2001 UMass Minutemen football team

The 2001 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 2001 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. The 2001 season was a difficult one for the Minutemen, as they collected their first losing record since the 1997 season. UMass finished the season with a record of 3–8 overall and 3–6 in conference play.

2001 UMass Minutemen football
Conference	Atlantic 10 Conference
Record	3–8 (3–6 A-10)
Head coach	Mark Whipple (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Neil McGrath (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium

2001 Atlantic 10 Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 11 Hofstra +^		7	–	2					9	–	3
No. 10 Maine +^		7	–	2					9	–	3
No. 20 Villanova +		7	–	2					8	–	3
No. 17 William & Mary +^		7	–	2					8	–	4
No. 21 Rhode Island		6	–	3					8	–	3
Delaware		4	–	5					4	–	6
Northeastern		4	–	5					5	–	6
UMass		3	–	6					3	–	8
Richmond		3	–	6					3	–	8
New Hampshire		2	–	7					4	–	7
James Madison		0	–	9					2	–	9
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	1:00 p.m.	William & Mary	No. 21	McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		L 10–31	8,243
September 8	7:00 p.m.	at Marshall*		Marshall Stadium Huntington, WV	Thundering Herd Network	L 20–49	27,533
September 22	7:00 p.m.	at No. 23 Delaware		Delaware Stadium Newark, DE	CN8	L 7–35	20,372
September 29	6:00 p.m.	at No. 12 Hofstra*		Hofstra Stadium Hempstead, NY	Fox Sports New York	L 6–36	2,995
October 13	1:00 p.m.	New Hampshire		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA (rivalry)		L 24–35	10,117
October 20	1:00 p.m.	James Madison		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		W 43–20	10,264
October 27	1:00 p.m.	at Villanova		Villanova Stadium Villanova, PA		L 13–47	7,897
November 3	12:00 p.m.	Northeastern		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		W 17–10	8,535
November 10	12:00 p.m.	at No. 19 Maine		Alfond Stadium Orono, ME		L 7–37	3,341
November 17	12:00 p.m.	No. 14 Rhode Island		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA	A10 TV	W 24–7	6,085
November 23	12:00 p.m.	Richmond		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		L 7–35	3,582
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time