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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Troy
Football Turns Focus to Facing Troy Saturday
October 31, 2016 | Football
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes | |
| Game 10 | Massachusetts (2-7) at Troy (6-1) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, Nov. 5 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Veterans Memorial Stadium; Troy, Ala. | Stadium Information | Parking | Gameday Central |
| Series History | First meeting |
| Live Statistics | Available on game day |
| Watch Live | ESPN3 |
| 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 | Troy | Sun Belt Conference |
| Team Records | Massachusetts | Troy |
| @UMassFootball | @CoachWhipUMass | @UMassAthletics | |
| UMass Football | UMass Athletics | |
| Tickets | UMass Ticket Central |
Three-Game Road Series Begins At Troy
University of Massachusetts football begins its three-game, season-closing road trip with a Sat., Nov. 5 contest at Troy University in Troy, Ala., at 3:30 p.m. ET. It marks the first meeting between the teams and the first trip to Alabama for the Massachusetts football program.
The Minutemen are coming off of a 34-10 win over Wagner during which Andrew Ford threw for 355 yards and connected with tight end Adam Breneman (8-138-2) and wide receiver Andy Isabella (8-123-1) for a combined 16 receptions, 261 yards receiving and three TDs. It gave the Minutemen their second win of the season and second in as many meetings with Wagner historically, with the other being a 77-0 shutout earned on Nov. 14, 1931.
Massachusetts and Troy represent two of the younger programs in FBS this season as both employ a host of rookies and inexperienced competitors. The Maroon and White are tied for sixth across FBS in most first time starters this season (19) while Troy is next with 18. The Minutemen also have one of the smallest senior classes in the nation with 13 seniors or graduate students. It is tied for the fourth-smallest in FBS.
Breneman By-The-Numbers
Adam Breneman has emerged as one of the most productive tight ends in FBS this season to the tune of team-leading numbers for receptions (52) and receiving yards (622) while Breneman is tied with Andy Isabella for most touchdown receptions (6).
He ranks 23rd national and is tops among tight ends for receptions this season while his six TDs tie him for 28th in FBS (tied-second among tight ends). He is also second among tight ends with 5.8 receptions per game and 622 receiving yards while his 69.1 yards per game ranks third for TEs nationally.
In the last three weeks Breneman owns 24 receptions (8.0 per game) for 326 yards (108.7) and four touchdowns during play against Louisiana Tech (7-94-0), South Carolina (9-94-2) and Wagner (8-138-2).
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 six starts at QB, Breneman averages 7.3 receptions and 86.8 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.
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).
Adam Breneman pulled of the same feat alone in the last two games with a pair of scores each against the South Carolina and Wagner defenses.
Sharing The Wealth
Quarterback Andrew Ford distributed his 28 completions among nine Minuteman receivers against FIU. It marked the most different players with at least one catch since 10 Minutemen reeled in at least one pass against Ball State on Oct. 31, 2015.
Ford bested his performance against FIU with completions to 10 receivers against Louisiana Tech. He has hit at least six receivers in each of his six starts at quarterback.
Forcing The Issue
Led by three forced fumbles from Da'Sean Downey and two more by Ali Ali-Musa, UMass football has forced 11 fumbles in 2016, with nine 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.
Find Them In The Backfield
UMass football eclipsed its previous FBS total for sacks in a season when Peter Angeh and Sha-Ki Holines combined for a 12-yard sack on Wagner's Alex Thomson, the 16th sack by the Minutemen in 2016. The 2014 and 2015 defenses totaled 15 sacks apiece over their respective 12-game slates.
Massachusetts enters the game at Troy with 19 sacks for 134 yards lost. Da'Sean Downey's 5.0 individual sacks also ranks as the most by a Minuteman during one year at the FBS level (2012-present).
The Minutemen have 54 tackles for loss in 2016, an average of 6.0 per game. The 2015 defense currently holds the season-long record for most TFLs in the FBS era with 67 for an average of 5.58 per game.
I Got You The Ball!
Linebacker Steve Casali has three fumble recoveries through nine games played, representing all of Casali's career recoveries as well. It is tied for the 12th-most in a single season in team history. He had one each against FIU, Mississippi State and Louisiana Tech. It is also tied for second in the nation across FBS through games played on Oct. 29.
Randall Jette was the last Minuteman with as many fumble recoveries in a season when he had three in 11 games played and started during the 2013 season. The last UMass player with more than three in a single season was Kole Ayi with five during 1998.
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.
