AMHERST - Coming off the huge win over Rutgers last week, it was always going to take a lot for UMass to impress the McGuirk Alumni Stadium crowd in the home opener against Sacred Heart here on Saturday afternoon.
From the start, the Minutemen delivered and coasted to an easy 37-10 victory.
Quarterback Pop Watson finished 9-for-10 for 152 yards and a touchdown while adding 40 yards and another score on four carries without a turnover. Watson did all of his damage in the first half as the game was decided early in the third quarter.
Faulkner carried the ball 11 times for 72 yards. Joe Griffin Jr., caught three passes for 59 yards while T.Y. Harding had only one catch, but it was a big one and he impacted the game significantly on special teams as well.
UMass jumped on the Pioneers immediately, scoring on its second offensive play when Watson connected with Harding for a 49-yard touchdown just 41 seconds into the game.
Harding didn’t wait long to strike again.
After the UMass defense forced Sacred Heart to punt on its opening possession, Harding fielded the kick at his own 18-yard line and took it 82 yards for another touchdown, giving the Minutemen a 14-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.
UMass continued to move the ball on its next possession, driving to the Sacred Heart 15 before having to settle for a 33-yard Derek Morris field goal with 1:44 remaining in the quarter.
UMass outgained Sacred Heart 169-46 in total yards in the first quarter behind Watson who was 5-6 for 90 yards and a touchdown while adding 32 yards on three carries. Faulkner rushed five times for 43 yards in the first.
The Minutemen didn’t add to the lead again until the final minute of the first half, but their defense made sure Sacred Heart couldn’t cut into it.
UMass held the Pioneers scoreless through the opening 30 minutes and limited them to 121 total yards.
The Minutemen finally broke through again just before halftime.
Watson connected with Griffin Jr. for 39 yards to the Sacred Heart 32 with 1:49 remaining. Faulkner followed with runs of 11 and 13 yards to move UMass to the 8 before Watson took it in himself with a nifty 8-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the half.
Morris missed the extra point, leaving UMass with a 23-0 halftime lead.
UMass held a 261-121 advantage in total offense at the break. Watson wouldn’t even need to throw a pass in the second half before his day was done.
The Minutemen forced Sacred Heart into a three-and-out on the first possession of the second half. Harding returned the ensuing punt 59 yards to the Sacred Heart 8-yard-line.
Faulkner rushed three straight times for seven yards before Reece Adkins dove in from one yard out for a touchdown. Morris’ PAT was good this time, giving UMass a 30-0 barely three minutes into the half.
If the game wasn’t out of reach by then, Jahmad Harmon would put it there a minute later.
The UMass defensive back picked off Sacred Heart quarterback Poochie Snyder and returned it for a touchdown. Morris’ extra point gave UMass a 37-0 lead five minutes into the third quarter.
The Pioneers finally got on the board on the ensuing possession against some of UMass’ defensive reserves, when they drove 58 yards on 10 plays capped by a 35-yard field goal by Ryan Bocklett with 5:29 to play in the third.
Aedan McCarthy came on in relief of Watson midway through the third. The offense sputtered a bit and Morris missed a 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to keep the score at 37-3.
Sacred Heart went on a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive against those UMass defensive reserves after the game was decided, capping it with a one-yard touchdown run by Cole Snider to provide for the game’s final score.
UMass returns to action next Saturday at McGuirk when they host Stonehill.
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