SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — William Watson III threw a touchdown pass and ran for two more scores to lead Massachusetts to a 35-6 victory over Sacramento State on Saturday night.

Watson was 11-of-16 passing for 101 yards and he carried the ball seven times for 72 yards for UMass in their Mid-American Conference opener. The Minutemen are 4-0 for the first time since 2007.

Watson capped the Minutemen's opening drive with a 13-yard touchdown run, and his 32-yard TD run made it 14-3 early in the second quarter. Watson's 7-yard touchdown pass to Max Dowling gave the Minutemen a 21-6 lead heading into the break.

Timmy Hinspeter intercepted a Jackson Sharmann pass and returned the ball 49 yards into the end zone to stretch the Minutemen's lead to 28-6 early in the third quarter. Kezion Dia-Johnson ended the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run.

Sharman was 24-of-43 passing for 221 yards for Sacramento State (1-4, 0-2).

Up next

UMass: Hosts Eastern Michigan on Saturday.

Sacramento State: At Bowling Green on Oct. 10.

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