Up Next: UMass struggling to find traction as FBS Independent
Massachusetts has been a funky football team in 2016.
Now an independent after exiting the Mid-American Conference after last season, Saturday marks the Minutemen’s third contest against an SEC opponent this season.
In the season opener, UMass (1-6) trailed Florida by just three points (10-7) early in the fourth quarter before the Gators scored the final 14 points on a touchdown, 2-point conversion and a pair of field goals for a hard-fought 24-7 victory at the Swamp.
Three weekends ago, Mississippi State traveled to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA, to take on UMass at the home of the NFL’s New England Patriots. Midway through the third quarter, UMass took a surprising 21-20 lead over the Bulldogs before Mississippi State rallied with three consecutive touchdowns in the final 4:35 of the third quarter to take a commanding 41-21 lead.
After UMass pulled to within 41-35, Mississippi State added a late touchdown for a 47-35 win that was far from easy.
Mississippi State is the one common opponent between the Gamecocks and UMass. The Gamecocks lost by 13 points, while UMass fell by 12.
Based on how the Minutemen’s first two games against SEC schools have unfolded, Will Muschamp’s message to the Gamecocks during the bye week was clear – we can’t afford to take these guys lightly.
“I told our football team that we need to take care of South Carolina and continue to work good on good,” Muschamp said Sunday during his weekly teleconference.
The Gamecocks are looking to snap a three-game losing streak, all against SEC opponents, in their second of four nonconference games of the season. USC beat East Carolina, 20-15, on Sept. 17, and will host Western Carolina on Nov. 19 and travel to rival Clemson on Nov. 26.
Formerly a FCS program, UMass elevated to the FBS level in 2012 and spent four seasons in the Mid-American Conference before becoming an independent this year. The Minutemen logged 1-11 campaigns in each of their first two seasons at the FBS level in 2012 and 2013 before piecing together back-to-back 3-9 seasons in 2014 and 2015.
The Gamecocks rarely face a team from the Northeast.
The last time the Gamecocks played a team from the six New England states was a 20-7 loss to UConn in the 2010 Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham.
UMass is led offensively by sophomore running back Marquis Young, who has 544 yards on 119 carries this season after rushing for 960 yards as a true freshman in 2015. Young reached 1,000 career yards in his 13th game as a Minuteman,making him one of the fastest to do so in recent team history.
Young has accounted for 53.6 percent of UMass’ carries and 76.8 percent of its total rushing yards. The second-leading rusher for the Minutemen has 16 carries for 70 yards. Except for Young, UMass has struggled running the football, not unlike the Gamecocks (3.01 yards per carry).
Tight end Adam Breneman (35 receptions for 390 yards) and Andy Isabella (33 receptions for team-high 427 yards) are the two primary targets in the passing game. Quarterback Andrew Ford is completing 63.6 percent of his passes (103-162) for 1,117 yards and 13 touchdowns with eight interceptions.
Breneman was added to the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List after he opened the year with 28 receptions for 296 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns over the first six games. He is up to 35 catches for 390 yards entering the game at South Carolina.
Last Saturday, Ford was 29-for-40 passing for 268 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in UMass’ 56-28 loss to Louisiana Tech. He distributed his 29 completions to 10 different receivers.
Defensively, the Minutemen have struggled. Entering its eighth game of the season, UMass is surrendering 33.3 points and 468.6 yards per game. Louisiana Tech carved up the UMass defense last weekend for 690 yards, 491 through the air.
“We have a lot of freshmen playing,” UMass coach Mark Whipple said. “That’s what we got so that’s who we are. The guys that are ready to go, we have to get them ready.”
