AMHERST — The best word to categorize the UMass football team’s homecoming game victory against Central Connecticut State on Saturday is quite simple. Ugly. In the 35-31 win, both teams combined for 26 penalties resulting in a whopping 241 yards.
The Minutemen’s special teams were sloppy, with UMass giving up a chunk kick return that set up a Blue Devils touchdown right before half, then letting them recover an onside kick to open up the third, which also resulted in a touchdown. Yes, the box score leaned heavily toward UMass in every major statistical category. It had more total yards (450-247), rushing yards (163-90), passing yards (287-157), first downs (27-11), time of possession (15 minutes more) and a higher third-down conversion rate.
Yet somehow CCSU, a mediocre-at-best FCS program, had the ball with a chance to drive down the field and take the lead in the final minute to spoil the Minutemen’s homecoming at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Luckily for UMass, its defense played lights out in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter, and rose up to make one final stop, securing a victory that never should have been that close. Minutemen head coach Don Brown said two weeks ago, following a 38-23 loss to Toledo in which his team committed nine penalties for nearly 100 yards, that he was “definitely addressing” UMass’ continued disciplinary issues.
And after one decent week against Buffalo where the Minutemen had six penalties, they were well into double dig.