Eastern Michigan defeats UMass 38-14 in sellout home game

The UMass Minutemen suffered their first loss of the 2026 season, falling 38-14 to Eastern Michigan at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The game marked the first sellout at the stadium since September 2014, with 17,119 fans in attendance for Family Weekend.

UMass struggled early, committing five penalties in the first half. Despite a late second-quarter touchdown drive led by quarterback Pop Watson III, the Minutemen were unable to sustain momentum in the second half. Head coach Joe Harasymiak noted that the team failed to meet expectations, stating, “We didn’t give [the fans] a lot to get excited about.”

Key factors in the defeat included struggles within the offensive and defensive lines and a lack of pressure from the defensive front. The loss halted UMass's potential for a 5-0 start, which would have been the program's best in 51 years.