1998 UMass Minutemen football team

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1998 UMass Minutemen football
UMass logo.gif
NCAA Division I-AA national champion
A-10 New England Division co-champion
Lambert Cup winner
Conference Atlantic 10 Conference
DivisionNew England Division
Record12–3 (6–2 A-10)
Head coach
Offensive scheme Pro-style
Defensive coordinator Don Brown (1st season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium
Seasons
←  1997
1999  →
1998 Atlantic 10 Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
New England Division
No. 1 UMass x^  6 –2   12 –3  
No. 9 Connecticut x^  6 –2   10 –3  
Maine  3 –5   6 –5  
New Hampshire  3 –5   4 –7  
Rhode Island  2 –6   3 –8  
Mid-Atlantic Division
No. 10 Richmond x$^  7 –1   9 –3  
No. 23 Delaware  4 –4   7 –4  
Villanova  4 –4   6 –5  
No. 17 William & Mary  4 –4   7 –4  
Northeastern  3 –5   5 –6  
James Madison  2 –6   3 –8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1998 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1998 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. 1998 was the most successful season in Minutemen history, as UMass won their first national championship in the NCAA DI-AA playoffs in Whipple's first year with the team. UMass entered the postseason as champions of the A-10, but were not expected to make a serious run for the title. They reached the final game ranked 12th in the nation, and were matched up with perennial powerhouse Georgia Southern, the top ranked team in the country. The Minutemen rushed out of the gates, scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter, and won the shootout by a final score of 55–43. UMass finished the season with a record of 12–3 overall and 6–2 in conference play.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 37:00 p.m.at No. 3 Delaware
L 30–3320,744
September 121:00 p.m.at Richmond
W 22–1710,219
September 261:00 p.m. Buffalo *
W 51–2711,672
October 312:00 p.m.at No. 5 Hofstra *
W 40–355,308
October 101:00 p.m. James Madison No. 24
  • McGuirk Stadium
  • Hadley, MA
W 28–2614,202 [1]
October 171:30 p.m.at No. 15 Connecticut No. 18
L 41–448,581
October 241:00 p.m.No. 22 Villanova Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 19
  • McGuirk Stadium
  • Hadley, MA
W 36–2612,135 [2]
October 3112:30 p.m.at New Hampshire No. 16
W 27–263,578
November 712:00 p.m.at Rhode Island No. 12
W 23–135,036
November 1412:30 p.m. Maine No. 10
  • McGuirk Stadium
  • Hadley, MA
W 55–3410,355
November 2112:30 p.m.No. 9 Connecticut*No. 7
  • McGuirk Stadium
  • Hadley, MA
L 27–2816,392
November 287:00 p.m.at No. 6 McNeese State *No. 12
W 21–1911,349 [3]
December 512:00 p.m.No. 13 Lehigh *No. 12
  • McGuirk Stadium
  • Hadley, MA (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)
W 27–2112,108 [4]
December 122:00 p.m.at No. 2 Northwestern State *No. 12
W 41–3110,424 [5] [6]
December 192:00 p.m.vs. No. 1 Georgia Southern *No. 12
 ESPN W 55–4317,501

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 UMass Minutemen football team</span> American college football season

The 1996 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team was coached by Mike Hodges and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. UMass finished the season with a record of 6–5 overall and 4–4 in conference play.

The 1990 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1990 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 Minutemen made their second playoff appearance in three years, but would lose in the first round to future conference foe William & Mary. It would be the last playoff appearance for UMass until the 1998 National Championship season. UMass finished the season with a record of 8–2–1 overall and 7–1 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 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 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 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 9–4 overall and 5–0 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 1972 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1972 NCAA College Division football season as a member of the Yankee Conference. The team was coached by Dick MacPherson and played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. The 1972 season was the first in which Massachusetts was named the "Minutemen," as the university had changed their nickname from the "Redmen" due to changing attitudes regarding the use of Native American-themed mascots in sports. It was also the last season of the NCAA's University and College Division setup, as they would split athletics into three numbered divisions in 1973, with UMass moving into Division II. Massachusetts performed strongly enough in the regular season to earn a spot in the 1972 Boardwalk Bowl, which at the time served as the NCAA College Division East championship game. The team defeated UC Davis by a score of 35–14 and finished the season with a record of 9–2 overall and 5–0 in conference play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston College–UMass football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Boston College–UMass football rivalry is a college football rivalry between the Eagles of Boston College and Minutemen of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The 1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 19, 1998, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by UMass, 55–43.

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.

References

  1. ↑ "Smith tip-top in UMass win". The Boston Globe. October 11, 1998. Retrieved October 24, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "UMass able to hold on". The Boston Globe. October 25, 1998. Retrieved April 23, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "UMass holds on for its playoff life". The Boston Globe. November 29, 1998. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Burris, Joe (December 6, 1998). "UMass Is One of Four Still Moving Forward". Boston Sunday Globe . Boston, Mass. p. C13 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "The Town Talk 06 Dec 1998, page Page 16".
  6. ↑ "Football vs Northwestern State on 12/12/1998 - Box Score".


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