The UMass Minutemen are set to join the MAC in 2012, ESPN has reported. UMass will join the conference in football only and will be the 14th member.

UMass is currently a member of the Colonial Athletic Association in the Football Championship Subdivison (FCS) and will play their 2011 season at that level. They will play a full MAC schedule in 2012 and will be eligible for the MAC Championship Game and bowls beginning with the 2013 season.

With the addition of Massachusetts, the MAC will have 14 football schools for the 2012 season. A realignment of the MAC divisions will likely occur since there are seven teams in the East and only six teams in the West.

UMass has been playing football since 1879 and has compiled an overall record of 551-524-51. The Minutemen have capture a total of 20 outright or shared conference titles and one national title.

Check out our new UMass Minutemen football schedules page. Future schedules will be added as they are announced.

Update:

For the 2011 season UMass will play four home games at McGuirk Alumni Stadium and one game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The game versus New Hampshire, known as the “Colonial Clash,” will be played on October 22, 2011 at Gillette.

For 2012 and 2013, UMass will play all of its home games at Gillette Stadium. After that, UMass will play a minimum of four home games at Gillette Stadium through the 2016 season. Following that five-year agreement, there will be an option for additional home games to be played at Gillette.