0 1 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁( UM ass ), ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁non - football ▁Atlantic ▁ 1 0 ▁Conference ▁and ▁a ▁football - only ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Athlet ic ▁Association , ▁will ▁move ▁for ▁football ▁only ▁to ▁the ▁Mid - American ▁Conference ▁effective ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁The ▁Min ut emen ▁became ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁the ▁conference ▁championship ▁upon ▁completion ▁of ▁their ▁F BS ▁transition ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁As ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁process , ▁U M ass ▁moved ▁its ▁home ▁games ▁from ▁its ▁on - camp us ▁Warren ▁Mc Gu irk ▁Al umn i ▁Stadium ▁to ▁G illet te ▁Stadium ▁in ▁Fox borough , ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁England ▁Patri ots , ▁starting ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁In ▁the ▁meant ime , ▁Mc Gu irk ▁Stadium ▁was ▁to ▁under go ▁a ▁major ▁expansion , ▁adding ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁seats ▁to ▁its ▁current ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 1 7 , 0 0 0 , ▁though ▁in ▁the ▁end ▁the ▁renov ation ▁plans ▁were ▁scale d ▁back , ▁as ▁the ▁stad ium ▁re open ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁with ▁essentially ▁no ▁increase ▁in ▁capacity . ▁U M ass ▁hoped ▁to ▁move ▁some ▁home ▁games ▁back ▁to ▁campus ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 2 0 1 4 ; ▁it ▁was ▁contract ually ▁committed ▁to ▁play ▁all ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁home ▁games , ▁plus ▁at