FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Shadrach Abrokwah rushed for a career-high 135 yards and four touchdowns as Massachusetts won for the second-straight week with a 36-14 win over Eastern Michigan at Gillette Stadium Saturday.
UMass (2-6, 2-2 Mid-American) was strong in all three phases, finishing with 562 yards of total offense, recording a season-high four sacks while holding the Eagles to 260 yards of offense - 52 in the second half - and blocking a field goal attempt.
"We had a nice day," head coach Mark Whipple said. "I thought it was a tremendous team win. We are improving as a team and I think our defense is making some good steps. But we are still a work in progress."
Tajae Sharpe had a great day, matching his career best of 13 receptions on a career-best 193 yards - the 17th-most in a FBS Division I game this season.
Blake Frohnapfel finished 28-for-51 with 337 yards passing and was not sacked.
UMass (2-6, 2-2 Mid-American) was strong in all three phases, finishing with 562 yards of total offense, recording a season-high four sacks while holding the Eagles to 260 yards of offense - 52 in the second half - and blocking a field goal attempt.
"We had a nice day," head coach Mark Whipple said. "I thought it was a tremendous team win. We are improving as a team and I think our defense is making some good steps. But we are still a work in progress."
Tajae Sharpe had a great day, matching his career best of 13 receptions on a career-best 193 yards - the 17th-most in a FBS Division I game this season.
Blake Frohnapfel finished 28-for-51 with 337 yards passing and was not sacked.
(CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )
The Minutemen ground attack was at its best all year with a season-high 225 yards rushing and five touchdowns. UMass collected a season-high 34 first downs, with 11 on the ground and 19 through the air.
UMass stormed down the field on the opening possession of the game as Frohnapfel completed six passes for 60 yards before Abrokwah outraced the EMU defense to the left corner on a 17-yard rushing touchdown.
EMU was equally as efficient on the ensuing possession with an eight-play drive capped off by a 32-yard Reginald Bell pass over the top to tight end Tyreese Russell.
The Minutemen saw their next drive stall just outside the EMU red zone, but Khary Bailey-Smith collected his second interception of the year to get the ball back. Three plays later, Abrokwah broke the tie with a 16-yard scamper over right guard.
Lorenzo Woodley made it a two-possession lead for the Minutemen early in the second with a run from the two. The score was set up a play earlier with a 42-yard pass to Sharpe - the longest of the game for either quarterback.
Bell completed a 34-yard pass to Bronson Hill midway through the quarter, pulling the Eagles to within 20-14, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the game.
Abrokwah ran it in from four yards out to make things 27-14 with just over five minutes to play in the half.
Robert Kitching blocked an Eastern 52-yard field goal attempt late in the half. The Minutemen then marched 52 yards before scoring on a 31-yard Logan Laurent field goal to take a 30-14 lead into the locker room.
Abrokwah collected his fourth rushing TD on a 4-yard power play up the middle at the halfway mark of the third quarter to close out the scoring.
EMU (2-5, 1-2) had 280 yards of offense and was held off the scoreboard in its final seven possessions.
UMass will make its third trip to Ohio next week when it plays at Toledo on Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff at the Glass Bowl is set for 2:00 p.m. ET. Eastern Michigan hosts Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. ET.
(Courtesy of UMass Athletics)
UMass stormed down the field on the opening possession of the game as Frohnapfel completed six passes for 60 yards before Abrokwah outraced the EMU defense to the left corner on a 17-yard rushing touchdown.
EMU was equally as efficient on the ensuing possession with an eight-play drive capped off by a 32-yard Reginald Bell pass over the top to tight end Tyreese Russell.
The Minutemen saw their next drive stall just outside the EMU red zone, but Khary Bailey-Smith collected his second interception of the year to get the ball back. Three plays later, Abrokwah broke the tie with a 16-yard scamper over right guard.
Lorenzo Woodley made it a two-possession lead for the Minutemen early in the second with a run from the two. The score was set up a play earlier with a 42-yard pass to Sharpe - the longest of the game for either quarterback.
Bell completed a 34-yard pass to Bronson Hill midway through the quarter, pulling the Eagles to within 20-14, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the game.
Abrokwah ran it in from four yards out to make things 27-14 with just over five minutes to play in the half.
Robert Kitching blocked an Eastern 52-yard field goal attempt late in the half. The Minutemen then marched 52 yards before scoring on a 31-yard Logan Laurent field goal to take a 30-14 lead into the locker room.
Abrokwah collected his fourth rushing TD on a 4-yard power play up the middle at the halfway mark of the third quarter to close out the scoring.
EMU (2-5, 1-2) had 280 yards of offense and was held off the scoreboard in its final seven possessions.
UMass will make its third trip to Ohio next week when it plays at Toledo on Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff at the Glass Bowl is set for 2:00 p.m. ET. Eastern Michigan hosts Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. ET.
(Courtesy of UMass Athletics)
RSS Feed