AMHERST — Wins continue to elude the UMass football team in 2025 as Western Michigan downed the Minutemen, 21-3, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday.
UMass failed to find the end zone against the Broncos in a game where its offense was outmatched by 120 total yards (380-260 in favor of Western Michigan). Penalties didn’t help the Minutemen’s cause, particularly during the first half, as they committed five infractions, with a handful coming at critical junctures in the contest.
“Ultimately for us, we didn’t make enough plays,” UMass head coach Joe Harasymiak said during the postgame press conference. “Penalties were absolutely back-breaking for us in the first half. One brought back a touchdown, one brought back a first-down in the red zone, another brought back an explosive play. Then we get into the second half and we couldn’t do anything really offensively, then we kind of faded away on defense.”
The Minutemen’s penalties cost them 47 yards altogether.
Broncos quarterback Broc Lowry tossed for a touchdown and ran in another. The dual-threat QB finished 18-for-25 for 163 yards, coupled with 92 yards on the ground in 15 attempts.
Brandon Rose earned the start for the Minutemen but was replaced by A.J. Hairston late in the third quarter. Hairston concluded with more yards (131-71) in less than 20 minutes of game action.
“All three guys have had opportunities, at some point someone’s got to take it and go,” Harasymiak said. “That’s what I’m looking for, I know we’re all looking for that. But it just felt like we were missing a lot of throws early that were open.”
UMass can’t seem to shake the injury bug as well as wide receiver Jacquon Gibson didn’t return in the second half after putting together six catches for 70 yards during quarters one and two.
“He’s up, he’s walking, but doesn’t look like he’s walking too good,” Harasymiak said.
The Minutemen are already down T.Y. Harding for the year, who was injured in UMass’ first game of the season against Temple.
Derek Morris sent a 36-yard field goal through the uprights to put the Minutemen out front, 3-0, with nine minutes, 42 seconds showing on the scoreboard during the first quarter.
UMass threatened for the end zone prior to Morris’ kick, however a Minutemen illegal formation penalty stunted their scoring opportunity.
Early in the second quarter, Morris attempted to push UMass’ lead to 6-0, but the former Cal Berkeley kicker missed the 46-yard field goal wide left.
Similar to their first scoring drive, a penalty pushed the Minutemen back after appearing to be marching toward a touchdown. UMass committed a holding penalty to settle for the 3-point try.
About three minutes later, the Broncos crossed the goal line on an 8-yard catch from Michael Brescia. Lowry found the tight end with a flick of the wrist to the right side, as Brescia found a soft spot in the UMass defensive coverage. Western Michigan hit the extra-point attempt to lead, 7-3.
Toward the end of the third quarter, Lowry scurried in for a 4-yard score on a QB keeper, capping off a 10-play, 51-yard drive for the Broncos.
Trailing 14-3, the Minutemen recovered a muffed Western Michigan punt with nine seconds to go in the third on the Broncos 18-yard line in what could have been a game-changing moment.
Yet, Hairston couldn’t find any of his teammates’ hands in four tries, giving the ball back to the visitors.
The Broncos then raced 87 yards the other way with an 11-play, nearly six-minute long drive to score their third and final TD. Devin Miles bowled into the end zone with a 25-yard rush to make it 21-3.
UMass would get two more possessions with 8:04 left in the game, but each drive finished with an interception (Domanick Moon), and a fourth-down sack.
Hairston briefly appeared to have completed an incredible, spin-o-rama, no-look touchdown pass that bounced off a Western Michigan defender and into Kezion Dia-Johnson’s grasp, but Hairston was ruled to have been down before the pass left his hand.
As has been the case all year, some bad luck combined with the Minutemen’s inability to get out of their own way contributed to another home defeat.
“I think [we’re] committed to winning,” Harasymiak said. “To change something you got to be committed to start it, then the consistency has to build to finish it. We’re just not consistent enough. [Western Michigan is] and they got it done.”
The Minutemen (0-5) will visit Kent State next Saturday.