UMass has their game notes for Rhode Island up.
Rhody's game notes for UMass.
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The Hampshire Gazette has the weekly UMass football notebook.
The big news is QB Tyler Lytle has a chance to start. The Minutemen could lose to Rhode Island if all the offense has is running Ellis Merriweather between the tackles. We need some sort of passing game. Seventy-four yards won't beat the Rams.
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CBS Sports reports Conference USA is inviting four members and UMass is mentioned in addition.
Conference USA would be a good place for UMass Football. It would allow us to get our feet under us with a schedule we would be competitive with. An eight or ten team league would allow four or five non-conference games in a 12-game schedule. UMass could play two money games to support the program and still have two or three slots to play Northeast teams and a FCS game.
Losses to the Power Five teams would not affect UMass' chances for a league title.
The Minutemen currently have no media package and no bowl tie-ins. Any league media package would be an improvement. In addition, the leagues get some revenue from the college football playoffs, which if it expands, will probably provide even more revenue in the future.
If UConn joins then UMass would have a travel buddy. If they don't, it would still be better for the Minutemen.
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