After a 4-0 start,

2 straight losses in conference play.

Back to their old ways?

Too good to be true?

Let's see what happens.

Two of those wins were FCS teams. And, hey, they nearly won today.

(10-10-2026 06:57 PM)The Beaver Wrote:  Two of those wins were FCS teams. And, hey, they nearly won today.

I understand that.

They also beat Rutgers as well.

In a convincing way might I add.

(10-10-2026 06:53 PM)BirdHawkEagle Wrote:  After a 4-0 start,

2 straight losses in conference play.

Back to their old ways?

Too good to be true?

Let's see what happens.

Beating Rutgers was nice. Since then, Stonehill, Sac State and some other FCS were beaten. So like three FCS teams basically.

They lost to an EMU which I heard was pondering dropping down to FCS and may be going bankrupt.

Now they lost to Miami who had their third stringer playing.

UMass has improved since last season but whoever was putting them into the discussion as a top G6 team needed to pump the brakes.

(10-10-2026 07:07 PM)NWBearcat Wrote:  They lost to an EMU which I heard was pondering dropping down to FCS and may be going bankrupt.

You and the sources you go to for your information know absolutely nothing about Eastern Michigan football.

(10-10-2026 07:36 PM)thrill_house Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 07:07 PM)NWBearcat Wrote:  They lost to an EMU which I heard was pondering dropping down to FCS and may be going bankrupt.

You and the sources you go to for your information know absolutely nothing about Eastern Michigan football.

We’ll see

UMass (and Michigan State) both went for the walk off today and fell short.

Sort of a misleading thread title. Their old ways were getting blown out by SEC teams.

UMass went from atrocious to being a middle of the pack MAC school. That’s nearly a miracle.

(10-10-2026 10:33 PM)Just Joe Wrote:  UMass went from atrocious to being a middle of the pack MAC school. That’s nearly a miracle.

So from #138 to #132

(10-10-2026 10:34 PM)shizzle787 Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 10:33 PM)Just Joe Wrote:  UMass went from atrocious to being a middle of the pack MAC school. That’s nearly a miracle.

So from #138 to #132

Well maybe 131

(10-10-2026 07:07 PM)NWBearcat Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 06:53 PM)BirdHawkEagle Wrote:  After a 4-0 start,

2 straight losses in conference play.

Back to their old ways?

Too good to be true?

Let's see what happens.

Beating Rutgers was nice. Since then, Stonehill, Sac State and some other FCS were beaten. So like three FCS teams basically.

I agree Sac St has done nothing so far to prove they are beyond an FCS team in quality. I do have hope for them yet as this is only their first year.

(10-10-2026 07:36 PM)thrill_house Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 07:07 PM)NWBearcat Wrote:  They lost to an EMU which I heard was pondering dropping down to FCS and may be going bankrupt.

You and the sources you go to for your information know absolutely nothing about Eastern Michigan football.

MAC schools need student fees to float the FB program and EMU is in trouble when they have only 1,300 main campus freshman (down from about 1,800 two yars ago). If the trend continues they'll have no students by 2030.

The question of course here is not to go to FCS where they still have significant cost pressures. EMU might have to seriously consider dropping to Division II if enrollment gets bad enough.

(10-10-2026 07:07 PM)NWBearcat Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 06:53 PM)BirdHawkEagle Wrote:  After a 4-0 start,

2 straight losses in conference play.

Back to their old ways?

Too good to be true?

Let's see what happens.

Beating Rutgers was nice. Since then, Stonehill, Sac State and some other FCS were beaten. So like three FCS teams basically.

They lost to an EMU which I heard was pondering dropping down to FCS and may be going bankrupt.

Now they lost to Miami who had their third stringer playing.

UMass has improved since last season but whoever was putting them into the discussion as a top G6 team needed to pump the brakes.

Our starting QB was injured before the game and didn't play, and then our backup went down during the game as well. We also lost one of our top two running backs (the power back) during the game, and our top receiver was injured during the game as well.

That we came as close as we did was a bit of a miracle compared to what this would have looked like in previous years.

(10-10-2026 10:34 PM)shizzle787 Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 10:33 PM)Just Joe Wrote:  UMass went from atrocious to being a middle of the pack MAC school. That’s nearly a miracle.

So from #138 to #132

and you are #73 to UMass #59 in academics (what really counts)

(10-10-2026 11:11 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 07:07 PM)NWBearcat Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 06:53 PM)BirdHawkEagle Wrote:  After a 4-0 start,

2 straight losses in conference play.

Back to their old ways?

Too good to be true?

Let's see what happens.

Beating Rutgers was nice. Since then, Stonehill, Sac State and some other FCS were beaten. So like three FCS teams basically.

I agree Sac St has done nothing so far to prove they are beyond an FCS team in quality. I do have hope for them yet as this is only their first year.

just described UMass

I still believe in U Mass.

(10-10-2026 10:33 PM)Just Joe Wrote:  UMass went from atrocious to being a middle of the pack MAC school. That’s nearly a miracle.

Agree with this. The issue is that miracle was made by adding first string players. We have just begun recruiting freshmen and building depth. The offense has been decimated with injuries with 2 QB out, 4 WR out, 1OL season ending and the list goes on include the preseason prime RB with Washington. The defense has injures as well, but MaGee is back, William Depaepe is out as the #1 edge rusher. Hence, coach Joe H has done a miracle recruiting with a 0-12 season last year and the depth will take time and start really showing up next year. Against Buffalo some practice squad players will be starting and freshmen will get some good experience.

All that said, we moved up 25 spots from last year and Pop is not out for the season and Joe Griffin could try to make it a go again.

3 straight losses in conference play now.

(10-10-2026 11:19 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 07:36 PM)thrill_house Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 07:07 PM)NWBearcat Wrote:  They lost to an EMU which I heard was pondering dropping down to FCS and may be going bankrupt.

You and the sources you go to for your information know absolutely nothing about Eastern Michigan football.

MAC schools need student fees to float the FB program and EMU is in trouble when they have only 1,300 main campus freshman (down from about 1,800 two yars ago). If the trend continues they'll have no students by 2030.

The question of course here is not to go to FCS where they still have significant cost pressures. EMU might have to seriously consider dropping to Division II if enrollment gets bad enough.

If the trends continue so that enrollment is 0 in 2030 one has to wonder who’s suiting up for the games. I wouldn’t be shocked the way things are going if a college football team represents a college with no students unfortunately…

UMass went into overtime against Buffalo. UMass was losing big to the mAC teams before this year badly except for some wins here and there.