.png&type=webp)
University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
0-2 , 0-0
Bryant
1-1 , 0-0
Massachusetts Football Falls To Bryant, 27-26
September 06, 2025 | Football
Tyler Martin had an interception return for a touchdown
AMHERST, Mass. – Massachusetts football fell 27-26 to Bryant on Saturday evening at McGuirk Alumni Stadium (3,714). The game was originally scheduled for 3:30 but was delayed due to severe weather, including a tornado warning.
Quarterback Grant Jordan, who came in after starter Brandon Rose left with an injury, finished 13-for-22 for 205 yards, while adding 28 yards on the ground on nine attempts with a rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Jacquon Gibson tallied 89 yards on seven receptions, including a career-long 50-yard grab. Brandon Hood added a rushing touchdown.
On the defensive side, Derrieon Craig, Tyler Martin and Timmy Hinspeter led the way with nine tackles each, while all adding a pass breakup. Martin recorded his first career interception for a 23-yard touchdown return. Tim Grant-Randall had 1.5 tackles for loss for eight yards, including a seven-yard sack and Marques White registered a five-yard sack.
How It Happened
The Minutemen opened the scoring at the 4:04 mark of the first quarter when Tyler Martin returned an interception 23-yards for his first career interception and touchdown. The play came with the Bulldogs facing a third-and-15, while the extra point from Derek Morris was no good, giving UMass a 6-0 lead.
Massachusetts pulled ahead, 13-0 at 13:10 of the second. Grant Jordan completed a 15-yard pass to Jake McConnachie to get the first down from a third-and-nine situation to move UMass down the field. Brandon Hood then rushed for 13 yards for his first career touchdown, with Morris tacking on the extra point.
On a fourth-and-13, Bryant's Bryce Soli made a 37-yard field goal attempt at 9:18 to make it a 13-3 game.
A seven-play, 70-yard drive for UMass ended with a five-yard scamper from Jordan for his first UMass touchdown at the 3:32 mark. The drive included a career long 50-yard reception for Jacquon Gibson to advance Massachusetts from its own 41-yard line to Bryant's nine-yard line. Morris' extra point was good to give Massachusetts the 20-3 lead.
Bryant answered with an 11-play, 69-yard drive capped by a nine-yard touchdown pass from Brennan Myer to Zyheem Collick to make it a 20-10 contest at the half.
Following a missed field goal by the Minutemen, the Bulldogs cut the deficit to three points at 20-17 on a five-play, 80-yard drive in the third quarter.
Morris kicked a 25-yard field goal to add to UMass' lead, 23-17. But Bryant quickly responded with a 72-yard connection between Myer and Collick to give the Bulldogs the lead, 24-23.
A 53-yard field goal from Morris put UMass back on top, 26-24, in the fourth. The 53-yard attempt marked the longest field goal in UMass history, surpassing 52-yard field goals from Sandro Vitiello (vs. Boston College, 1978) and Denis Gagnon (vs. New Hampshire, 1971).
With four seconds remaining in the game, Bryant attempted a 25-yard field goal on a fourth-and-eight to edge out UMass, 27-26.
Notes
- Derrieon Craig, Jacquon Gibson, Rocko Griffin and Shymell Davis served as the game captains.
- Tyler Martin came away with a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown, marking Martin's first career interception and first career touchdown.
- It was the first UMass interception returned for a touchdown since Dashaun Jerkins vs. Miami (OH) on Sept. 9, 2023.
- Martin set a career-high mark with nine tackles (five solo), besting his previous career-high of six set at Georgia on Nov. 23, 2024 and last week against Temple on Aug. 30, 2025.
- Brandon Hood's second quarter, 13-yard rushing touchdown was the first of his career.
- Jacquon Gibson had a 50-yard grab in the second quarter, marking a career long reception.
- Max Dowling had the first three catches of his UMass career (had 26 catches in two previous seasons with UTM).
- Derek Morris' 53-yard field goal attempt marked the longest field goal in program history, surpassing Sandro Vitiello (vs. Boston College, 1978) and Denis Gagnon (vs. New Hampshire, 1971) who both kicked a 52-yard field goal.
- DD Snyder recorded his first interception as a Minuteman in the fourth quarter.
Next Up
Massachusetts will face Iowa for its first road test of the year on Saturday, September 13, at 7:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
BRY 0, UMA 6
UMA - Martin,Tyler 23 yd interception ()
BRY 0, UMA 13
UMA - Hood,Brandon 13 yd run (Morris,Derek kick), 8 plays, 61 yards, TOP 04:30
BRY 3, UMA 13
BRY - Soli,Bryce 37 yd field goal 9 plays, 50 yards, TOP 03:41
BRY 3, UMA 20
UMA - Jordan,Grant 5 yd run (Morris,Derek kick), 7 plays, 70 yards, TOP 03:54
BRY 10, UMA 20
BRY - Collick,Zyheem 9 yd pass from Myer,Brennan (Soli,Bryce kick) 11 plays, 69 yards, TOP 02:37
BRY 17, UMA 20
BRY - Elliott,Elijah 43 yd pass from Myer,Brennan (Soli,Bryce kick) 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 02:12
BRY 17, UMA 23
UMA - Morris,Derek 25 yd field goal 7 plays, 44 yards, TOP 02:08
BRY 24, UMA 23
BRY - Collick,Zyheem 72 yd pass from Myer,Brennan (Soli,Bryce kick) 2 plays, 76 yards, TOP 00:45
BRY 24, UMA 26
UMA - Morris,Derek 53 yd field goal 13 plays, 53 yards, TOP 05:13
BRY 27, UMA 26
BRY - Soli,Bryce 25 yd field goal 13 plays, 78 yards, TOP 01:45
