Game 7: USF

[econalum]

Attendance was really poor, for a Top 30 team visiting, and perfect weather for this time of year, at 60 degrees. Face it - interest in UMASS FBS is marginal on campus. I saw more young/college age fans in USF gear than UMASS. Sad.

And so what if this was a 3 day weekend. Everything is open on campus if the students cared about the varying sporting events: Soccer, Hockey, Field Hockey and FBS football, they would have stayed.

The average UMASS fan, by attire, was in 50's+. There is a growing age gap, a huge problem for UMASS athletics, at least football. I have also seen this same phenomenon with MBB.

I was appalled that the undergrads are walled off from visiting alums or even USF fans. Weird. UMASS seems to be about controlling fans, not inspiring them. To wit...

Some USF fans took the stadium broadcast messages on not being able to return to the stadium if leaving, meaning if they left the stadium seating area to go to the concrete south bathrooms, they cannot return to the game. I can see why they were confused.

With all the signage, blocked entrances for what used to be parking, it felt more like visiting a jail than a college.

Final point. While USF has some New England fans/alums, most of their fans I met came from Tampa or other points south. Since we are not easy to get to, loyalty is a factor. And they are loyal.

[78]

No question there's some individual Talent on this team. Maybe just not enough pieces to finish the puzzle. Andy Gresch mentioned tha 31 points surrendered in the blink of an eye. I still can't get over that interception and fumble they ruled against us through the use of Replay.

Thought UMass played great for 50 minutes. It's during that 10 minutes, which caused us to lose by 16 points to the so called #27 team in the nation.

Think a lot of you like to bitch.

They gave up 58 points or more for the third time this year. They allowed a team last week to rush for more than 400 yards. They allowed one guy today to rush for more than 300 yards. They have the second worst, and maybe the worst after today, defense in FBS. They continue to pull this ridiculous put Comis in for the second drive of the game, despite the fact Ford drove the team down the field easily for a touchdown on the first drive. I could go on, but why bother. It's why I have eaten my season ticket this year and am done going to games.

But yeah, we are all just looking for something to bitch about.

[stevemaz]

Had a real chance to win that game.. still wondering how the fumble return TD was not overturned due to targeting. Fans will not start showing up until the team starts winning. I actually think we may win the next three games.

[PreecherJenkins]

Remember when the department said all the elements were removed and if the fans don’t come it’s our fault?

Time for the whole department to relook in the mirror over this embarrassing crowd. Maybe we shouldn’t be outsourcing the ticket sales department.

Think you need to step back to see the complete picture. We are and always have been a fair weather fan base with a big band wagon potential. Football has not been good this entire decade and still has the place around half full. Basketball fans are not as loyal as football fans. We were in the NCAA- Big Dance in 2014 and had several bad seasons and attendance tanked to under 3k or less than 30% full.

I didn’t make the comment that it’s the fans fault if they don’t show up the guy who is in charge of sales did.

[Floyd]

Anybody hear any news on the injuries to Nesmith and Young?
Hoping that they both are OK and injuries weren't serious to the point of compromising their health

[UMass1991]

Although I didn't expect a W, if they didn't fumble 4 times, maybe different results

[McKinney]

Final point. While USF has some New England fans/alums, most of their fans I met came from Tampa or other points south. Since we are not easy to get to, loyalty is a factor. And they are loyal.

Did any of your USF friends have any comments on what it'd take for UMass to get an invite to the American?

[eldonabe]

Did any of your USF friends have any comments on what it'd take for UMass to get an invite to the American?

A miracle....

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I highly doubt it would have changed our ability to give up the 70 yard runs up the middle, but that sequence to end the 1st half was absolutely killer. They had a chance to go into halftime with some momentum and the lead and things went to hell. Ugh.

[MJatUM]

And so what if this was a 3 day weekend. Everything is open on campus if the students cared about the varying sporting events: Soccer, Hockey, Field Hockey and FBS football, they would have stayed.

LOL - students didn't stay for a preseason hockey game, soccer and freaking field hockey. Oh the horror.

The rest of your post was pretty spot on. The UMass Admin has always treated the students like they are embarrassed of them instead of embracing them. The student "tailgate" is the perfect example.

[inthescoop]

Final point. While USF has some New England fans/alums, most of their fans I met came from Tampa or other points south. Since we are not easy to get to, loyalty is a factor. And they are loyal.

Did any of your USF friends have any comments on what it'd take for UMass to get an invite to the American?

[econalum]

No, their focus is UCF rivalry, which is acute, and reminds me of the 'old day's vs. UConn for UMASS. They were surprised at how small the stadium is, 'more like high school size' said one from Fla, more surprised than belligerent. They thought the area was beautiful but were also surprised that the area around the stadium was so marshy.

[inthescoop]

No, their focus is UCF rivalry, which is acute, and reminds me of the 'old day's vs. UConn for UMASS. They were surprised at how small the stadium is, 'more like high school size' said one from Fla, more surprised than belligerent. They thought the area was beautiful but were also surprised that the area around the stadium was so marshy.

There are high school stadiums in Texas that are nicer and bigger than McGuirk, no doubt. Not sure if that says more about Texas high schools or UMass football.

[McKinney]

They were surprised at how small the stadium is, 'more like high school size' said one from Fla, more surprised than belligerent.

It'd be pretty big by high school standards. If needed McGuirk can be temporarily expanded to the low 20s with bleachers, so that'd be at least in something like the Top 5? I think the largest is Alamo Stadium which is 23k. Anyway yes it's pretty pathetic that we're comparing to high school football and can't even fill it half way.

I think the plan was we'd need Gillette for every game except weeknight MACtion. And then it turned out our attendance was so low that it just made sense to play at McGuirk basically full-time.

[nighttrain777]

No, their focus is UCF rivalry, which is acute, and reminds me of the 'old day's vs. UConn for UMASS. They were surprised at how small the stadium is, 'more like high school size' said one from Fla, more surprised than belligerent. They thought the area was beautiful but were also surprised that the area around the stadium was so marshy.

There are high school stadiums in Texas that are nicer and bigger than McGuirk, no doubt. Not sure if that says more about Texas high schools or UMass football.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/mckinne ... ght-lights
Allen stadium just six miles away from this one.