2018 UMass Minutemen football team

2018 NCAA Division I FBS independents football records
	^ – College Football Playoff participant; Rankings from AP Poll

2018 UMass Minutemen football
2018 UMass Minutemen football
Conference	Independent
2018 record	4–8
Head coach	Mark Whipple (11th overall, 5th straight season);
Offensive coordinator	Mark Whipple (11th season)
Defensive coordinator	Ed Pinkham (2nd season)
Home stadium	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium; (Capacity: 17,000)
	Seasons ← 2017 2019 →

The 2018 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the fifth year of head coach Mark Whipple's second stint at UMass and 11th year overall. The Minutemen divided their home schedule between two stadiums. Five home games were played at the UMass campus at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium with one home game at Gillette Stadium. This was UMass's third year as an independent. They finished the season 4–8.

On November 21, head coach Mark Whipple resigned.^[1] He finished with a record of 16–44 in the five years of his second stint as head coach and 65–70 in his eleven overall seasons. On December 3, the school hired Florida State offensive coordinator Walt Bell for the head coaching job.^[2]

UMass wide receiver Andy Isabella was named a consensus All-American at year's end.

Previous season[]

The Minutemen finished the 2017 season 4–8.

Preseason[]

Award watch lists[]

Listed in the order that they were released

Award	Player	Position	Year
Davey O'Brien Award^[3]	Andrew Ford	QB	SR
Doak Walker Award^[4]	Marquis Young	RB	SR
Fred Biletnikoff Award^[5]	Andy Isabella	WR	SR
Butkus Award^[6]	Bryton Barr	LB	SR
Paul Hornung Award^[7]	Andy Isabella	WR/KR	SR
Wuerffel Trophy^[8]	Andrew Ford	QB	SR
Wuerffel Trophy^[8]	Andy Isabella	WR	SR
Manning Award^[9]	Andrew Ford	QB	SR

Schedule[]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 25	5:30 p.m.	Duquesne (FCS)	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium Hadley, MA	ELVN	W 63–15	8,684
September 1	1:00 p.m.	at Boston College	Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA (rivalry)	ACCN Extra	L 21–55	30,112
September 8	6:00 p.m.	at Georgia Southern	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	ESPN+	L 13–34	15,071
September 15	7:30 p.m.	at FIU	Riccardo Silva Stadium Miami, FL	beIN	L 24–63	14,695
September 22	3:30 p.m.	Charlotte	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium Hadley, MA	ELVN	W 49–31	10,086
September 29	2:00 p.m.	at Ohio	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	ESPN3	L 42–58	19,056
October 6	3:30 p.m.	South Florida	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium Hadley, MA	ELVN	L 42–58	7,988
October 20	3:30 p.m.	Coastal Carolina	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium Hadley, MA	ELVN	L 13–24	11,134
October 27	12:00 p.m.	at UConn	Rentschler Field East Hartford, CT (rivalry)	ESPNU	W 22–17	24,150
November 3	3:30 p.m.	Liberty	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium Hadley, MA	ELVN	W 62–59 ^3OT	10,338
November 10	12:00 p.m.	BYU	Gillette Stadium Foxborough, MA	ELVN	L 16–35	14,082
November 17	4:00 p.m.	at No. 5 Georgia	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA	SECN	L 27–66	92,746
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Schedule Source:^[10]

☆All Eleven Sports broadcasts will be simulcast on NESN or NESN+.

Game summaries[]

Duquesne[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dukes	3	6	0	6	15
Minutemen	21	14	21	7	63

The Minutemen's game against Duquesne was the first of the 2018 college football season, kicking off 90 minutes before Prairie View A&M–Rice.^[11]

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	DUQ	UMass
1	13:57	1	32	0:08	UMass	Brennon Dingle 32-yard touchdown reception from Andrew Ford, Mike Caggiano kick good	0	7
1	11:35	2	77	0:45	UMass	Andy Isabella 60-yard touchdown reception from Ross Comis, Cooper Garcia kick good	0	14
1	6:20	8	87	3:01	UMass	Bilal Ally 1-yard touchdown run, Mike Caggiano kick good	0	21
1	0:50	6	28	2:58	DUQ	32-yard field goal by Mitch MacZura	3	21
2	14:30	5	75	1:20	UMass	Andy Isabella 14-yard touchdown run, Cooper Garcia kick good	3	28
2	3:12	12	62	4:19	UMass	Marquis Young 2-yard touchdown run, Mike Caggiano kick good	3	35
2	0:05	9	66	3:07	DUQ	Nehari Crawford 5-yard touchdown reception from Daniel Parr, 2-point pass failed	9	35
3	12:22	6	54	2:38	UMass	Andy Isabella 44-yard touchdown reception from Andrew Ford, Cooper Garcia kick good	9	42
3	10:09				UMass	Interception returned 60 yards for touchdown by Brice McAlister, Mike Caggiano kick good	9	49
3	3:33	8	81	3:40	UMass	Ross Comis 1-yard touchdown run, Cooper Garcia kick good	9	56
4	10:27	17	71	2:55	DUQ	Daniel Parr 2-yard touchdown run, Mitch MacZura kick failed	15	56
4	7:42	7	87	2:43	UMass	Zak Simon 14-yard touchdown reception from Ross Comis, Mike Caggiano kick good	15	63
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							15	63

at Boston College[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Minutemen	7	0	0	14	21
Eagles	14	34	0	7	55

at Georgia Southern[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Minutemen	3	7	3	0	13
Eagles	0	17	10	7	34

at FIU[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Minutemen	7	3	14	0	24
Panthers	14	28	14	7	63

Charlotte[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	0	10	7	14	31
Minutemen	28	7	7	7	49

at Ohio[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Minutemen	21	7	7	7	42
Bobcats	14	21	17	6	58

South Florida[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulls	10	10	28	10	58
Minutemen	7	7	14	14	42

Coastal Carolina[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Chanticleers	3	0	14	7	24
Minutemen	3	3	7	0	13

at UConn[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Minutemen	3	0	6	13	22
Huskies	7	0	7	3	17

Liberty[]

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	3OT	Total
Flames	14	10	0	21	7	7	0	59
Minutemen	14	10	7	14	7	7	3	62

BYU[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cougars	7	7	14	7	35
Minutemen	10	0	0	6	16

at Georgia[]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Minutemen	7	6	7	7	27
No. 5 Bulldogs	14	28	17	7	66

Players drafted into the NFL[]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
2	62	Andy Isabella	WR	Arizona Cardinals

References[]

^ https://www.gazettenet.com/Mark-Whipple-steps-down-as-UMass-football-coach-21712625
^ VanHaaren, Tom (December 3, 2018). "Walt Bell new UMass head coach after 1 year as FSU coordinator". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
^ "Davey O'Brien Award Watch List includes 26 players". July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
^ "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
^ "2018 Biletnikoff Award Watch List". July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
^ "Butkus Award - 2018 Collegiate Watchlist". The Butkus Award. July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
^ "43 PLAYERS NAMED TO 2018 PAUL HORNUNG AWARD WATCH LIST". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
^ "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
^ "Manning Award: See which quarterbacks made the preseason watch list for 2018". August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
^ "2018 UMass Minutemen Football Schedule | Minutemen | FBSchedules.com". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
^ "2018 College Football Schedule". fbschedules.com. Retrieved August 18, 2018.

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[1] ttps://www.gazettenet.com/Mark-Whipple-steps-down-as-UMass-football-coach-21712625

[2] VanHaaren, Tom (December 3, 2018). "Walt Bell new UMass head coach after 1 year as FSU coordinator". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2018.

[3] "Davey O'Brien Award Watch List includes 26 players". July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.

[4] "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.

[5] "2018 Biletnikoff Award Watch List". July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.

[6] "Butkus Award - 2018 Collegiate Watchlist". The Butkus Award. July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.

[7] "43 PLAYERS NAMED TO 2018 PAUL HORNUNG AWARD WATCH LIST". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.

[8] "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.

[9] "Manning Award: See which quarterbacks made the preseason watch list for 2018". August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.

[10] "2018 UMass Minutemen Football Schedule | Minutemen | FBSchedules.com". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.

[11] "2018 College Football Schedule". fbschedules.com. Retrieved August 18, 2018.

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v t UMass Minutemen football
Venues	Alumni Field (1879–1964) Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium (1965–2011, 2014–) Gillette Stadium (alternate) (2012–2016)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Boston College New Hampshire: Colonial Clash (Bill Knight Trophy) UConn
Culture & lore	Sam the Minuteman "Fight Mass" University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
National championship seasons in bold

2018 NCAA Division I FBS independents football records
v t	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
No. 5 Notre Dame ^			–			12	–	1
No. 19 Army			–			11	–	2
BYU			–			7	–	6
Liberty			–			6	–	6
UMass			–			4	–	8
New Mexico State			–			3	–	9

^ – College Football Playoff participant Rankings from AP Poll