I don't think many are gloating. I legit feel bad for UMass. The leadership is not getting it done because the team is obviously not prepared for FBS and this is its 14 year.
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UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026
- Thread starter huskymedic
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Announced attendance last night against NIU: 6,155.
Yeah it sucks to be 0-10. That's actually not bad considering!
shizzle787
King Shizzle DCCLXXXVII of the Cesspool
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That's horrible. 6k for an FBS game is terrible regardless of opponent or day.
Seriously? 6k is awesome for a team as bad as UMass
Buffalo vs C. Michigan last night, winner to become bowl eligible, only had 6,800 last night. And the Chippewas won.
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Not sure why you are dying on this hill. Midweek MAC games are horrible for fan engagement and one of the reasons NIU is leaving and the MAC has fallen behind the Sunbelt in the G6 pecking order
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Diehard college football fans find MACtion endearing, but in reality, it’s a dead end: horrible times, irrelevant matchups and often bad football.
UMass made the move only because they wouldn’t be able to survive AT ALL as an independent. Maybe the ends justify the means someday but make no mistake, the move was not a “win” in any way.
UMass made the move only because they wouldn’t be able to survive AT ALL as an independent. Maybe the ends justify the means someday but make no mistake, the move was not a “win” in any way.
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There were not 6k there. Actual might have been in the hundreds.
CL82
NCAA Woman's Basketball National Champions
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Uhhh, it kind of does feel right.
That said, a successful UMass athletic program is actually good for us, in my opinion. Then again, if we had a money tree on campus that paid for all our athletics, that would also be good for us. The problem is that both of those things are pretty unlikely.
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Near zero chance more than 3K were in the UMess stands against NIU. Such a shame, the few hundred sticking around for the late field goal points were rewarded with fireworks.
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Luckily, no injuries were reported in the UMass off-campus apartments nor in the neighboring building under construction where the fire started.
That's because as the tailgaters started to filter in mid 1st quarter, the early arrivers were leaving and telling everyone "don't bother"
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The athletics haven’t really had a lot in the way of good benefactors. Hockey got a boost recently. Folks have donated good money for academic buildings.
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The bad sports have not impacted UMass academic standing. UMass has an excellent computer science department.
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Also, there weren’t even close to 6k there last night. It was half that.
pepband99
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1) FIFY.
2) I still can't believe anyone really believes the 2nd part of this. UMass had 3 choices:
A) Status quo - football indy, everything else in A10/HE. Their football team loses by a million every week, but they keep some semblance of local interest with rivalries and geography in other sports. Risk is that the A10 implodes, but they would likely just follow wherever URI/UNH/Maine go.
B) MAC in everything. Their football team loses by a million every week, and they nuke every rivalry they have in every sport but hockey. Same risk the MAC implodes (NIU already gone), and they're hitched to directional rust belt U's that are in their own financial trouble.
C) Football downgrade, everything else in A10/HE. Yes, they stop chasing the FBS goose, but they actually enhance a bunch of their A10 rivalries by playing them in football. Their football team is competitive, and isn't forced to play insane weeknight games in front of 100s.
They chose B, and they're clearly worse for it. We haven't even gotten to the empty Mullins / Frank Martin gone era yet. It's likely to get much worse, and with their AD history, it's a BIG stretch to think it's going to get better soon, if at all.
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Ridiculous take. It's not that hard to win 5-6 games in the MAC.
The MAC isn't why they suck. UMass is why they suck. The AD shows little to no ownership of the issue. He even hired a guy to someone between him and the problem.
They would suck regardless of chosen course of action. As an FBS team they lost to Bryant who is in last place in the CAA and hasn't won a conference game.
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I’m not saying that moving to the MAC was the right choice, I’m saying that staying Indy would be more of a dead end if they want to continue pursuing FBS football. They can’t pull off what we have done so far.
They wouldn’t really enhance any A10 football rivalries anyways aside from URI. Duquesne and Fordham aren’t worthwhile rivalries even in FCS. That said, they would be more competitive for sure with UNH, Maine, etc.
Regardless of the move, they’re stuck. They went with the move to show their “commitment” to the FBS.
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I think they’ve hit rock bottom. They should be able to compete in the MAC.
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Nothing has less to do with how bad they are than being in the MAC.
If anything the MAC should be ticked off that they let that dump of a program into their house. The stadium and the program are atrocities.
Why not believe the 2nd part: "UMass made the move only because they wouldn’t be able to survive AT ALL as an independent."
I don't know why but I am interested in UMass at least getting competitive. It is so bad right now the conference is the only thing that is going to save football. And if it doesn't work out, then drop to FCS
Mens Hockey is in Hockey East
Mens and Womens Lacrosse are in the A-10
Mens Basketball might be OK in the MAC. It was buried and unsuccessful in the A-10 anyway so no loss there
Mens Soccer is in the Summit League
Womens Soccer is in the MAC
UMass Football's long play is probably to improve, rise to the top of the MAC, and get a shot at the American or other G6. That doesn't seem likely right now but they have to give it a try. I'm sure they thought they would at least be middle of the pack and not the disaster they are right now. UMass needs to make huge changes and if it doesn't, it could probably fall back on the A-10 again, if it is still around.
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And from a fan attendance and interest perspective, it’ll be even worse than it was the last ten years and that is saying something. They will need to win HUGE in the MAC for anyone to care. It’s almost embarrassing to play hoops in Mullins it’s so empty
Then they better do something quick. Look, Mass is the 16th ranked state by population. By some measures it is the wealthiest state. Yes, UMass is an embarrassment. If they can't figure out a way to properly fund their athletics department, then they deserve to rot on the vine. Maybe UMass and bcu need to form some type of public/private partnership to try to make 1 decent program out of 2 dumpster fires.
pepband99
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And what would "win 5-6 games in the MAC" improve for them? You still torpedo the rest of your AD in the process, whether you win 0 or 12. And for no money, unlike if they took 100-0 losses against real teams. Both other choices are easily better.
Anyway - i showed my choice and why - are you going to any time soon, or just post laugh emoji's and strawmen?