What time is Rutgers vs. UMass? Date, TV, prediction for Week 1 game
The Rutgers football team opens its season Sept. 3 against UMass at SHI Stadium in Week 1 of the college football season. Here's how to watch.
Rutgers football kicked off its 2026 season by hosting the UMass Minutemen in Week 1 on Thursday, September 3rd. The game will be held at SHI Stadium in Piscataway and will air on the Big Ten Network. It will also be streamed on Fubo, which provides a free trial for new subscribers. The play-by-play will be provided by Jason Horowitz, with Anthony Herron serving as an analyst, and Dannie Rogers will report from the sidelines.
UMass, which struggled last season with a 0-12 record, is expected to face a significant challenge against the Scarlet Knights. The new head coach of UMass, Joe Harasymiak, is a former Rutgers defensive coordinator and is in his second season at the helm of the Minutemen. UMass' struggles last season have led to a game where the Scarlet Knights will look to bounce back from their 5-7 campaign and return to bowl eligibility.
The Scarlet Knights will be deploying a new starting quarterback, Dylan Lonergan, who has replaced Athan Kaliakmanis who is now playing for the Washington Commanders. Lonergan, a Boston College transfer, has battled AJ Surace throughout spring practices and training camp but was announced as the winner of the job last week. This game will provide Lonergan with an opportunity to take command of the offense and face Big Ten defenses in a non-conference tune-up game.
The defense will also be making its debut under Travis Johansen, who was brought in by head coach Greg Schiano following a disappointing defensive season. Johansen will be overseeing a mix of returning players and a large number of transfers at each level of the unit.
With the Scarlet Knights looking to bounce back and return to bowl eligibility, this game will be a crucial one for the team. A strong performance against UMass could provide the Scarlet Knights with the momentum needed to build up a big first-half lead, with Antwan Raymond delivering punishing runs against the UMass defense. Lonergan is expected to connect with his receivers early and often, while the new-look Rutgers defense holds down the Minutemen's offense.
If the Scarlet Knights are to win, ideally, they will look to use this game as an opportunity to get their younger players some action in the second half.
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