Football Hosts Stonehill On Saturday At McGuirk Alumni Stadium

University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information
Game 3	Massachusetts (2-0, 0-0 MAC) vs. Stonehill (1-2, 0-0 NEC)
Date \| Time	Saturday, Sept. 19 \| 3:30 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| McGuirk Alumni Stadium
Tickets	Purchase Here
Series History	First Meeting
Game Notes & Team Information	Massachusetts: Game Notes \| Game Program \| Record Book Stonehill: Game Notes
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WHMP 101.5 FM & 1400AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device
Live Statistics	StatBroadcast
Twitter	@UMassFootball
Instagram	UMass Football
Facebook	UMass Football

AMHERST, Mass. -- Massachusetts football welcomes Stonehill to McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19 for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.

Game themes include the Hall of Fame Game and Hispanic Heritage Month. Click here for more Hall of Fame Weekend Details. New this season, there will be a clear bag policy at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, click here for more details.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday's game will mark the first meeting between UMass and Stonehill.
The Stonehill matchup will be the second of three consecutive first-time matchups, including the Sacred Heart and Sacramento State games as well.

QUICK HITTERS

The Minutemen are the only undefeated team in the MAC as well as the only undefeated FBS team in New England/New York and New Jersey (depending on your view of the Western Michigan-Michigan game).
The Minutemen are one of 10 teams in the country to have not given up a sack this season, and the only team in the MAC.
The UMass rushing defense ranks first in the MAC and 35th in the country (85.0 rushing yards against per game).
UMass' five turnovers gained rank tied for ninth nationally.
Pop Watson III's 220.40 passing efficiency ranks first in the MAC and fifth in the country and his 10.91 yards per pass attempt rank 10th in the country (first in the MAC).
In roughly six and half quarters this season, Watson III is 28-for-32 (.875) with four touchdowns while also posting 80 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.
Jahmad Harmon's three interceptions rank tied for second in the country (one of four players with at least three interceptions this season).

REMAINING SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

New MAC Opponent: Sacramento State appears on the 2026 schedule as the newest MAC opponent, with UMass traveling to Sacramento on Saturday, September 26.
Back-To-Back MAC Contests: The Minutemen welcome Eastern Michigan and Miami (OH) to Amherst on October 3 and October 10 for consecutive home matchups, with the Miami game serving as Homecoming.
Flagship Cup: Buffalo and UMass play the second installment of their Flagship Cup rivalry game Presented by Milton CAT on October 17 in Buffalo, New York.
Rivalry Renewed: UConn is back on the schedule for a Friday night showdown on Oct. 23 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Midweek MACtion: Massachusetts competes in MACtion with three Wednesday conference games – vs. Ball State (Nov. 4), at Toledo (Nov. 11) and vs. Akron (Nov. 18).

NOTING THE SACRED HEART WIN

UMass jumped out to a 14-0 lead and didn't look back, defeating Sacred Heart 37-10 on Saturday, September 12 in front of 14,895 fans at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
In the game's first 3:16, T.Y. Harding had a 48-yard receiving touchdown and an 82-yard punt return touchdown.
With the win, the Minutemen improved to 2-0 on the season for the first time in the FBS era.
William "Pop" Watson III finished 9-of-10 passing for 152 yards and a passing touchdown, playing until midway through the third quarter before being relieved by Aedan McCarthy, who made his collegiate debut.
UMass owns back-to-back wins for the first time since October-November 2023, when the Minutemen defeated Army, 21-14, on Oct. 28 and Merrimack, 31-21, on Nov. 11.
The win marked the Minutemen's first at home since Oct. 26, 2024, when UMass defeated Wagner, 35-7.
Watson III's 49-yard touchdown pass to T.Y. Harding in the game's first minute marked his collegiate long pass (from his time both at UMass and Virginia Tech).
Harding's 82-yard punt return touchdown was the second of his career, having previously returned a 58-yard punt for a touchdown versus Wagner on Oct. 26, 2024.
It was UMass' longest punt return for a touchdown in the FBS era and longest since a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown since Jerome Bledsoe on Sept. 10, 1988, against Maine.
UMass held a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, marking the first time since Sept. 22, 2018, versus Charlotte that UMass had at least 17 points in the first quarter (en route to a 49-31 victory).
UMass scored 30 or more points in consecutive games for the first time since 2014: Sept. 27, 2014 vs. Bowling Green (L, 47-42), Oct. 4, 2014 at Miami (OH) (L, 42-41) and Oct. 11, 2014 at Kent State (W, 40-17).
For the first time since Nov. 6, 2010, against Maine, the Minutemen returned an interception and a kick (kickoff or punt) for a touchdown in the same game (Ryan Carter had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown while Tyler Holmes had two interception returns for scores).

NOTING THE RUTGERS WIN (TEAM)

The Minutemen snapped a 16-game losing streak with the 37-21 win at Rutgers on September 3 (first win since defeating Wagner at home on October 26, 2024).
The victory marked the first career FBS win for head coach Joe Harasymiak, who previously served as Rutgers defensive coordinator from 2022-24.
The Minutemen earned their first FBS win, and first FBS road win, since Oct. 28, 2023 at Army West Point.
It also marked the first triumph over Rutgers since October 6, 1973, at Rutgers.
It was the program's largest margin of victory against an FBS opponent on the road since a 40-17 win at Kent State on Oct. 11, 2014.
As a team, Massachusetts rushed for exactly 200 yards, which marked the first time reaching 200 since Nov. 23, 2024 after posting 226 rushing yards vs. No. 10 Georgia.
The season-opening win marked UMass' first since a 41-30 win at New Mexico State in 2023.
It also marked the first-ever road power conference road win (in 2017, BYU was independent; in 1973, Rutgers was independent).
The five turnovers forced were the most against a power conference team in program history (most since three at Texas A&M on November 19, 2022).
With three interceptions, it was the most versus a power conference team since also having three at Mississippi State (11/3/17).
It was the the third time since 2012 UMass forced multiple interceptions against a power conference team.
Massachusetts allowed the fewest rushing yards (27) to a power conference team since joining the FBS.
The 27 yards rushing allowed marks UMass' fewest allowed in a game in the FBS era, as the Minutemen previously allowed just one rushing yard against Richmond on Oct. 29, 2011.
UMass held Rutgers to its fewest yards rushing (27) since Nov. 5, 2022, when the Scarlet Knights had 14 against Michigan.
Massachusetts' 17 points scored in the second quarter against Rutgers marked its most in a quarter since scoring 28 in the fourth in a 41-30 win against New Mexico State on Aug. 26, 2023.
The Minutemen also scored in every quarter, marking the first time the Minutemen scored in all four quarters against an FBS opponent since the same Aug. 26, 2023, game against New Mexico State.

Scoreboard