One Day until Football 0829/08

This is a very cool feature. Matty Vautour is re-running his weekly articles (with notes) from UMass' 1998 National Championship year. Game one with Delaware is here .

I vividly remember that game. When Whipple was hired, I attended his first UMass sports luncheon and Whipple made a famous comment that he would like to bring a championship to UMass. I also went to the 1998 Spring game and it was nothing special.

But then, in the opening game against Delaware, UMass was flying up and down the field. We had always struggled against Delaware's superior talent and we were just smoking their defense. WHMP's tiny 250 watt night time power barely reached Whatley and I had to listen to the game on WMUA. The student announcers were saying things like: "Dude! This is the best game I've ever seen!". The magic was on. And it has yet to leave the UMass football program.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Thomas of the Spring field Republican has an article about the season opener here .

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The South Bend Tribune has an article about ex-Notre Dame players including Chauncey Incarnato in a story here .

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hofstra got crushed in its opening game against UConn.

Northeastern got crushed in its opening game against Ball State.

The CAA has recaps of both games on its news page .

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass' Liam Coen is on the Sports Network's Walter Payton Watch List.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Speaking of the Sports Network, David Coulson has his week #1 predictions here .

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I found this over on the college football site "The Wizard of Odds". If you attend a Washington State practice, you have to sign a nondisclosure wavier. One booster got banned from practice for publishing this crucial information:" Some players showed some serious fire ... I watched each line going through drills and there was absolutely no screwing around ... I personally really like this coaching staff ... [Ed] Donatell is first-class ... [Steve] Gervais is a total stud ... I really hope it stays intact from the head coach on down." Story here .

Makes me appreciate how far UMass Football has gone to accommodate the UMass Football Blog.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE: Reshaude Goodwin is back on the UMass roster.