2002 UMass Minutemen football team

The 2002 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 2002 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 2002 season saw UMass return to the top half of the conference, as they finished the season with a record of 8–4 overall and 6–3 in conference play.

2002 UMass Minutemen football
Conference	Atlantic 10 Conference
Record	8–4 (6–3 A-10)
Head coach	Mark Whipple (5th season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Neil McGrath (3rd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium

2002 Atlantic 10 Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 6 Maine $^		7	–	2					11	–	3
No. 11 Northeastern $^		7	–	2					10	–	3
No. 4 Villanova ^		6	–	3					11	–	4
UMass		6	–	3					8	–	4
William & Mary		5	–	4					6	–	5
Richmond		4	–	5					4	–	7
Delaware		4	–	5					6	–	6
Hofstra		4	–	5					6	–	6
James Madison		4	–	6					5	–	7
New Hampshire		2	–	7					3	–	8
Rhode Island		1	–	8					3	–	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 7	1:00 p.m.	Central Connecticut State*		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		W 52–3	8,103
September 14	1:00 p.m.	American International*		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		W 42–13	7,064
September 21	12:30 p.m.	at No. 18 Northeastern		Parsons Field Brookline, MA		L 17–42	6,651
September 28	1:00 p.m.	at No. 17 (I-A) NC State*		Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC		L 24–56	51,221
October 5	3:00 p.m.	at Richmond		UR Stadium Richmond, VA		W 34–13	6,927
October 12	1:00 p.m.	No. 2 Maine		McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		W 20–10	5,183
October 19	1:00 p.m.	No. 4 Villanova	No. 20	McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		W 17–16	11,208
October 25	3:30 p.m.	at James Madison	No. 16	Bridgeforth Stadium Harrisonburg, VA		W 14–7	11,567
November 2	12:00 p.m.	Delaware	No. 13	McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA		W 17–7	11,553
November 9	12:00 p.m.	at New Hampshire	No. 12	Cowell Stadium Durham, NH (rivalry)		L 14–31	3,686
November 16	12:00 p.m.	Hofstra	No. 19	McGuirk Stadium Hadley, MA	A10 TV	L 28–31	5,090
November 23	12:00 p.m.	at Rhode Island		Meade Stadium Kingston, RI		W 48–21	2,501
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time