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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
South Carolina
Football Takes On Third SEC Foe at South Carolina
October 17, 2016 | Football
Minutemen face the Gamecocks at Noon on Sat., Oct. 22 on the SEC Network
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes | |
| Game Eight | Massachusetts (1-6) at South Carolina (2-4) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, Oct. 22 | Noon |
| Location | Williams-Brice Stadium; Columbia, S.C. | Stadium Guide | Gameday Parking |
| Series History | First meeting |
| Live Statistics | Sidearm Sports |
| Watch Live | SEC Network |
| Listen (Radio) | 105.5 FM WEEI (Western Massachusetts), 830 AM WCRN (Worcester) 95.9 FM WATD (South Shore), 1200 AM WXKS (Boston, Manchester, Providence) |
| Listen (Online) | WEEI Streaming Player | TuneIn App (mobile devices) |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts | South Carolina | SEC |
| Team Records | Massachusetts | South Carolina |
| @UMassFootball | @CoachWhipUMass | @UMassAthletics | |
| UMass Football | UMass Athletics | |
| Tickets | UMass Ticket Central |
SEC Triple-Header Ends At South Carolina
University of Massachusetts football takes on its third SEC opponent of the season with a road trip to the University of South Carolina on Sat., Oct. 22 at Noon. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
The UMass-South Carolina contest marks the first between the teams in the history of the programs. The Bulldogs are one of eight first-time opponents on the schedule for Massachusetts during the team's first season of FBS independence, which also includes BYU, No. 25 Florida, Hawai'i, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Troy and Tulane.
The Minutemen closed out their Gillette Stadium slate with a 56-28 loss to Louisiana Tech during their most recent game played. Andrew Ford completed his first 11 passes and finished 29-of-40 for 268 yards and three touchdowns while the defense created three turnovers on two fumbles and an interception. However, Ryan Higgins threw for 484 yards and connected with Carlos Henderson for all five scores as Henderson finished with 326 yards receiving over 12 catches.
Breneman Added To John Mackey Award Watch List
Adam Breneman earned his way onto the John Mackey Award Watch list as part of the organization's midseason update on Oct. 12. Through seven games played, Breneman is first on the team in receptions (35) and second in receiving yards (390) with a touchdown each against Boston College and FIU.
A favorite target of quarterback Andrew Ford, who Breneman played with in high school, the redshirt junior tight end averages 6.8 receptions per game during Ford's four starts at QB.
Breneman marks the fourth UMass tight end to appear on a John Mackey Award Watch List. Teammate Todd Stafford started the 2016 campaign on the preseason edition of the award's watch list. Jean Sifrin (2014) and Rob Blanchflower (2013) were previously lauded on the midseason watch lists as well.
Off To The Races
Marquis Young needed only 13 career games to reach the 1,000-yard rushing mark. A sophomore, Young hit the four-digit mark during play at No. 25 Florida with his 13th rushing attempt of the game. Young used 165 career carries to go over the 1,000-yard mark, an average of 6.07 yards per attempt.
He is the first UMass running back to eclipse 1,000 career rushing yards during the FBS era. Only two Minuteman freshmen accumulated better first seasons with the team: Steve Baylark (1,177 yards; 2003) and R.J. Cobbs (1,067 yards; 2002).
The Cedar Cliff Connection
UMass quarterback Andrew Ford and tight end Adam Breneman played together previously as members of the Cedar Cliff High School football program in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Ford made his first start for the Minutemen against FIU and targeted Breneman throughout the game, resulting in 10 receptions, 77 yards and one touchdown for the 6-foot-4 tight end. Over Ford's four starts at QB, Breneman averages 6.8 receptions and 72.3 yards per game.
Breneman is the all-time leading receiver in Cedar Cliff history and all-time leading tight end in Pennsylvania high school history (in all receiving categories).
Ford was the 2013 Gatorade Player of the Year, football's Mr. Pennsylvania and an Elite 11 QB as a senior. He set Cedar Cliff records in passing yards, touchdowns thrown and completion percentage.
Running Right Into The Record Book
Marquis Young has twice rushed for an 83-yard touchdown, doing so at No. 6 Notre Dame on Sept. 26, 2015 and again on Sept. 24, 2016 versus Mississippi State. Those rushing attempts tie Young for 10th all-time on the longest run from scrimmage by a Minuteman and make him one of only two UMass football players to appear twice on the list (Frank Alessio, 84 yards, twice, tied-sixth).
The Camera Adds Six Points
Bernard Davis caught a toe-drag touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against Mississippi State that was initially ruled to be incomplete due to Davis landing out of bounds. Following an official's review of the play, Davis was credited with the 19-yard score as replays showed Davis landed his left foot inches in-bounds before he and the Bulldogs' defender landed on the sideline.
It was Davis' second career touchdown pass and first since Sept. 25, 2013 against Maine. His previous touchdown also came at Gillette Stadium in the South endzone.
ESPN Top-10 Love For Williams
Jalen Williams' 31-yard juggling touchdown catch through the defense of two Mississippi State players while falling to the ground was tabbed the ESPN No. 4 Play of the Day on the night of Sat., Sept. 24. It was Williams' first of two touchdown receptions against the Bulldogs.
Making Sure The First Time Is Memorable
Sadiq Palmer's first collegiate reception went for a 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter against Mississippi State. In 2016, Palmer is one of 19 players (11 wide receivers, five tight ends, one fullback, one running back, one quarterback) who had their first career catch go for six points. He is one of only four freshmen to do so.
Two With Two
UMass produced back-to-back games with multi-touchdown receivers against Mississippi State (9/24) and Tulane (10/1). Jalen Williams had two on three catches versus the Bulldogs before Andy Isabella scored on a pair of 12-yard receptions against the Green Wave.
The last time a pair of Minutemen had two or more touchdowns in back-to-back games was in 2014 when Jean Sifrin caught two TDs at Colorado (Sept. 6) before Rodney Milles scored twice against Vanderbilt (Sept. 13).
Depend On The Tight End
Tight end Adam Breneman caught 10 passes against FIU covering 77 yards and one touchdown. It is the most receptions by a UMass tight end since Rob Blanchflower caught 10 ball for 100 yards and one score versus Central Michigan on Nov. 23, 2012.
Breneman is first on the team in receptions (35) and second in receiving yards (390). In the last five games, Breneman averages 6.0 receptions and 64.0 yards per game in that span.
Minutemen Force The Issue
Led by three forced fumbles from Da'Sean Downey and two more by Ali Ali-Musa, UMass football has forced 10 fumbles in 2016, with seven recoveries on those plays. Khary Bailey-Smith, Steve Casali, Colbert Calhoun, Basit Dennis and Sha-Ki Holines each have one.
UMass last had more forced fumbles in a single season in 2012 when the team caused 12. The Minutemen also had 10 over the 12-game slate in 2012.
Knock 'Em Downey
Linebacker Da'Sean Downey had a pair of sacks covering 18 yards lost against FIU. It made him the first Minuteman with multiple sacks in one contest since Kassan Messiah (2.0-14) at Bowling Green on Oct. 10, 2015. The last Minuteman with more sack yards in a single contest was Michael Hanson (2.0-23) at William & Mary on Oct. 27, 2007.
Downey's 4.0 sacks in 2016 tie him with Justin Anderson (4.0-20; 2013) for the most in one season by a Minuteman during the FBS era.
The Grizzled Veteran
Redshirt senior Khary Bailey-Smith is the only Minuteman with appearances in each of the team's five FBS seasons (2012-present). Three additional members of the squad were true freshmen during the inaugural year at the FBS level in Bernard Davis, Vondell Langston and John Robinson-Woodgett. Bailey-Smith made two appearances in 2015 before suffering a season-ending injury that allowed him to redshirt. Davis, Langston and Robinson-Woodgett each redshirted one year without seeing time during it.
