Well now, let me tell ya, there’s been a whole lotta buzz around that game between the UMass Minutemen and the Maine Black Bears. Ain’t nobody expected much from UMass, and sure enough, they went and lost 35-10 to Maine back on November 13th. Now, some folks been sayin’ that UMass ain’t what they used to be, and I reckon that’s true enough.
The game started off with Maine makin’ their mark right away. Quarterback Joe Fagnano, bless his heart, threw a couple of touchdowns, and Elija Barnwell, well, he ran for two more. UMass, poor thing, didn’t have much to show for their troubles. That there loss was their second one in a row to a team from the FCS division. Now, that ain’t somethin’ a big program like UMass should be proud of, but here we are.
UMass struggles in the game
See, the Minutemen’s been strugglin’ for some time now. They’ve had a tough go of it since movin’ up to the FBS level, which is a mighty big step for a school like that. Over the years, UMass has been more of a doormat than a contender. Since 2012, they’ve been 24-112, which is a real sad record. In their last four seasons in the MAC conference, they only won 8 games out of 48. That’s a 17.6% win percentage, and that’s a hard pill to swallow for any fan who’s stuck with ‘em.
But it’s not just the losses that’ve hurt UMass, it’s the way they’ve been losin’. Against Maine, they couldn’t even keep up in the first half, let alone the second. I reckon that’s what happens when the team ain’t got their head in the game.
The Maine Black Bears shine
Now, let’s talk about the Black Bears from Maine for a minute. They’ve been makin’ a name for themselves in recent years, and that win over UMass was a big one. It was the fourth time in school history that they beat a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team. Ain’t too shabby, if ya ask me. Coach Nick Charlton has really got his squad lookin’ sharp, and that game showed just how strong they’ve become.
Joe Fagnano, their quarterback, was on fire that day. He threw a couple of beautiful touchdown passes, and looked like he was ready to take on the world. And Elija Barnwell, that young man can run like the wind. He added two touchdowns of his own, makin’ sure Maine stayed ahead by a comfortable margin. That was a game UMass was never gonna win.
The UMass football program is at a crossroads
Now, things are lookin’ mighty bleak for UMass football, I’ll tell ya that much. After the firing of their coach Walt Bell earlier in the season, there’s been a lotta questions about where this team is headed. With such a poor record over the years, I reckon it’s high time for a change, but change ain’t always easy. Some folks are hopin’ that when UMass joins the MAC in 2025, they’ll find a new lease on life. But based on what we’ve seen so far, it’s hard to say if that’s gonna make a difference. It’s one thing to be in a conference, but it’s another thing to compete at the level you need to.
In the meantime, Maine’s takin’ full advantage of their win. It was a statement game for them, and they’ll be lookin’ to keep that momentum goin’ into the rest of their season. For UMass, though, they’ll need to do some soul-searchin’ if they wanna turn things around anytime soon.
What’s next for UMass and Maine?
Well, shoot, what’s next? UMass got a lotta work to do, that’s for sure. They can’t keep on playin’ like they have been, or they’ll be stuck at the bottom of the heap. Maybe with the right coach and some fresh players, they might find their way, but it’s gonna take more than just a couple of wins to fix what’s broken.
As for Maine, they’re gonna keep workin’ hard and tryin’ to make a name for themselves. They’ve shown they can take down some bigger programs, and that’s somethin’ to be proud of. They got a bright future ahead, and if they keep playin’ like they did against UMass, they’ll be a force to reckon with in the years to come.
So, if ya ask me, both teams got their work cut out for ’em. UMass got a lot of fixin’ to do, and Maine’s gonna be lookin’ to keep their good times rollin’. One thing’s for sure: it’s gonna be an interestin’ season ahead!
Tags：[UMass, Maine Black Bears, UMass football, Maine football, NCAA, football game, FCS, FBS, college football, November 13, 2021, Elija Barnwell, Joe Fagnano, UMass struggles, football loss]
