1978 UMass Minutemen football team

Last updated

1978 UMass Minutemen football
Yankee Conference champion
Lambert Cup winner
Conference Yankee Conference
Ranking
APNo. T–4
Record9–4 (5–0 Yankee)
Head coach
Defensive coordinator Jim Reid (1st season)
Home stadium Alumni Stadium
Seasons
  1977
1979  
1978 Yankee Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–4 UMass $^ 5 0 09 4 0
No. 7 Rhode Island 3 2 07 3 0
Connecticut 3 2 04 7 0
Boston University 2 3 06 4 0
New Hampshire 1 3 16 4 1
Maine 0 4 13 7 1
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll

The 1978 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Bob Pickett and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The 1978 season was the first after the NCAA split Division I football into two subdivisions, and the first that featured a postseason playoff for Division I-AA. The Minutemen reached this inaugural championship game, losing to Florida A&M, 35–28. UMass finished the season with a record of 94 overall and 50 in conference play.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 15 Villanova *L 21–258,800
September 23at Maine
W 40–67,200
September 30at Harvard *L 0–1012,200 [1]
October 7 Morgan State *
  • Alumni Stadium
  • Hadley, MA
W 38–66,700
October 14at No. 5 Boston University W 31–73,570
October 21at No. 8 Rhode Island No. 10W 19–177,995
October 28 Connecticut No. 6
W 17–1014,200
November 4 Rutgers *No. 4
  • Alumni Stadium
  • Hadley, MA
L 11–219,800
November 11at Holy Cross *W 33–820,614 [2]
November 18 New Hampshire No. 9
W 34–711,300
November 25 Boston College *No. T–4
W 27–07,950 [3]
December 9at No. 1 Nevada *No. T–4W 44–2114,026
December 16vs. No. 3 Florida A&M *No. T–4 ABC L 28–3513,604 [4] [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida A&M Rattlers football</span> Represents Florida A&M University in the sport of American football

The Florida A&M Rattlers football team represents Florida A&M University in the sport of American football. The Rattlers compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Starting with the fall 2021 season, the Rattlers will compete in the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), after a long tenure in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). They play their home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee. The Rattlers have won 16 black college football national championship, 29 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) titles, eight MEAC titles, one SWAC title and one I-AA national title in the history of their football program. During the 2004 season, the Rattlers briefly attempted to move up to Division I-A and become the only HBCU at college football's highest level, but the team was forced to abort its bid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season was the first season of Division I-AA college football. Division I-AA was created in January 1978 when Division I was subdivided into Division I-A and Division I-AA for football only. It was anticipated that 65 Division I football schools would transition to Division I-AA. Instead, just eight programs voluntarily opted for Division I-AA for the 1978 season. They were joined by 35 schools that had reclassified from Division II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudy Hubbard</span> American football player and coach (born 1946)

Rudy Hubbard is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida from 1974 to 1985, compiling a record of 83–48–3. Hubbard led the Florida A&M Rattlers to the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship, in 1978, and consecutive black college football national championships, in 1977 and 1978. Hubbard played college football at Ohio State University, lettering from 1965 to 1967. Following his graduation from Ohio State in 1968, he remained with the Buckeyes for six seasons as an assistant coach under Woody Hayes. In 2008, Hubbard returned to coaching the high school level, serving as head football coach at James S. Rickards High School in Tallahassee for four seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 UMass Minutemen football team</span> American college football season

The 2004 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team was coached by Don Brown and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The Minutemen struggled in their first year under Coach Brown, but finished the season with a three-game winning streak and promise for the future. UMass finished second in the North division of the A-10 with a record of 6–5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1999 UMass Minutemen football team</span> American college football season

The 1999 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team was coached by Mark Whipple and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The Minutemen entered the season with high expectations as defending National Champions, but struggled out of the gate as they lost three of their first four games. UMass turned their fortune around after that as they used a 77–0 thrashing of Northeastern to propel them on an eight-game winning streak. The Minutemen did not lose again until the second round of the NCAA Playoffs against the eventual champions, Georgia Southern. UMass finished the season with a record of 9–4 overall and 8–1 in conference play.

The 1992 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Mike Hodges and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The 1992 season was Hodges' first as head coach of the Minutemen. UMass finished the season with a record of 7–3 overall and 5–3 in conference play.

The 1988 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Jim Reid and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The 1988 season marked the Minutemen's first playoff appearance since their runner-up finish in the 1978 National Championship game. UMass finished the season with a record of 8–4 overall and 6–2 in conference play.

The 1987 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Jim Reid and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. UMass finished the season with a record of 3–8 overall and 2–5 in conference play.

The 1986 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Jim Reid and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The 1986 season was notable as it was Jim Reid's first as coach of the Minutemen. Reid led UMass to their first conference championship since 1982. UMass finished the season with a record of 8–3 overall and 5–2 in conference play.

The 1984 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Bob Stull and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The stadium had been called Alumni Stadium from its opening in 1965 until the November 3, 1984, game against Connecticut, when it was officially named for Warren McGuirk, who was the UMass Athletic Director from 1948 to 1972. UMass finished the season with a record of 3–8 overall and 1–4 in conference play.

The 1983 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Bob Pickett and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The 1983 season was Pickett's last as coach of the Minutemen, who won four conference championships and appeared in the National Championship Game once during his tenure. UMass finished the season with a record of 3–8 overall and 2–3 in conference play.

The 1981 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Bob Pickett and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The 1981 season saw the Minutemen win their thirteenth Yankee Conference title. UMass finished the season with a record of 6–3 overall and 4–1 in conference play.

The 1980 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Bob Pickett and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. UMass finished the season with a record of 7–3 overall and 4–1 in conference play.

The 1979 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Bob Pickett and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The Minutemen came into the 1979 season on the heels of an appearance in the inaugural I-AA National Championship Game. Despite the high expectations, the team was still able to repeat as Yankee Conference Champions, though they did not earn a postseason berth. UMass finished the season with a record of 6–4 overall and 4–1 in conference play.

The 1977 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst as a member of the Yankee Conference during the 1977 NCAA Division II football season. Led by Dick MacPherson in his seventh and final season as head coach, the Minutemen compiled an overall record of 8–3 with a mark of 5–0 in conference play, winning the Yankee Conference title. UMass advanced to the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs, losing in the quarterfinals to the eventual national champion, Lehigh. The team played home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts.

The 1976 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1976 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Yankee Conference in Division II (NCAA). The team was coached by Dick MacPherson and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. UMass finished the season with a record of 5–5 overall and 3–2 in conference play.

The 1975 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1975 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Yankee Conference in NCAA Division II. The team was coached by Dick MacPherson and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. UMass finished the season with a record of 8–2 overall and 4–1 in conference play.

The 1978 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1978, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship in December 1978 at Lobo Stadium in Longview, Texas. The Eastern Illinois Panthers defeated the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens, 10–9, to win their first Division II national title.

The 1978 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 16, 1978, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Florida A&M, 35–28.

The 1978 Florida A&M Rattlers football team represented Florida A&M University in the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Rattlers had an overall record of 12–1 and were the Division I-AA national champions.

References

  1. Roberts, Ernie (October 1, 1978). "Harvard Beats UMass at Own Game, 10-0". Boston Sunday Globe . Boston, Mass. p. 50 via Newspapers.com.
  2. Concannon, Joe (November 12, 1978). "UMass' Tailback Attack Slaps Holy Cross". Boston Sunday Globe . Boston, Mass. p. 50 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Massachusetts 27, Boston College 0". Palm Beach Post-Times. November 26, 1978. p. E2 via Newspapers.com.
  4. Cooper, Barry (December 17, 1978). "FAMU captures a national title". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 1A. Retrieved May 13, 2019 via newspapers.com.
  5. Cooper, Barry (December 17, 1978). "FAMU (cont'd)". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 7A. Retrieved May 13, 2019 via newspapers.com.
  6. "Division I Championship" (PDF). NCAA. 2013. p. 14. Retrieved May 11, 2019 via ncaa.org.