Game 2, 2025: Bryant (H, 9/6)

[photoman]

I assume UMass paid $$ to Bryant to come to Amherst only to be humiliated. Never saw the dollar amount. Does anyone know?

i think it was 300k or something. photo: you've been a fan for decades. I communicate with SJG$ on X. He really knows football. How in God's name do we lose to Bryant? Do we schedule Amherst College next? or Assumption?

I thought Stonehill College in Easton, MA. Should be an away game at 2400 seat W.B. Mason Stadium. Maybe it sells out?? lol

I do remember SJG$ from the Gillette days, when I photographed the games for the original Maroon Musket blog. It was back at the very beginning of our FBS journey when I thought I was getting in on the ground floor of photographing "major college football!". Sadly the "ground floor" quickly became the basement. I don't think anyone wants to re-live these games in photos! Hey, here's a great shot of a UMass defender getting burnt by a Bryant wide receiver.....

[Used to be VOR]

I love the argument that we have to keep plugging along at FBS no matter what because of (pick one)

* It would cost us money to drop
* Would hurt alumni support
* It would damage our reputation with our peer institutions
* Title IX

I think that in no other aspect of life, business, or even plain reality would this logic hold water without solid proof.

We will never get a full and accurate accounting of the real costs / benefits of football because many are hypothetical, and football is somehow still a sacred cow. But it seems to me Idaho has survived the move pretty well. Im not saying I have the answer, but after years of complete and utter futility it might be time to have someone do a concrete and unbiased analysis. And all options should be on the table.

[Quann]

Idaho man? Don't get me wrong, beautiful state, I spent a couple weeks there before but we need to shoot higher as the flagship of Massachusetts than Idaho. I still want to compete on the best stage because as a university I think UMass should be doing that. We just have to figure out how to put this whole thing together. There really is no reason a school like UMass can't be one of the better football programs in the MAC.In order to get there you probably have to can this AD.

[ZooMass84]

I love the argument that we have to keep plugging along at FBS no matter what because of (pick one)

* It would cost us money to drop
* Would hurt alumni support
* It would damage our reputation with our peer institutions
* Title IX

I think that in no other aspect of life, business, or even plain reality would this logic hold water without solid proof.

We will never get a full and accurate accounting of the real costs / benefits of football because many are hypothetical, and football is somehow still a sacred cow. But it seems to me Idaho has survived the move pretty well. Im not saying I have the answer, but after years of complete and utter futility it might be time to have someone do a concrete and unbiased analysis. And all options should be on the table.

I agree with you somewhat, but having had the misfortune of living in Utah, I can tell you that Univ of Idaho had to drop back down because no FBS conference wanted them.

[photoman]

As much as I enjoy college football The argument that it somehow brings prestige and donors to the university is something I'm not buying. A little surprised that no one brings up Boston University and Northeastern who seem to be thriving quite well with no football at all. When parents dish out 63 Grand per year to attend Boston University, the last thing they're thinking about is the lack of football.

[tdmass]

^ College Football now is big, big money and you have to have strong State athletic Funding and a sizable alumni/fan base that makes huge contributions to succeed. We have neither and although I'm not impressed with Bamford, no AD is going to fix the $$$ problem!
As for the Massacre, it was boy's vs Men, we got manhandled, outmuscled and dominated! Zero for 12 on 3rd & 4th down conversions and a mere 26
yards rushing for a 1.0 average! I've given a lot of money to the football program for over 30+ years and I would rather invest in a sport we can compete in.

[ZooMass84]

^ College Football now is big, big money and you have to have strong State athletic Funding and a sizable alumni/fan base that makes huge contributions to succeed. We have neither and although I'm not impressed with Bamford, no AD is going to fix the $$$ problem!
As for the Massacre, it was boy's vs Men, we got manhandled, outmuscled and dominated! Zero for 12 on 3rd & 4th down conversions and a mere 26
yards rushing for a 1.0 average! I've given a lot of money to the football program for over 30+ years and I would rather invest in a sport we can compete in.

If we go 0-12 this year and next year lose to Sacred Heart September 12, 2026 and go 0-12 then I would be open to shutting the program down. I don't know the notice requirements we would have to give the MAC in order to leave the conference.

[minutefanjsf]

As much as I enjoy college football The argument that it somehow brings prestige and donors to the university is something I'm not buying. A little surprised that no one brings up Boston University and Northeastern who seem to be thriving quite well with no football at all. When parents dish out 63 Grand per year to attend Boston University, the last thing they're thinking about is the lack of football.

BU and Northeastern are doing well as universities. Their private status matters and when they dropped football. Also, the cost is closer to 85-90k for both when you factor in room, board, etc. state flagships have athletics and football is the driver. BU and NE have hockey, like us, and other athletics, baseball at NE, etc. sure.

[Quann]

I was bummed when BU dropped football and then about a decade later Northeastern doing the same. The both had nice 1aa programs (BU was in the 1AA natty right before the folded). I wish college football meant more in New England but it just doesn’t. BC was barely talked about around here when they were a top 10 team with Matty Ice.

[JoleonLescottsHair]

I wish college football meant more in New England but it just doesn’t. BC was barely talked about around here when they were a top 10 team with Matty Ice.

Bingo. But the square peg in a round hole crew refuses to believe you. Better game day experience, I suppose. 14 years and counting.

[ZooMass84]

I was bummed when BU dropped football and then about a decade later Northeastern doing the same. The both had nice 1aa programs (BU was in the 1AA natty right before the folded). I wish college football meant more in New England but it just doesn’t. BC was barely talked about around here when they were a top 10 team with Matty Ice.

I live down the street from BC. You'd never know there was an ACC team around. Thing is: BU and Northeastern are private colleges. FCS is a money losing proposition; no one cares; it's a money pit with no TV visibility etc. FBS is the only way to go but we have had historically bad results for 14 years now. Unless we get a BIG donor with 10 or 20 million for NIL $$$ its just more of the same.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I was bummed when BU dropped football and then about a decade later Northeastern doing the same. The both had nice 1aa programs (BU was in the 1AA natty right before the folded). I wish college football meant more in New England but it just doesn’t. BC was barely talked about around here when they were a top 10 team with Matty Ice.

I recall that time of BC being a big deal around here and getting talked about a lot. "Matty Heisman" was everywhere. It didn't get the WEEI talk, sure, but college sports never does.

No doubt college football should be a bigger deal here in New England. Hopefully UMass can someday make that happen. Thankfully we finally moved on from the A10, like so many other schools previously, to get that process started.

[Jack]

I was bummed when BU dropped football and then about a decade later Northeastern doing the same. The both had nice 1aa programs (BU was in the 1AA natty right before the folded). I wish college football meant more in New England but it just doesn’t. BC was barely talked about around here when they were a top 10 team with Matty Ice.

When did BU play in the 1AA/FCS National Championship game? I know that they had some good teams 40-50 yrs ago. I also recall several blowouts over BU before the program was terminated.

[TruBluMaroon]

I was bummed when BU dropped football and then about a decade later Northeastern doing the same. The both had nice 1aa programs (BU was in the 1AA natty right before the folded). I wish college football meant more in New England but it just doesn’t. BC was barely talked about around here when they were a top 10 team with Matty Ice.

When did BU play in the 1AA/FCS National Championship game? I know that they had some good teams 40-50 yrs ago. I also recall several blowouts over BU before the program was terminated.

NEVER

Played in 5 First Round and advanced to QF 2x

Played in the 1969 Pasadena Bowl against San Diego State and lost.

[mew3782]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Bost ... tball_team
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Idah ... tball_team

I remember the BU game vividly - watched it with my dad, who was a BU alum.

What do I remember?
-The bizareness of the Kibbie Dome - I want to make it there before I die
-I had never seen a team (BU) play with fanned-out, upright offensive tackles before - that is not terribly uncommon today but back then it was - I will have to research if they played like, an early version of the Air Raid or something.
-BU got pwned

Idaho's QB is the dad of the LSU kid who is one of the favorites for the Heisman.
BU's offensive coordinator was Tony Sparano!