UMASS (0-0) vs. #4/4 WILLIAM & MARY (0-0)

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UMass Opens 2010 Vs. #4 William & Mary
• UMass kicks off the 128th season of football season with its conference opener as the Minutemen welcome No. 4 William & Mary to McGuirk Alumni Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. UMass has won seven of its last eight season openers in a row and nine of the last 11, falling last season at FBS Kansas State (21-17) in 2001 against William & Mary.

• It marks the first time since 2005 the Minutemen will play a conference opener as the season opener and first such game at home since 2001, when the game also came against William & Mary.

• UMass will also look to continue its recent success against Top 5 teams, as the Minutemen have won seven of the last 12 games against squads ranked in the top 5. Last season, UMass knocked off No. 4 New Hampshire at home, 23-17 on Oct. 18, 2009.

Watch Me On TV!
• Saturday's game will be televised up and down the East Coast on Comcast SportsNet New England, The Comcast Network and Cox 11 in Virginia. Jon Gurevitch and Andy Gresh will be on the call. Live streaming video will be available via UMass All-Access.

Statewide Radio Coverage
• The UMass Sports Network will have the radio broadcast with Josh Maurer returning for his third season as "Voice of the Minutemen." He will be joined by color analysts and former Minutemen: Matt Goldstein and Rene Ingoglia. Adam Frenier will man the sidelines. The game will be carried statewide on flagship 100.9 FM WRNX in Western Mass.; 1510 The Zone in Eastern Mass.; 830 AM WCRN in Central Mass. and 95.9 FM WATD on the South Shore.

Opening With a Conference Foe
• Saturday's game marks the first time since 2005 UMass opens the season with a conference game. On Sept. 1, 2005, the Minutemen registered a 19-6 win at Richmond to begin the season.

• The last time UMass began the year with a conference opener at home was on Sept. 1, 2001, also against William & Mary as the Tribe posted a 31-10 win.

• UMass also opened the 2000 season with William & Mary at home, notching a 36-16 win on Aug. 31, 2000. That was the first-ever night football game in UMass history.

• The Minutemen have won three of their last four season openers that were conference openers including the 1999 opener against New Hampshire, with a 34-19 lift-lidder on Sept. 11, 1999.

For Openers
• The Minutemen have posted a 59-57-11 record in season openers in their previous 127 years. UMass has won its last seven of the last eight season openers. They have also won nine of the past 11 openers, downing New Hampshire in 1999, William & Mary in 2000, Central Connecticut State in 2002 and 2003, Delaware State in 2004, winning at Richmond in 2005, beating Colgate in 2006, downing Holy Cross in 2007 and Albany in 2008. That streak ended last season as the Minutemen lost at FBS foe Kansas State, 21-17. Prior to that, the last loss came to William & Mary to open up the 2001 season.

Whopping Winning Openers
• UMass has dominated opponents in its last seven winning openers combining to pound Central Connecticut (twice), Delaware State, Richmond, Colgate and Albany by a combined score of 269-79, an average score of 38-10. In three games of those games (2002-04) UMass scored more than 50 points, beating CCSU (52-3 in 2002 and 51-7 in 2003) and DSU (51-0 in 2004). Four times they scored 40, including 2007's 40-30 win over Holy Cross.

• UMass has been a high-scoring team in season openers over the last 12 years, scoring more than 30 points on seven occasions. Since 1998, UMass has scored an average of 32 points in its season openers with a high of 52 vs. CCSU in 2002.

Enjoying The Home Cooking
• The Minutemen have won their last eight home openers in a row. Last year, UMass downed 44-7 on Sept. 12, 2009. Two years ago, UMass beat Albany after beating Holy Cross in 2007. In 2006, UMass opened with a 28-7 victory over Colgate. Three years ago, UMass routed Albany, 40-0 on Sept. 17, 2005. Over the last 12 years, UMass has lost its home opener just once, that 31-10 loss to William & Mary in 2001.

Recent Success Vs. Top 5 Teams
• In the opener, UMass will have a chance to continue the recent success against Top 5 teams as the No. 4 Tribe come to McGuirk. In the last 12 games vs. Top 5 teams, UMass is 7-5 including last season's 23-17 win over then-No. 4 New Hampshire on Oct. 17, 2009. UMass did lose its last game vs. a Top 5 team, falling at No. 1 Richmond, a week after the win over UNH, 34-12 in Virginia.

• Before the UNH win last season, the Minutemen's last win over a Top 5 team came in the 2006 NCAA Semifinals, when No. 3 UMass beat No. 2 Montana, 19-17, in Missoula. Since 2002, UMass has seven wins over Top 5 teams. The Minutemen also beat #4 James Madison (10-7 in 2005), #4 Colgate (30-20 in 2004), #2 Villanova (19-14 in 2003), #4 Villanova (17-16 in 2002) and #2 Maine (20-10 in 2002).

• Dating to 1998, UMass is 9-8 in 17 games vs. Top 5 teams.

Welcoming A Top 5 Team To McGuirk
• Saturday's game will mark the second year in a row a Top 5 team has come to Amherst. The game vs. UNH last season was the first by a team ranked as high since 2005 when then-No.4 New Hampshire came to Amherst and beat No. 7 UMass, 34-28 on Oct. 29.

• Since 2002, UMass is 6-2 at home against Top 5 games winning four times from 2002-05. UMass has won vs. No. 4 New Hampshire (23-17 in 2009), No. 4 James Madison (10-7 in 2005), No. 4 Colgate (30-20 in 2004), No. 2 Villanova (19-14 in 2003) and No. 2 Maine (20-10 in 2002).

No. 4 For the Score!
• UMass has had success with games against team ranked No. 4 teams. Of UMass' seven wins vs. Top 5 teams since 2002, four have come vs. teams that were ranked No. 4 and all four have been at McGuirk Stadium.

• Last season, UMass beat the fourth-ranked Wildcats (23-17), in 2005, UMass beat No. 4 James Madison (10-7), in 2004, UMass topped No. 4 Colgate (30-20) and in 2002, No. 4 Villanova went down 17-16.

The Series: UMass vs. William & Mary
• UMass and William & Mary play for 12th time in history on Saturday. It will be the first game between the teams since 2007. The Minutemen lead the all-time series, 7-4. UMass leads the series in Amherst, 3-2, winning the last meeting, 48-7 on Oct. 7, 2006. That was the largest margin of victory in the series.

• UMass has won each of the last two games vs. the Tribe by scoring 48 points. In the last game in 2007, the Minutemen won a shootout 48-34 on Oct. 27, 2007 in Williamsburg.

• UMass has won five of the last six games in the series including the last three meetings in Williamsburg, in 1999 (25-16), 2003 (24-14) and 2007 (48-34).

• The 2000 game on Aug. 31, at McGuirk was the first-ever night football game at UMass as lights were imported for the game, a 36-16 UMass victory. UMass has since hosted three more night games.

• William & Mary won the first two contests in 1990 and 1993, in addition to claiming victories in 1996 and 2001. UMass posted back-to-back victories in the series in 1994 and 1995, then once again won two straight in 1999 and 2000.

• The schools first played in the opening round of the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, with the Tribe winning 38-0 in Williamsburg.

UMass-William & Mary Connections
• UMass has four players from the state of Virginia: senior DB Ke'Mon Bailey (Richmond, Va.), junior LB Tyler Holmes (Blacksburg, Va,), sophomore punter Caleb Violette (Blacksburg, Va.) and freshman DB Kirk Nelms (Spotsvania, Va.).

• William & Mary defensive coordinator Bob Shoop served as UMass' secondary coach during the 2006 working for Don Brown for a season.

• William & Mary has no Bay State players on its roster.

UMass History Thumbnail
• This is the 128th season of UMass football. UMass has an all-time record of 545-515-51 (.515) in 1,111 all-time games. The Minutemen have won two of the last four conference championships (2006 and 2007). In 2008, UMass posted its seventh winning season in a row with a 7-5 record. Over the last eight years, UMass has made three NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2007, UMass went 10-3, going 7-1 in the inaugural season of the CAA.

• UMass was the winningest program in the CAA a 10-year span from 1998-2008. UMass had a 83-44 record with a 65.7 win percentage.

• The Minutemen have won 22 conference championships the last two coming in 2007 and 2008. All-time UMass has eight NCAA Tournament appearances winning the 1998 title and also playing in the championship game in 2006 and 1978.

Minutemen Make NFL Impact
• UMass has eight former Minutemen in NFL Training Camps. Several have had headline performances this preseason. Most notably 2010 alum Victor Cruz, who has been recognized by NFL.com as the Star of the Preseason. Cruz burst on the scene in the first-ever game at the New Meadowlands Stadium as he scored three touchdowns and had six catches for 145 yards for the New York Giants. Even NBA star LeBron James was wowed by Cruz, sending out a tweet about Cruz and UMass. Cruz has four of the Giants' seven touchdowns this preseason.

• With the New York Jets, Vladimir Ducasse is battling for the starting left guard position. He was the Jets' second round pick and 61st overall this past April. He became the highest UMass product to be drafted in 40 years, since Greg Landry was a first-rounder in 1968. 2006 grad James Ihedigbo is also in his fourth year with the Jets.

• Also in camps from last season's team are Jeromy Miles, with the Cincinnati Bengals. Miles gained national attention with a sack and forced fumble on Tim Tebow in the former Heisman Trophy winner's first pro game. The play was later overturned by instant replay, but it garnered national headlines for Miles.

• Cruz' wideout mate Jeremy Horne has impressed with the Kansas City Chiefs and scored a touchdown in Week 2.

• Also in action are wide receiver Brandon London (2003-06) with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as former linebacker Jeremy Cain (UMass 2000-03) with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a long snapper and running back Matt Lawrence (2005-07) with the Baltimore Ravens.

McGuirk Magic
• UMass has been tough to beat in the friendly confines of McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The Minutemen have won 24 of their last 27 at home, dating to 2006 for an 88.6 percent win mark.

• Since Kevin Morris came to UMass with the majority of the coaching staff in 2004, UMass is 30-6 at home, 83.3 win mark. Since 2003, UMass is 37-6 at home (86.0).

• The Maroon & White opened 2009 season at home with five wins in a row.

• UMass went undefeated at home in 2006 (8-0) and 2007 (6-0) before a 4-2 mark last season. Before losing at home to Richmond (10/18/08), UMass' 16-game home winning streak was the second-longest in FCS as only San Diego (28) had a longer one. In all of Division I football, it was tied for the third-longest streak, also behind Oklahoma (21).

• Since the start of the 1998 season, the Minutemen have gone 59-14 (.808) at home over the last 12 years, improving their all-time record at McGuirk to 165-75-2 (.687).