Jonathan Hernandez and the No. 22 ranked Massachusetts Minutemen take on the No. 13 ranked New Hampshire Wildcats in their most anticipated match-up of the season, the second Colonial Clash, at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.
This is the 74th meeting between UMass and UNH in a storied rivalry that dates back to 1897, and this meeting will be the last between the two schools as conference opponents, as UMass is transitioning to FBS football next season. The Minutemen lead the all-time series against the Wildcats, 43-27-3, but lost to UNH, 39-13, last season in the first college football game ever played at Gillette Stadium.
UMass (4-2) is coming off of a 21-10 victory over Delaware last Saturday. The Minutemen scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter, which would prove to be more than enough to secure the win. Hernandez ran for 69 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Kellen Pagel threw for 245 yards and a touchdown on 20-of-39 passing.
Pagel has now thrown for 1,048 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 94-of-164 passes and throwing six interceptions while Hernandez has rushed for 663 net yards and seven touchdowns in six games this season.
UNH (4-2, 2-1 CAA) was defeated by William & Mary, 21-10, last Saturday. Kevin Decker threw for a career-high 422 yards and tossed one touchdown while being intercepted twice on 34-of-50 passing. Joey Orlando grabbed eight passes for a game-high 132 receiving yards for the Wildcats.
Decker leads UNH's passing attack with 1,900 passing yards and 14 touchdowns while throwing six interceptions on 146-of-207 passing in six games. Decker has also rushed for 247 yards and six scores while R.J. Harris leads the team with 486 receiving yards and five touchdown catches.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet New England, with Gary Tanguay providing play-by-play, Andy Gresh providing color commentary and Greg Dickerson reporting from the sidelines.