1998 UMass Minutemen football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

|year=1998

|team=UMass Minutemen

|sport=football

|image=UMass logo.gif

|image_size=150px

|conference=Atlantic 10 Conference

|division=New England Division

|short_conf=A-10

|record=12–3

|conf_record=6–2

|head_coach=Mark Whipple

|hc_year=1st

|off_scheme=Pro-style

|def_coach=Don Brown

|dc_year=1st

|def_scheme=4–3

|stadium=Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium

|champion=NCAA Division I-AA national champion
A-10 New England Division co-champion
Lambert Cup winner

|bowl=Division I-AA Championship Game

|bowl_result=W 55–43 vs. Georgia Southern

}}

The 1998 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team was coached by Mark Whipple and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. 1998 was the most successful season in Minutemen history, as UMass won their first national championship in the NCAA DI-AA playoffs in Whipple's first year with the team. UMass entered the postseason as champions of the A-10, but were not expected to make a serious run for the title. They reached the final game ranked 12th in the nation, and were matched up with perennial powerhouse Georgia Southern, the top ranked team in the country. The Minutemen rushed out of the gates, scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter, and won the shootout by a final score of 55–43. UMass finished the season with a record of 12–3 overall and 6–2 in conference play.

Notable Members on Team

Offense

QB: Todd Bankhead
RB: Marcel Shipp

Defense

LB: Kole Ayi, Khari Samuel
DB: Brian Smith

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1998

| rankdivision = NCAA Division I-AA

| poll = The Sports Network

| timezone = Eastern

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 3

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Delaware

| opprank = 3

| site_stadium = Delaware Stadium

| site_cityst = Newark, DE

| tv =

| score = 30–33

| attend = 20,744

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 12

| time = 1:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Richmond

| site_stadium = UR Stadium

| site_cityst = Richmond, VA

| tv =

| score = 22–17

| attend = 10,219

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 26

| time = 1:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Buffalo

| site_stadium = McGuirk Stadium

| site_cityst = Hadley, MA

| tv =

| score = 51–27

| attend = 11,672

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 3

| time = 12:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1998|team=Hofstra Flying Dutchmen|title=Hofstra}}

| opprank = 5

| site_stadium = Hofstra Stadium

| site_cityst = Hempstead, NY

| tv =

| score = 40–35

| attend = 5,308

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 10

| time = 1:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| rank = 24

| opponent = James Madison

| site_stadium = McGuirk Stadium

| site_cityst = Hadley, MA

| tv =

| score = 28–26

| attend = 14,202

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87669407/smith-tip-top-in-umass-win/|work=The Boston Globe|title=Smith tip-top in UMass win|date=October 11, 1998|accessdate=October 24, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 17

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| away = y

| rank = 18

| opponent = Connecticut

| opprank = 15

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Storrs, CT

| gamename = rivalry

| tv =

| score = 41–44

| attend = 8,581

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 24

| time = 1:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| homecoming = y

| rank = 19

| opponent = Villanova

| opprank = 22

| site_stadium = McGuirk Stadium

| site_cityst = Hadley, MA

| tv =

| score = 36–26

| attend = 12,135

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100309038/umass-able-to-hold-on/|work=The Boston Globe|title=UMass able to hold on|date=October 25, 1998|accessdate=April 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 31

| time = 12:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 16

| opponent = New Hampshire

| gamename = rivalry

| site_stadium = Cowell Stadium

| site_cityst = Durham, NH

| tv =

| score = 27–26

| attend = 3,578

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 7

| time = 12:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 12

| opponent = Rhode Island

| site_stadium = Meade Stadium

| site_cityst = Kingston, RI

| tv =

| score = 23–13

| attend = 5,036

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 14

| time = 12:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| rank = 10

| opponent = Maine

| site_stadium = McGuirk Stadium

| site_cityst = Hadley, MA

| tv =

| score = 55–34

| attend = 10,355

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 21

| time = 12:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| rank = 7

| opponent = Connecticut

| opprank = 9

| site_stadium = McGuirk Stadium

| site_cityst = Hadley, MA

| tv =

| score = 27–28

| attend = 16,392

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 28

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank = 12

| opponent = McNeese State

| opprank = 6

| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium

| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA

| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA First Round

| tv =

| score = 21–19

| attend = 11,349

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120243728/umass-holds-on-for-its-playoff-life/|work=The Boston Globe|title=UMass holds on for its playoff life|date=November 29, 1998|accessdate=March 5, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 5

| time = 12:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 12

| opponent = Lehigh

| opprank = 13

| site_stadium = McGuirk Stadium

| site_cityst = Hadley, MA

| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal

| tv =

| score = 27–21

| attend = 12,108

| source = {{cite news |title=UMass Is One of Four Still Moving Forward |first=Joe |last=Burris |date=December 6, 1998 |page=C13 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59563072/1998-lehigh-umass/ }}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 12

| time = 2:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank = 12

| opponent = Northwestern State

| opprank = 2

| site_stadium = Turpin Stadium

| site_cityst = Natchitoches, LA

| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal

| tv =

| score = 41–31

| attend = 10,424

| source = {{cite web | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/212899650 | title=The Town Talk 06 Dec 1998, page Page 16 }}{{cite web | url=https://umassathletics.com/sports/football/stats/1998/northwestern-state/boxscore/11090 | title=Football vs Northwestern State on 12/12/1998 - Box Score }}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 19

| time = 2:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| rank = 12

| opponent = Georgia Southern

| opprank = 1

| site_stadium = Finley Stadium

| site_cityst = Chattanooga, TN