On Oct. 20, the Massachusetts football team topped James Madison for its first win of the season, setting its record at 1-6. That same day, Rhode Island squeaked out a win against New Hampshire to remain undefeated at 7-0.
But since then, the fates of the Minutemen and Rams have performed somewhat of a reversal, which was highlighted by UMass’ 24-7 whipping of Rhode Island Saturday at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
With the Minutemen (3-7, 3-5 Atlantic 10) handing URI its third straight loss, the 15th-ranked Rams (7-3, 5-3 A-10) – once ranked fourth in the nation – have in all probability been knocked out of postseason contention.
“The old Rhody Ram football team that disappointed people for a few seasons showed up today,” said Rhode Island coach Tim Stowers, whose Rams are one of just seven URI teams to win seven games. “With all due credit to UMass and coach (Mark) Whipple…this was one of the most embarrassing games I’ve ever coached.
“Our guys showed up today like they were ready to go Christmas shopping.”
The Minutemen, however, are more in tune to home-shopping networks, as they have won their last three games in Amherst, and are looking to end the season with their fourth straight against Richmond on Friday in a make-up of the original Sept. 15 date.
In fact, the 2001-02 campaign has seen two different Maroon and White rosters.
The Minutemen have been horrific in five winless visitor outings, and have been outscored 204-53 in those games. In UMass’ five home games, it has outnumbered its opponent 118-103, going 3-2 in that span.
Saturday, UMass jumped out to an early 17-0 lead with 4:28 left in the first half and cruised to a 24-7 victory.
“The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde continued,” said Whipple after his 103rd career victory. “So I’m just glad we were at home. We just did not look like the same team I coached last week.”
The Minuteman defense was exceptional, outputting easily its best performance of the season. It made 21 tackles behind the Rhode Island line of scrimmage, shut out URI in the final two stanzas of play.
“Our defensive line played their best game of the year certainly,” Whipple said.
Sophomore defense end Valdamar Brower led the UMass line with 10 tackles (six for loss) including three sacks of Ram quarterback Vince Nedimyer.
“We were just rocking and rolling out there, we felt like we were in the zone,” said Brower, whose season sack total climbed to 10. “I just don’t think they could handle our speed up front.”
Redshirt-freshman Matt Guice lead the UMass offense, completing 14-of-25 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns en route to his second A-10 Rookie of the Week award. His performance came after a week in which he hardly practiced because of an illness, losing 12 pounds in the process.
Senior signal caller Kelly Seibert started the second quarter (which Whipple said was a predetermined decision) but Guice felt that he could return in the third and threw a 19-yard to strike to Adonis Kinsey with 3:52 left in the that quarter to put the game out of Ram reach at 24-7.
UMass got on the scoreboard first with 9:40 left in the first quarter when Guice dumped the ball to senior Omari Howard in the middle of the field for what turned into a 23-yard touchdown reception.
The Rams had one scoring chance late in the first quarter, but Shane Laisle missed his field goal try from 21 yards out to keep the score at 7-0 Minutemen.
With 12:40 left in the second quarter, and URI backed up on its own 8-yard-line, freshman L.A. Love broke through the Ram line, got in between Nedimyer’s pitch to senior David Jamison, knocked it down and recovered the football on the Ram 1-yard-line. On the next play, with Kelly Seibert lined up wide right, senior wide receiver DeShon Hardy took the snap, rolled left and dove to paydirt to give UMass the 14-0 lead.
The Maroon and White extended its lead to 17-0 on a 30-yard field goal by Doug White with 4:28 left in the first half. The score was set up by a 43-yard Adonis Kinsey reception.
The Rams scored their only points of the half with 2:16 remaining when Jamison busted up the middle for a 16-yard score to cap a 2:12, 6-play 73-yard drive. Rhode Island got the ball back on the next play when its kicker recovered his own onside kick at the Minuteman 45-yard-line, but the UMass defense held and URI was forced to punt, leaving the Maroon and White with a 17-7 advantage midway.
