AMHERST — For one week, UMass will take part in MACtion once again.
The independent Minutemen haven’t been in the Mid-American Conference since 2015, but they’ll face Ohio, their former MAC rival, Saturday.
UMass coach Mark Whipple said he expected Ohio to be as tough if not tougher than Tennessee.
“They’re a physical, sound, football team, well coached. They don’t beat themselves,” Whipple said. “They’re picked to win the MAC or be in the MAC championship like they were last year. They have a lot of good players. They just reload. Frank (Solich) does a really good job down there. They do a good job all the way around.”
Ohio has been the MAC’s most reliably good program. They’ve been bowl eligible (.500 or better) in eight straight seasons under Solich and played in seven bowl games in that stretch.
The Bobcats are halfway to bowl eligibility at 3-1, including a 42-30 win over Kansas.
In its four seasons in the MAC, UMass played Ohio twice and lost both games under former coach Charley Molnar.
Minuteman defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham boasts a win over Ohio U. In the 2016 MAC championship game, Western Michigan, with Pinkham as its D.C., beat the Bobcats, 29-23.
Time & location: 3:30 p.m., McGuirk Stadium.
Records: UMass is 0-5; Ohio U is 3-1.
Last week: UMass fell to Tennessee, 17-13; Ohio beat Eastern Michigan, 27-20 in double overtime.
All-time series: Ohio leads 2-0.
TV/Internet: NESNplus
Radio: WHYN-AM (560)
When Ohio has the ball: Sophomore Nathan Rourke is a rare Canadian to start at quarterback in the FBS. The Ontario native has completed 52 of 81 passes for five touchdowns and has yet to be intercepted.
Rourke also has a team-high four rushing touchdowns.
Junior running back A.J. Ouellette leads the Bobcats with 87.0 yards per game (59-for-348). He has rushed for over 100 yards each of the last two weeks earning him back-to-back MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Freshman Cameron Odom has been Ohio’s top receiver with 13 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
When UMass has the ball: Whipple said Wednesday that Andrew Ford and Adam Breneman “should play” but wanted to see how each bounced back after practicing Wednesday.
Since he’s made no public comments since, their status is still at least slightly in doubt until kickoff.
If Ford can’t play, Ross Comis will start at quarterback.
UMass’ ground game looked like it was improving Saturday against Tennessee, but Ohio has been tough against the run, allowing 115.8 yards per game.
Senior linebacker Quentin Poling has been the top Bobcat tackler so far with 26 tackles in four games. He has also forced two fumbles.
Senior corner Bradd Ellis’ eight passes defended ranks third nationally.
NOTES: UMass will wear throwback helmets to honor the 1972 Boardwalk Bowl winning team. That squad is the last to play in a bowl game. The white helmets will feature an interlocking maroon U and M.
The families of Dick MacPherson, who coached that team, and Clarence Brooks, a player on that team, will take part in the opening coin toss. Both MacPherson and Brooks died within the past year.
The players from that team who returned to campus will form the pregame human tunnel for the Minutemen to run through on their way to the field. They’ll be honored on the field during a timeout.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage
Saturday we will honor our 1972 Boardwalk Bowl Champion team with these helmet decals! #UMass #UniteTheMasses #TBT pic.twitter.com/I7C6ccScIM
— Mark Whipple (@CoachWhipUMass) September 28, 2017