UMass Minutemen football The UMass Minutemen football team is a collegiate football team representing the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid - American Conference . UMass began play in 1879 and have since appeared in three FCS National Championship games , winning the title in 1998 . The Minutemen began a two - year Football Bowl Subdivision transition period in 2011 . They will become bowl eligible in 2013 . Team history . Early years . UMass began playing football in 1879 when the school was known as Massachusetts Agricultural College , and the team was known as the " Aggies . " They were first organized the previous fall by Francis Codman , but did not play their first game until November 22 , 1879 , defeating the Amherst College freshman team 4 – 0 . As this was their only game that year , 1879 is noted as their first undefeated season , matched only by the 1889 season ( 2 – 0 ) and the 1963 season ( 8 – 0 – 1 ) . Massachusetts later teamed up with Storrs Agricultural College ( now the University of Connecticut ) and Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts ( now the University of Rhode Island ) to form the Athletic League of New England State Colleges for the purpose of scheduling football matchups between the schools . The first meeting between the Aggies and each of the other schools resulted in a shutout win for Massachusetts , as they defeated Connecticut , 36 – 0 , in 1897 and Rhode Island , 46 – 0 , in 1903 . Massachusetts won their 100th game on October 2 , 1920 , topping rival Connecticut in a 28 – 0 shutout . The team played their 1000th game on November 11 , 2000 , losing to conference foe Delaware , 19 - 31 . Program evolution . The team ' s nickname has endured several changes throughout the years . Though the official nickname remained " Aggies , " " Statesmen " was also used interchangeably beginning when the school was renamed to Massachusetts State College in 1931 . The nickname was officially changed to the " Redmen " when the name of the college became the University of Massachusetts in 1947 . In a response to changing attitudes regarding the use of Native American - themed mascots , they changed their mascot in 1972 to the Minuteman , based on the historical " minuteman " relationship with Massachusetts ; women ' s teams and athletes are known as Minutewomen . UMass has enjoyed various levels of success over the years . As a founding member of the Yankee Conference , Massachusetts won 17 Yankee Conference Championships , appearing in one National Championship game during that timespan . They fell to Florida A & M in this inaugural Division 1 - AA Championship , 35 – 28 . UMass ' success continued as they began competition in the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1997 . They went on to win four more conference titles while playing in the A - 10 and make two more appearances in the National Championship game , winning it all in 1998 . In 2006 the Minutemen took home the last A - 10 title ( the conference discontinued football after the season ) and made their most recent Championship game appearance . Their most recent conference championship came in 2007 , the inaugural season of the CAA . Transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision . On April 20 , 2011 , after decades of studies and speculation , the UMass Minutemen formally announced they elevated their football program to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and became a member of the Mid - American Conference beginning with the 2012 season . The announcement was made at Gillette Stadium , where the Minutemen currently play their home games . UMass plays a full FBS and MAC schedule and by 2013 be eligible for the MAC championship and bowl participation . In 2011 , UMass completed their last season in the Colonial Athletic Association , and were not eligible for NCAA postseason play . UMass is now in the middle of two years as a transitional member of FBS . The NCAA would make a formal announcement of UMass ' admission to FBS in the Summer of 2013 after the program successfully meets the specified measures over its two transitioning years . The primary criteria center around average attendance , an increase in scholarships from 63 to 85 and specific scheduling requirements . Along with joining the Mid - American Conference the men ' s and women ' s basketball teams will play four non conference games against MAC teams . Conference championships . UMass has won a total of 22 conference championships . Following is a list of the years , affiliations , and records for those Championship seasons . Conference affiliations : Facilities . McGuirk Alumni Stadium . The Minutemen played their last home football game at McGuirk Alumni Stadium , a 17 , 000 seat stadium on the UMass Amherst campus in 2011 . The stadium itself sits just over the town line in neighboring Hadley , Massachusetts . The inaugural game took place on September 25 , 1965 when UMass defeated the AIC Yellow Jackets , 41 – 0 . Since the opening , UMass has enjoyed a decided home field advantage , posting a 182 – 79 – 2 record when playing at McGuirk . The attendance record at McGuirk was set during a UMass football game against Boston College on November 25 , 1972 ; 20 , 000 fans were in attendance . Official plans have been made to renovate and expand McGuirk for a future return of UMass football . The expansion project will include additional seating , locker rooms , luxury suites , another press box and training facilities . In the 2012 and 2013 seasons UMass will play all their home games at Gillette Stadium . Gillette Stadium . UMass first played at Gillette Stadium in the " Colonial Clash " against the University of New Hampshire on October 23 , 2010 . This game was renewed for the 2011 season as UMass played New Hampshire there again . Beginning in 2012 Gillette Stadium is the home of the UMass Minutemen football team continuing through at least 2013 . After that , UMass will play a minimum of four home games at Gillette Stadium through the 2016 season . Following that five - year agreement , there will be an option for additional home games to be played at Gillette . Individual awards . UMass has had more than 70 players named to various All - American teams since Lou Bush garnered the first selection for the Minutemen ( then called the Aggies ) in the early 1930s . Conference honors . The following is a list of all Minutemen who were named Player , Coach , or Rookie of the Year for their respective conference . College Football Hall of Fame . The following is a list of all Minutemen inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame .