Watson paces UMass in 36-14 win over Stonehill to get Minutemen to 3-0 for first time since '07

AMHERST, Mass. -- — William Watson III threw for a touchdown and ran for another as UMass beat Stonehill 36-14 on Saturday. With the win, the Minutemen started 3-0 for the first time since joining the Bowl Subdivision in 2011. UMass led 3-0 after Stonehill fumbled the ball away on the third play of the game's first drive. Derek Morris kicked a 30-yard field three minutes in. Stonehill of the Championship Subdivision responded on the next drive with a six-play, 75-yard drive that ended when Jack O'Connell threw a 13-yard touchdown to Alijah Turner for the Skyhawks' (1-3) only lead of the game. UMass reclaimed the lead on the following drive when T.Y. Harding scored on a 56-yard run to end a five-play, 72-yard drive. Morris closed the first quarter with a 55-yard field goal to extend the margin to 13-7. After a scoreless second, Curtis Kimmons IV plowed in from the 1 with 9:31 left in third for a 19-7 advantage after the two-point conversion attempt failed. Morris added a 33-yard field goal near the end of the quarter to make it 22-7. William Watson III crashed in from the 1 early in the fourth and later threw a 51-yard touchdown to Harding for 36-7 lead. Up next Stonelhill: Travels to face Ohio next Saturday. UMass: Heads to the west coast to take on Sacramento State to begin Mid-American Conference play next Saturday. ------ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here.