2026 MAC Football Week 6 Game Preview: UMass Minutemen vs. Miami RedHawks

Last week, Miami-UMass looked like a potential MAC Championship Game preview with how the season had gone to that point.

Fast forward a week, and now both teams walk in after shocking losses, making their upcoming matchup more akin to an early MAC Championship elimination game.

UMass lost its most anticipated home game in years, 38-14 to Eastern Michigan, while winless Bowling Green beat Miami on the road 24-20. This week, both teams look to regain momentum and stay on path for a bowl game.

Miami may need this game more than UMass to avoid falling 2-4. However, multiple Chuck Martin-coached teams have clawed back from worse records to make it to the postseason.

Game Notes

• Date and Time: Saturday, Oct. 10th, 2026 at 2 p.m. Eastern time
• Location: McGuirk Stadium in Amherst, Massachusetts
• TV options: The game will stream exclusively on the ESPN+ App. A valid subscription is required for viewing.
• UMass radio:  Jay Burnham (play-by-play) and Matt Goldstein (color) will provide the UMass call for 101.5 WHMP-FM.
• Miami radio: Steve Baker (play-by-play) and Terry Bridge (color) will provide the Miami call for WMOH-AM 1450.
• Gambling Considerations: Miami is a 1.5-point road favorite, with an over/under set around 46.5-47.5 by book, per Covers.
• All-Time Series: Miami leads the all-time series 5-1, with a four-game winning streak (2014-15, 2023-24). The last meeting saw Miami escape with a 23-20 victory on home grounds in 2024.

Miami Outlook

Quarterback injuries have defined Miami's season. David McComb– who was the starter due to Thomas Gotkowski's season-ending injury in fall camps – is now out for the long term, leaving third-stringer Caleb Heavner to start at signalcaller last week. Heavner performed well, throwing for 198 yards and a touchdown, while adding 61 non-sack rushing yards. Non-sack is the key word; Miami allowed six sacks against Bowling Green’s ferocious pass defense.

Heavner faces another formidable pass rush in UMass, which has totaled 11 sacks in five games. The Miami offensive line was mostly solid before the Bowling Green game, allowing six sacks in four games, but new film to study for UMass and an inexperienced QB under center could result in a long day.

Not helping matters is that the run game, which Chuck Martin teams have depended on over the years, has struggled. The RedHawks average 118 non-sack rushing yards per game and fewer than three yards per carry. Rodney Nelson (154 yards, 3.5 yards per attempt), Lazaro Rogers (104 yards, 5.0 yards per carry), and D’Shawntae Jones (72 rushing yards, 2.8 yards per attempt) collectively handle backfield duties. Nelson appears to be emerging as the feature back after receiving 16 of Miami’s 20 rushing attempts against Bowling Green, while Jones and Rogers had two apiece.

On the other hand, Miami has an excellent deep passing game. Damarion Witten (12 receptions for 274 yards) and Maleek Huggins (14 receptions for 262 yards) are two of the best deep threats in the MAC. Lynel Billups-Williams leads the team in receptions with 19 and is a solid possession receiver.

Linebacker Malcolm McCain leads the defense once again after an impactful 2025 season. McCain leads the RedHawks in tackles with 39. His counterpart, Blayne Myrick, has also had a respectable season with 24 tackles and four tackles for loss.

Defensive end Grant Lyons has been an unmistakable presence on the RedHawks’ line. He has three tackles-for-loss and two sacks this season. These stats alone do not encapsulate Lyons’ impact, as he also has six quarterback hurries. The secondary is arguably the RedHawks’ strongest unit. Amariyun Knighten has been excellent in coverage with five pass breakups, while Eli Coppess has three. CJ Young has the RedHawks’ only interception of the season and also has 20 tackles.

Pierce Stainton handles punting duties for Miami. He has averaged 44 yards per punt on 18 kicks, with eight landing inside the 20. Scoop Smith is one of the MAC’s most electrifying return men, with a 98-yard kick-return touchdown against Cincinnati.

UMass Outlook

Eastern Michigan forced the UMass offense out of its comfort zone early, leading to the Minutemen running the ball just 25 times last week, by far their fewest attempts this season. UMass hopes to go back to leaning on its run game against Miami. The Minutemen face a tough RedHawk defense that allows 122 non-sack rushing yards per game.

The running back duo of Curtis Kimmons IV (262 yards) and Elijah Faulkner (246 yards) leads UMass. Quarterback Pop Watson III has also been successful running the ball with 188 non-sack rushing yards on 27 carries for an average of 7.0 yards per carry.

Watson was accurate passing last week, completing 20 of his 27 passes, but it is clear that the Minutemen are a run-first team. Still, Watson has complemented the run game well, completing 74 percent of his passes for 820 yards and seven touchdowns in five games.

T.Y. Harding and Joe Griffin anchor the UMass receiving corps. Harding has 19 receptions for 236 yards, while Griffin averages 17 yards per catch on eight receptions. Jabari Lewis emerged as another viable option last week, with six catches for 102 yards. Tight end Max Dowling is a consistent threat in the passing game with 11 receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Finally, UMass’ pass protection has been exceptional, allowing just three sacks all season.

The Minutemen defense struggled against Eastern Michigan’s run game, allowing 192 rushing yards. UMass hopes to get back on track against Miami’s mediocre run game. Linebacker Timmy Hinspeter leads the defense with 40 tackles. The Minutemen bring a well-rounded pass rush with seven players recording at least one sack this year.

Like Miami, the secondary appears to be the strength of the defense. Jahmad Harmon has three interceptions this season, while Isaiah Reed and JC Clark both have one. Zeraun Daniel, Joshua Iseah, TJ Magee, and Raheim Sexil each have two pass breakups. Zeraun Daniel and Kendall Bournes make significant contributions in the run game, ranking second and fourth on the team in tackles, respectively.

Phillip Edmundson has been excellent punting the ball, averaging 49 yards per punt on 15 kicks, with six 50-yard kicks. Kicker Derek Morris has made seven of his ten kicks, with two makes from over 50 yards. TY Harding has an 82-yard punt return touchdown this year.

Game Outlook

Miami and UMass both need to win this game to keep their Detroit dreams realistic. The game should be close, but Miami’s health concerns at the quarterback position may be too much to overcome. If UMass’ running game is able to take control of the game early, Miami could have trouble mounting a comeback.

Prediction:UMass 24, Miami 21