The 1998 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team was coached by Mark Whipple and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts.
1998 was the most successful season in Minutemen history, as UMass won their first national championship in the NCAA DI-AA playoffs in Whipple's first year with the team. UMass entered the postseason as champions of the A-10, but were not expected to make a serious run for the title. They reached the final game ranked 12th in the nation, and were matched up with perennial powerhouse Georgia Southern, the top ranked team in the country. The Minutemen rushed out of the gates, scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter, and won the shootout by a final score of 55–43. UMass finished the season with a record of 12–3 overall and 6–2 in conference play.
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries At No. 3 Delaware
Statistics MASSDEL First downs 23 21 Plays–yards 75–438 69–372 Rushes–yards 30–115 53–267 Passing yards 323 105 Passing: comp–att–int 26–45–0 8–16–0 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 27:58 32:02 Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Todd Bankhead 26/45, 323 yards, 4 TD Rushing Marcel Shipp 17 rushes, 73 yards Receiving Adrian Zullo 2 receptions, 83 yards, TD Delaware Passing Brian Ginn 5/12, 55 yards, 2 TD Rushing Craig Cummings 15 rushes, 100 yards, 2 TD Receiving Eddie Conti 6 receptions, 94 yards, TD
At Richmond
Statistics MASSRICH First downs 22 19 Plays–yards 82–417 77–379 Rushes–yards 38–94 37–172 Passing yards 323 207 Passing: comp–att–int 26–44–1 18–40–2 Turnovers 4 3 Time of possession 30:33 29:27 Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Todd Bankhead 26/43, 323 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Marcel Shipp 21 rushes, 99 yards Receiving Kerry Taylor 9 receptions, 98 yards Richmond Passing Jimmie Miles 18/39, 207 yards, TD, INT Rushing Tyronne Turner 18 rushes, 75 yards Receiving Muneer Moore 9 receptions, 120 yards
Buffalo
Statistics BUFFMASS First downs 29 29 Plays–yards 76–529 84–591 Rushes–yards 32–124 53–339 Passing yards 405 252 Passing: comp–att–int 30–44–2 14–31–0 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 28:29 31:31 Team Category Player Statistics Buffalo Passing Chad Salisbury 27/40, 375 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Joshua Roth 12 rushes, 64 yards, TD Receiving Drew Haddad 11 receptions, 173 yards, TD UMass Passing Todd Bankhead 13/30, 192 yards, 3 TD Rushing Marcel Shipp 26 rushes, 221 yards, TD Receiving Jimmy Moore 3 receptions, 99 yards, 2 TD
At No. 5 Hofstra
Statistics MASSHOF First downs 26 24 Plays–yards 80–489 79–527 Rushes–yards 36–141 30–204 Passing yards 348 323 Passing: comp–att–int 27–44–0 25–49–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 30:12 29:48 Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Todd Bankhead 27/44, 348 yards, 3 TD Rushing Marcel Shipp 27 rushes, 146 yards Receiving Jimmy Moore 11 receptions, 164 yards Hofstra Passing Giovanni Carmazzi 25/49, 323 yards, 2 TD Rushing Giovanni Carmazzi 14 rushes, 139 yards, TD Receiving Steve Jackson 10 receptions, 114 yards
James Madison
Statistics JMUMASS First downs 23 16 Plays–yards 81–432 60–359 Rushes–yards 45–167 36–172 Passing yards 265 187 Passing: comp–att–int 21–36–1 11–24–1 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 36:56 23:04 Team Category Player Statistics James Madison Passing Greg Maddox 21/36, 265 yards, TD, INT Rushing Delvin Joyce 20 rushes, 104 yards, 2 TD Receiving Earnest Payton 13 receptions, 155 yards UMass Passing Todd Bankhead 11/23, 187 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Marcel Shipp 24 rushes, 190 yards, TD Receiving Jimmy Moore 5 receptions, 109 yards, TD
At No. 15 Connecticut
Statistics MASSCONN First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Rushing Receiving Connecticut Passing Rushing Receiving
No. 22 Villanova
Statistics VILLMASS First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Villanova Passing Rushing Receiving UMass Passing Rushing Receiving
At New Hampshire
Statistics MASSNH First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Rushing Receiving New Hampshire Passing Rushing Receiving
At Rhode Island
Statistics MASSURI First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Rushing Receiving Rhode Island Passing Rushing Receiving
Maine
Statistics MEMASS First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Maine Passing Rushing Receiving UMass Passing Rushing Receiving
No. 9 Connecticut
Statistics CONNMASS First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Connecticut Passing Rushing Receiving UMass Passing Rushing Receiving
At No. 6 McNesse State (Division I-AA First Round)
Statistics MASSMCN First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Rushing Receiving McNeese State Passing Rushing Receiving
No. 13 Lehigh (Division I-AA Quarterfinal)
Statistics LEHMASS First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Lehigh Passing Rushing Receiving UMass Passing Rushing Receiving
At No. 2 Northwestern State (Division I-AA Semifinal)
Statistics MASSNWST First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UMass Passing Rushing Receiving Northwestern State Passing Rushing Receiving
Vs. No. 1 Georgia Southern (Division I-AA Championship Game)
Statistics GASOMASS First downs 26 23 Plays–yards 86–595 77–462 Rushes–yards 65–457 51–303 Passing yards 138 159 Passing: comp–att–int 10–21–1 18–26–0 Turnovers 7 2 Time of possession 30:48 29:12 Team Category Player Statistics Georgia Southern Passing Greg Hill 8/16, 111 yards, TD, INT Rushing Greg Hill 29 rushes, 228 yards, 2 TD Receiving Corey Joyner 6 receptions, 94 yards, TD UMass Passing Todd Bankhead 17/25, 152 yards Rushing Marcel Shipp 35 rushes, 244 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jimmy Moore 6 receptions, 63 yards
Notable team members Offense QB: Todd Bankhead RB: Marcel Shipp
Defense LB: Kole Ayi, Khari Samuel DB: Brian Smith
Roster
References