UMass Football News--September 10th, 2017

OK, that one didn't hurt as much. Maybe I'm growing scar tissue or maybe it was because the UMass defense made its best effort by far this year.

The defense line, led by Ali Ali Musa (15 tackles !) and Da'Shean Downey controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game. The Minutemen defensive blitz bothered Old Dominion's QB. The UMass defensive backs were talking to each other and there were no blown 50-yard completions. In addition, the defense made a nifty goal-line stand to stop another Monarch score. The defense flew to the ball all game. This was we were hoping the defense would look like from the beginning, out-sized but scrappy.

However, with Adam Breneman limited, the UMass offense had only one threat, Andy Isabella. We could not run the ball and both Comis and Ford were not effective. Part of that was, as I said in Thursday's write-up, because to the Old Dominion defense, which is pretty good. Hopefully, Breneman will be more recovered for Temple, because we surely need him.

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UMass write-up here.

Old Dominion had a school record eight sacks.

Connor Ryan of MassLive says the Minutemen offense sputtered.

Connor also reports Adam Breneman was limited by a lower body injury and also talks about Ali Ali-Musa's monster day. Fifteen tackles by a defensive lineman is just huge.

Matty Vautour reports Adam Breneman did not practice all week.

Matty also says the UMass offense sputtered.

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UCLA blew out Hawaii 56-23.

Coastal Carolina had a bye.

Temple squeaked out a 16-13 win over Villanova on a last-minute field goal. FCS pundits feel Villanova has one of the best defenses in FCS.

Tennessee beat FCS Indiana State 42-7.

USF-UConn game was canceled and won't be made up.

New Hampshire beat Georgia Southern using a big first half.

Appalachian State routed FCS Savannah State 56-7.

Mississippi State blew away Louisiana Tech 57-21.

Maine crushed Bryant 62-12.

BYU lost to Utah for the seventh straight time.

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Boston College, in what may have been a battle for the ACC East cellar, lost to Wake Forest 34-10 at the Heights.

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