Call it a force of habit.
A month ago, the University of the Philippines (UP) Men’s Football Team (MFT) was crowned University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 champions in dramatic circumstances, beating the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in an extra-time showdown at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on Feb. 23.
With its second title in three years, the UP MFT finally reestablished itself as the one to beat in the UAAP. Brushing off the cobwebs, UP emerged from the pandemic with Popoy Clarino at the helm and won the Season 86 Championship in 2024, its first title in 6 years.
After a heartbreaking elimination in Season 87, the Fighting Maroons are back at the summit and have no plans to stop there.
85: Brothers embattled
Captain: Karl Bugayong
Placement: Fifth Place (3-7-2 Eliminations Record)
In their return from the pandemic to the pitch, a resounding 3-0 victory over the Adamson Soaring Falcons put head coach Anto Gonzales and his stalwarts off to a fantastic start to quench a five-year Finals drought for the Fighting Maroons.
This early spark was unfortunately doused by setbacks, leaving UP riddled with defeats and deadlocks that dropped them below the Final Four threshold after the first round.
The brotherhood pushed on as they took key wins over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Adamson in the second round to put themselves within reach of a fourth-place berth. A win in their last elimination game against reigning titlists FEU Tamaraws could have been their last token to march onto the playoffs train.
Then, tragedy struck.
As the final gameday approached, the UP MFT took a heartbreaking jab as they lost one of their reserves, Yoro Sangare, just hours before kickoff.
With the season on the line, State U displayed the highest form of courage and left everything it had on the field but was ultimately denied its Final Four hopes as it took a 2-2 draw and snapped its nine-year postseason streak.
86: For Yoro, For Rogie
Captain: Macky Tobias
Placement: Champions (vs. FEU Tamaraws)
As the aftermath of last season’s devastating conclusion lingers, the UP collective gathered these woes as fuel to rekindle a fire lighting up their path towards the mountaintop — not for glory but to honor those who believed.
Their newfound purpose came alongside fresh changes with Popoy Clarino taking up the coaching reins and the emergence of Fonzy Gonzalez and Ramil Bation III that put the league on notice.
They finessed their way through the eliminations with a 9-0-3 record, securing a second-place finish and their return to the Final Four.
The Diliman-based squad was pushed to its limits by the UST Golden Booters in a three-hour semifinal slugfest that went down to penalties. Angelo Pagdanganan’s goal lifted the maroon-and-white shirts to the Final, where they dethroned reigning champions FEU Tamaraws in 1-0 fashion to claim their 19th championship.
Bation took home Rookie of the Year honors and shared the Golden Boot with Ateneo’s Kofi Agyei. Meanwhile, team captain Macky Tobias was hailed as Best Midfielder on top of his title-clinching penalty in the Final as forward Francis Tacardon was named as Best Striker and the league’s MVP.
Aside from the school’s badge imprinted on their chest, the team has kept a promise close to their hearts: paying respects to their departed brothers Yoro and Rogie Maglinas from their first kickoff until lifting the trophy in front of the State U faithful.
87: Feet on the Ground
Captain: Macky Tobias
Placement: 3rd Place (Semifinals vs. FEU Tamaraws)
With the UAAP crown back in Diliman for the first time since 2018, UP would have to fight to hold onto it. In the midst of a roster overhaul, the lineup saw thirteen players departing, including veteran defender Giap Bongolan and Season 86 Finals MVP Francis Tacardon.
Missing championship-winning cogs and overwhelmed by the bevy of roster changes, the Maroons started their title defense on the wrong foot. They yielded to a Kyler Escobar-led UST on the opening matchday before being thwarted by cross-town rivals Ateneo in a heated derby.
But as all true champions do, UP bounced back.
With captain Macky Tobias at the helm, the maroon shirts triumphed over the University of the East in their next game, embarking on a nine-match unbeaten run that propelled the team to second in the standings.
The defending champions had picked up steam at just the right time, nabbing an emphatic 6-1 revenge win over UST and dominating the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Booters 7-0 to end the elimination round in high spirits.
Standing in UP’s way in the semis once more were perennial title favorites and last season’s also-rans FEU. With coach Popoy Clarino sent off after an altercation with Tamaraws captain Mel Baylon, the Maroons struggled to resuscitate the magic of Season 86 as a late Karl Absalon goal saw their title defense come to a screeching halt.
88: Eyes on the Sky
Captain: Charles Lobitaña
Placement: Champions (vs. FEU Tamaraws)
The growing pains now a thing of the past, the Fighting Maroons would flex their championship-winning muscles once more in Season 88.
Skipper Macky Tobias bid farewell to the team and taking his place were defenders Josh Meriño and Jian Caraig, whose rookie status belied the wealth of national team experience under their belts.
With a roster overflowing with talent, UP cruised to its best UAAP campaign since Season 80, amassing 29 points and topping the elimination round. Their only loss, the elimination round-ender against DLSU, was the lone stain in an otherwise clean slate, which included dramatic late victories against UST and Ateneo.
Facing the Green Booters once more in the semis, State U put last season’s demons to rest in the most dramatic of fashions, as Bation curled in a spectacular free kick from way out to send them back to the Final and give them another shot at reclaiming the throne.
Old foes welcomed UP in the Final as it locked horns once more with FEU. A goal down in the dying minutes, history threatened to repeat itself until Florenz Tacardon won a penalty late in the game. Charles Lobitaña converted the spot kick with composure to force extra time, where Bation repeated his semifinal goalscoring heroics to send the Maroons into seventh heaven.
After earning their 20th championship, the second-most in the men’s division, the Diliman-based squad is a living example of endurance — that hardships build up character as legacies are meant to last.
As Season 89 rolls up, a familiar challenge opens for the maroon-and-white core after seizing the crown: making sure that it stays in Diliman.
