CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2023 Massachusetts

3–⁠9, coached by Don Brown.

Schedule and results

Massachusetts in 2023, game by game: won at New Mexico State 41–30; lost at Auburn 14–59; lost vs. Miami (OH) 28–41; lost at Eastern Michigan 17–19; lost vs. New Mexico 31–34; lost vs. Arkansas State 28–52; lost vs. Toledo 24–41; lost at No. 6 Penn State 0–63; won at Army 21–14; won vs. Merrimack 31–21; lost at No. 25 Liberty 25–49; lost vs. UConn 18–31+11−63Won 41–30 at New Mexico State+11New Mexico StateLost 14–59 at Auburn-45AuburnLost 28–41 vs. Miami (OH)-13Miami (OH)Lost 17–19 at Eastern Michigan-2Eastern MichiganLost 31–34 vs. New Mexico-3New MexicoLost 28–52 vs. Arkansas State-24Arkansas StateLost 24–41 vs. Toledo-17ToledoLost 0–63 at No. 6 Penn State-63No. 6 Penn StateWon 21–14 at Army+7ArmyWon 31–21 vs. Merrimack+10MerrimackLost 25–49 at No. 25 Liberty-24No. 25 LibertyLost 18–31 vs. UConn-13UConn
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 26atNew Mexico StateW 41–⁠3021%
Sep 2atAuburnL 14–⁠5921%
Sep 9vsMiami (OH)L 28–⁠4140%
Sep 16atEastern MichiganL 17–⁠1917%
Sep 23vsNew MexicoL 31–⁠3454%
Sep 30vsArkansas StateL 28–⁠5243%
Oct 7vsToledoL 24–⁠4118%
Oct 14at6Penn StateL 0–⁠634%
Oct 28atArmyW 21–⁠1417%
Nov 4vsMerrimackW 31–⁠2152%
Nov 18at25LibertyL 25–⁠498%
Nov 25vsUConnL 18–⁠3151%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to UConn 31–⁠18; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The tied 45th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 91 on file).

Record
3–⁠9
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked
Points
278–⁠454
Coach
Don Brown
Elo
1268 −17 this season
SP+ rating
-17.5 No. 125 of 133; offense No. 100, defense No. 123, special teams No. 132
SRS
−15.9 No. 125 of 133 in FBS
Returning
53% of last season’s EPA, No. 63 of 131
Recruiting class
No. 127 roster talent No. 76 in FBS

How good, play by play

  • Offense89th of 133
  • Defense131st of 133
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted95th of 133
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted132nd of 133
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.0541%1.3289th of 133
Defense0.2850%1.28131st of 133
Opponent-adjusted0.05 off
0.25 def		40% off
50% def		—95th off
132nd def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense3.7own 2721% allowed
Defense4.3own 3315% caused

CORE rating -18.1, 122nd of 133 (offense -0.8, defense 17.3).

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsTaisun Phommachanh QB1,507 yds
Passing touchdownsCarlos Davis QB6 TD
Rushing yardsKay’Ron Adams RB1,157 yds
Rushing touchdownsKay’Ron Adams RB12 TD
Receiving yardsAnthony Simpson WR792 yds
Receiving touchdownsGino Campiotti TE4 TD
TacklesNahji Logan LB59 tkl
SacksBilly Wooden DT6 sacks
InterceptionsJuan Lua S2 INT

Top recruits in the 2023 class

Donovan Dyson DE★★★No. 1636
Zachary Anderson OL★★★No. 1801
Ahmad Haston QB★★★No. 1850
Christian LeBrun S★★★No. 2021
Jyree Roberts LB★★★No. 2357

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2023 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks13.00.834
Offensive line23.00.822
Defensive line13.00.843
Linebackers13.00.814
Defensive backs13.00.829
Whole class63.00.827

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Roster 110

The 2023 roster

110 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2023 line; 65 have a stat line. See the roster

Transfers in 21

The 2023 portal
Steven Ortiz Jr. S★★★from Minnesota
Jalen Harrell S★★★from Miami
Shambre Jackson DE★★★from Florida State
Tyler Martin LB★★★from Arizona
Anthony Simpson ATH★★★from Arizona
Jermaine Wiggins Jr. ATH★★★from Arizona
Jerry Roberts LB★★★from Arizona
Mark Pope WR★★★from Jackson State
Jalen John RB★★★from Arizona
Matt Smith TE★★★from Duke
Jackson Paradis RB★★★from Buffalo
Jerrod Cameron Jr. CB★★★from Coastal Carolina

And 9 more, lower-rated or unrated.

Transfers out 19

Josh Wallace CB★★★to Michigan
Josiah Johnson TE★★★to Oklahoma State
Aaron Alexander LB★★★to Michigan State
Max Longman OT★★★to Indiana
Jacob Orlando TE★★★to Buffalo
Chase Brewster QB★★★to Missouri State
Jamir Roberts WR★★★no new school on file
Jermaine Johnson Jr. WR★★★to Duquesne
Joe Horn OL★★★to Maine
Michael Fitzgerald WR★★★no new school on file
Onuma Dieke WR★★★to Elon
Xavier Graham OL★★★no new school on file

And 7 more, lower-rated or unrated.