I like to think I’m clever when it comes to names for these but I gave up on that after trying to think of a craft name for game number ten. However, milestone game #5 could be called “Transition Triumph!” We’re headed back to September 2, 2017. Coastal hosted UMass and won 38-28. As CCU transitioned into the FBS level of football, they were victorious in the first ever FBS head to head matchup.
It could be said that this is the quietest massive milestone in program history. The game itself was like any other I had ever attended. Not much fan fare, we felt UMass was a team that we could beat, and confidence was high that day. This wasn’t a seismic shift in a rivalry, a win over a sexy opponent, or even a playoff win (like we would have had on the FBS level) but it was a milestone that proved to be true in regards to timing, transition, and identity.
It’s a milestone game because it was the first ever over an FBS program. Entering into the FBS era, many of us had questions on whether or not we could compete, was the jump too soon, or would we lose the momentum we’d gained in FCS. I recall having these fears in the days after the announcement and prior to fielding the team that season. If CCU would have lost, it would have been easy to say “See? They don’t belong.” This game was a foundational moment in Coastal football history. Another factor was that Coach Jamey Chadwell had taken over the reigns due to Coach Moglia’s health issues. Needless to say in that time, it was tumultuous due to Coach Moglia’s health.
UMass wasn’t an elite team. Let’s be honest here. This game largely rests on its symbolism. Coastal basically beat a team that was physically bigger than they were and score 38 points in the process. Osharmar Abercrombie led CCU with seventeen carries for 149 yards. Coastal held the advantage in time of possession by nine minutes. Coastal recovered a UMass fumble and punched it in the end zone after Dalton Demos scored on a one yard run. Demos would score again and Abercrombie would add one as well. The Chants were up 21-14 at the half. Tyler Keane would hit Chris Jones for a touchdown pass to extend the score to 31-21.
The 2017 win over UMass stands as the fifth-biggest milestone in Coastal Carolina football history because it marked the exact moment the Chanticleers proved they belonged on the FBS stage. It wasn’t just a victory—it was a declaration that the program Moglia built and Chadwell guided could compete, adapt, and thrive at the highest level of college football. With over 300 rushing yards, explosive plays, and a poised response each time UMass challenged, Coastal didn’t sneak past an FBS opponent—they out-played one. That first FBS win ignited the confidence, credibility, and momentum that would eventually fuel playoff runs, ranked seasons, and national recognition. In the story of Coastal football, this game is the chapter where the Chanticleers officially stepped into the big leagues and never looked back.