The Blue Devils football team fell to the Minutemen at UMass on Saturday, Sep. 21st, 35-31, as their record dropped to 3-2 for the 2024 season.
Quarterback Brady Olson threw for 157 yards from 12-26 attempts, 2 touchdowns and a late-game pick in his return to Amherst after transferring from UMass to Central in the offseason.
CCSU’s rushing attack was the main source of offensive efficiency, as the Blue Devils had 90 yards on the ground, with Elijah Howard’s 46 and Jamir Robertson’s 23 yards leading the way. Howard and QB Ricky Ortega both rushed for a touchdown.
In the air, receivers Michael Plaskon and Paul Marsh Jr. were the two main contributors, with Plaskon catching 3 passes for 65 yards and Marsh Jr. grabbing 2 for 31. Marsh and Howard both scored passing touchdowns.
Plaskon was also efficient returning punts, getting 21 yards on 2 attempts, while Jadon Turner was able to carve up the UMass secondary on kickoffs, amassing 61 yards in two tries.
On the other side of the ball, the defense held strong for a good portion of the game. Malachi Wright and Kimal Clark both achieved double-digit tackles, with Jack Stoll and Deon McLean holding steady at 7 in the game. Stoll delivered the only sack of the game from either squad as he took down UMass QB Taisun Phommachanh, while McLean hauled in an interception midway into the 2nd quarter that lined CCSU up for a game-tying TD.
Jack Barnum kicked a 25-yard field goal and made every extra point, while punter Aidan Clark continued his excellent form by punting 6 times for 61 yards, averaging 42.5 yards per punt, slotting him solidly in the Top 10 of FCS punting yards so far this season.
The game started off with a UMass touchdown in the first quarter to lead 7-0 as time expired, but couldn’t gain any more points into the 2nd as they missed a long field goal.
The Minutemen scored another touchdown after a CCSU punt to go up 14-0, but Central finally got on the board after an air-raid set of plays for a touchdown. After UMass got the ball back, UMass threw an interception to defensive back Deon McLean that put CCSU in prime position to capitalize, which they did with Elijiah Howard, tying the game 14-14.
UMass battled back in four minutes to score another touchdown with less than a minute left in the half, but CCSU worked off a fantastic kick return to score another clutch Howard touchdown right before the half ended.
To start the 2nd half, Central enacted a trick play on the kickoff that gave possession back, which led to a passing touchdown to swing momentum back to Central. UMass’s next possession led to a punt, but CCSU couldn’t capitalize as Olson threw a pick in deep coverage for a turnover.
UMass and CCSU traded punts on their next possessions before UMass finally got a TD to tie the game before the 3rd quarter ended. Jack Barnum made a field goal a minute into the 4th quarter, and UMass scored another touchdown on their next drive to take the lead.
CCSU was forced to punt, giving the ball back to UMass, but the Minutemen couldn’t lock in a victory as they were stopped on 4th down in the endzone, giving the ball back to CCSU deep in their territory with 2 minutes remaining with a chance to win the game on a long & quick drive, however 2 incompletions and an interception by Olson iced the game for UMass, marking their first win of the season.
The Blue Devils are back in action on Oct. 5th at the Yale Bowl to face the Bulldogs.
