Quarterback, Massachusetts (from Virginia Tech), 2023–⁠26

William Watson III

Number
No. 5
Height
6′0″
Weight
210 lb
Class (2026)
Senior
Hometown
Springfield, MA

William Watson III plays quarterback for Massachusetts, after Virginia Tech (2023–⁠25). Last time out, against Eastern Michigan: 20 of 27, 210 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Watson leads Massachusetts in passing touchdowns and passing yards this season.

2026 so far

820 passing yards, 7 TD

Last game: 20 of 27, 210 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT vs. Eastern Michigan, L 14–⁠38

Next game: at UConn, Oct 23

Game by game this season, passing yards
  1. 197@RUTG
  2. 152SHU
  3. 160STO
  4. 101@SAC
  5. 210EMU

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Career highs

254passing yards, career highvs. Virginia, 20243touchdown passes, career highat Rutgers, 20262rushing touchdowns, career highat Sacramento State, 2026

Passing

Passing yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCmpAttPctYdsY/ATDInt
2023Virginia Tech010.000.000
2024Virginia Tech345858.64818.312
2025Virginia Tech2450.07719.300
2026Massachusetts7410074.08208.272
Career11016367.51,3788.584

Rushing

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2023Virginia Tech5408.0014
2024Virginia Tech40190.5115
2025Virginia Tech9222.4114
2026Massachusetts301675.6433
Career842483.0633

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2023Virginia Tech5QBFr.
2024Virginia Tech5QBSo.
2025Virginia Tech5QBJr.
2026Massachusetts5QBSr.6′0″210

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. pass
2023Virginia Tech50.28––1.4––
2024Virginia Tech970.05––4.936%0.12
2025Virginia Tech140.17––2.4––
2026Massachusetts1290.4289th (n=273)0.2154.147%0.23

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Passing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessDepthAfter catchDeep throwsDeep completed
2026Massachusetts49%9.2 yds3.9 yds13 of 9846%

Success: passes that kept the offense on schedule. Depth: how far downfield his passes traveled in the air, on average. After catch: yards his receivers gained after the catch, per completion. Deep throws: the play-by-play gives depth and direction for about half of a passer’s throws; this is how many of those went deep, and how many of the deep ones were caught. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Rushing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessLine yardsSecond levelOpen fieldStuffed
2026Massachusetts50%3.901.802.7017%

Where his yards came from, per carry: line yards are the ones credited to the blockers (the first few, and losses), second level the yards 5 to 10 past the line, open field those beyond 10. Success: carries that kept the offense on schedule. Stuffed: carries stopped at or behind the line. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Game by game

2026 Massachusetts 5 games, 820 passing yards, 7 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 3atRutgersW 37–⁠2119221973040
Sep 12vs.Sacred HeartW 37–⁠109101521040
Sep 19vs.StonehillW 36–⁠141525160112
Sep 26atSacramento StateW 35–⁠611161011072
Oct 3vs.Eastern MichiganL 14–⁠3820272101113
2025 Virginia Tech 4 games, 77 passing yards
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 6vs.VanderbiltL 20–⁠44–––––4
Sep 20vs.WoffordW 38–⁠60100025
Oct 11atGeorgia TechL 20–⁠35–––––−6
Nov 22vs.MiamiL 17–⁠34237700−1
2024 Virginia Tech 4 games, 481 passing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 14atOld DominionW 37–⁠17–––––6
Nov 23atDukeL 28–⁠31122514601−4
Nov 30vs.VirginiaW 37–⁠1714212541048
Jan 3 ✦vs.MinnesotaL 10–⁠248128101−31
2023 Virginia Tech 2 games, 0 passing yards
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Oct 26vs.SyracuseW 38–⁠10–––––1
Nov 11atBoston CollegeW 48–⁠220100039

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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