In 1992, the UMass Minutemen football team, led by head coach Jim Reid and quarterback John Kaleo, had a remarkable season, finishing with a 12-3 record and winning the NCAA Division I-AA championship. They defeated the McNeese State Cowboys 24-17 in the championship game, held in Statesboro, Georgia. It was the first national championship in any sport for UMass. The Minutemen were also named the Lambert Cup champions as the top team in the Northeast.