AMHERST, Mass. — BYU did something it hasn’t done before Saturday — it played college football here.
In 2016 and 2017, BYU and the University of Massachusetts — two independent schools in the FBS — competed in Provo. Last season, they battled it out at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
But this year, BYU made its way to McGuirk Alumni Stadium to play the Minutemen. Given the rarity of the moment, this reporter talked to numerous UMass fans and asked what they might know about BYU football, the Cougars and even Provo.
A group of four women there to see their friend play? They said they didn’t know anything about BYU.
Two young college-aged students? Nope. Nothing.
Two fans who came to watch the game as something to do on a Saturday? Nothing.
But conversations with older college football fans and UMass alumni revealed some knowledge of BYU and its storied history.
Lyman Golding, a former UMass season ticket holder, told this reporter that he had “a narrow impression of BYU as a very responsible, respectable school, making the decision, like UMass, to play independent football.”
He called BYU “a very fine institution” with a “good set of moral values that you wouldn’t find in a lot of schools.”
Golding said he was impressed by the DJ playing at the BYU tailgate. He went over to say hello.
At the UMass tailgate, there were UMass alumni standing over a cooler of beer. When asked about BYU, they reminisced about the days of Steve Young and Jim McMahon. One of the alumni, dressed in a UMass sweatshirt and white turtleneck, said BYU is known for “great football” and that “bringing them to UMass is a great thing.”
The group of men threw out a number of phrases to describe BYU, including, “great academics,” “student athletes” and “Mormon university.”
They had heard “good things about the head coach,” Kalani Sitake, too.
Scott Tomlison, a youth football coach from Ohio and father of UMass offensive lineman Dalton Tomlison, said he didn’t know much about BYU, though.
“I saw BYU start out hot. ... They just got their quarterback last week,” he said.
He said he had no idea about the Honor Code.
“They had Jim McMahon, didn’t they?”
“I know a little bit, but I don’t follow the West Coast a whole lot,” he said.
Joe Degiacomo might be the most knowledgeable of all the fans this reporter spoke with.
“I know the school. I watch some of their games,” he said. “They have a lot of fun”
“They have a good football program,” he added. “They have a good team and I hope they take it easy today.”
He said he has watched BYU on TV, calling them “a good team to watch.”
As for BYU’s Honor Code and values?
“I’m from the old school. As you can tell, age,” he said, laughing. “There should be policies in place and (players should) abide by them.”
Westfield State University alum Mike Noonan, like Degiacomo, knew BYU fairly well.
“I can’t believe BYU came here and is playing here.” he said.
Noonan said he remembers the day of Robbie Bosco and recognized the team from the ‘70s and ‘80s, mostly.
“I don’t know if they were No. 1 in the country but they were one of the best teams in the country.” he said. “I’m excited to see them. I love college football. It’s really cool.”
“New England college sports, as big as it is, the Big Ten, the SEC, BYU, whatever. I’m excited to see them play. I’m real excited.”