6 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. | McGuirk Alumni Stadium |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Here |
| Series History | Massachusetts leads, 1-0 Last Meeting | Oct. 25, 2008 | McGuirk Alumni Stadium, Amherst, Mass. | Massachusetts 42, Bryant 7 |
| Game Notes & Team Information | Massachusetts: Game Notes | Game Program | Record Book Bryant Football Links |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Listen | WHMP 101.5 FM & 1400AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device |
| Live Statistics | StatBroadcast |
| @UMassFootball | |
| UMass Football | |
| UMass Football | |
AMHERST, Mass. -- Massachusetts football hosts Bryant on Saturday, September 6, for a 3:30 p.m. contest on ESPN+.
SERIES HISTORY
- Massachusetts and Bryant met once before, with the Minutemen posting a 42-7 win on Oct. 25, 2008 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium
- During that victory, UMass quarterback and current Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen became the 21st quarterback in FCS history with 10,000 career passing yards
- Coen was 11-for-18 for 389 yards and added a school-record tying five touchdowns. Coen threw three of those career-high tying five TD passes to Jeremy Horne
- UMass' first four scoring drives of the game each took under 1:40 and averaged 1:13
- Bryant is coming off a 19-3 loss at New Mexico State on Saturday (Aug. 30)
- Brennan Myer finished 20-of-33 for 187 yards and an interception as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback, while Tristen Riley posted five catches for 42 yards and Aldrich Doe caught five passes for 54 yards
- Brandon Perkins led Bryant with six tackles and Michael Otty collected a pair of sacks
- Senior Bryant linebacker Dorian Helm played his first three seasons at UMass
HARASYMIAK ERA
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On December 10, 2024, Joe Harasymiak was formally introduced as the program's 32nd head coach during a press conference at the Martin Jacobson Football Performance Center
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Harasymiak arrived in Amherst with 17 years of coaching experience, including seven seasons as the defensive coordinator at two FBS institutions: Minnesota (2018-21) and Rutgers (2022-24)
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Harasymiak 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 2016-18
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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 history
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A native of Waldwick, New Jersey, Harasymiak graduated from nearby Springfield College in 2008 after playing defensive back for the Pride from 2004-07
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, 2025
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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 2012-15
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In addition to football, UMass will now 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.
QB1
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After a camp competition, redshirt junior Brandon Rose was named the starter by Joe Harasymiak on Monday, Aug. 18, beating out graduate student Grant Jordan and redshirt freshman A.J. Hairston
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Rose transferred from Utah, where he spent the last three seasons and played in the first three games of his career in 2024
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Maade his first collegiate start against BYU, finishing 12-of-21 for 112 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing for 55 yards
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A Temecula, California native, Rose attended Murrieta Valley High School and was named Southwestern League MVP and led his team to a league championship as a senior
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.
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Fifty-nine players posted at least a 3.0, 25 players posted at least 3.5 and three players had 4.0 GPAs.
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Fourteen players were then named to the Dean's List including Owen Anderson, Keegan Andrews, Ryan Barnes, Kendall Bournes, Derrieon Craig, Zeraun Daniel, Dallas Elliott, Timmy Hinspeter, Marcus Lye, T.J. Magee, Kyle Ott, Savion Robinson, Brock Taylor and Magnus Von Saldern
DEPARTMENTAL SUCCESS
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The University of Massachusetts athletics department finished 84th overall in the final 2024-25 Learfield Directors' Cup standings.
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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 1998–99 standings.
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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) and women's lacrosse (25). All told, 303 schools were ranked in the final 2024-25 standings.
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In addition to leading the A-10, the 241.00 points would also have led the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
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MAC + UMass Standings (Top-4)
84. UMass
88. Western Michigan
109. Akron
112. Miami
