E. Michigan beats UMass 28-14 in season opener

College sports

Taisun Phommachanh threw for 177 yards and ran for 57 yards for UMass.

By Associated Press

31 August 2024

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) – Cole Snyder threw for 241 yards and a touchdown and ran for another and Eastern Michigan beat UMass 28-14 in a season opener on Saturday.

Eastern Michigan has now defeated the Minutemen for four straight seasons. UMass will join the Mid-American Conference next year.

The Eagles scored first when, on their second possession, they put together a 10-play, 97-yard drive that ended when Snyder ran it in from the 1. Snyder threw a 32-yard completion to Terry Lockett Jr. for the longest running game.

Just before the end of the first half, Snyder threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Oran Singleton who made an acrobatic over-the-shoulder grab in the left corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead. Snyder connected with Lockett for 29 yards to mark the longest play of the drive.

UMass got back in it after forcing the Eagles into three-and-out to start the third. The Minutemen used a 10-play, 70-yard drive, ending when Jalen John ran it in from the first.

Eastern Michigan’s Jesus Gomez kicked a 20-yard field goal with 4:49 left in the third, a 31-yarder with 7:49 left, and Delbert Mimms III ran it in from the 6 with 5:43 left, and the two -point conversion made it 28-7.

Taisun Phommachanh threw for 177 yards and ran for 57 yards on 16 carries for UMass.