UMass Exploring A Move to D1-A

Earlier this week, the University of Massachusetts announced that they were forming a special taskforce to explore whether to move to the Football Bowl Subdivision. For those of you out there, like me, that may not be so familiar with "the Football Bowl Subdivision," it is what was previously known as Division 1-A. UMass previously examined the move to D1-A in 2003 before deciding to remain at D1-AA. The University of Massachusetts system is comprised of five different campus locations with roughly 60,000 students. UMass Amherst is the flagship and largest within the system and the home of the current UMass football team. The 2006 Minutemen were 13-2 and lost to Appalachian State in the national championship game. Western Kentucky University is the most recent program to attempt to make the move from D1-AA to D1-A. In November of 2006, their Board of Regents voted to make the move and, provided that they meet the minimum requirements, they will begin D1-A play in 2009.