RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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PISCATAWAY – After a long training camp that was defined by a quarterback competition and a revamped defense , Rutgers football is finally set to start its season.
And it’ll be doing so against a familiar face.
The Scarlet Knights kick off the 2026 season by hosting UMass in Week 1 of the college football season on Thursday, Sept. 3 at SHI Stadium.
The head coach of UMass?
Former Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak, a Waldwick native in his second season at the helm of the Minutemen after spending three seasons on Greg Schiano’s coaching staff.
UMass struggled badly last season, going 0-12 as one of the worst FBS teams in the nation.
Rutgers is looking to bounce back from a 5-7 campaign and return to bowl eligibility.
Winning all three of its non-conference games will be crucial, and that starts against UMass.
On paper, this should be a lopsided game.
The Scarlet Knights will be deploying a new starting quarterback in Dylan Lonergan, who takes over as QB1 to replace Athan Kaliakmanis, now in the NFL with the Washington Commanders.
Lonergan, a Boston College transfer, battled AJ Surace throughout spring practices and training camp but learned last week he had won the job.
This will be a good chance for Lonergan to take command of the offense and in a game setting – he’ll be facing Big Ten defenses not long from now, so these non-conference tune-ups are critical for settling into his new role.
As for the defense, it’ll be the first chance for fans to see Travis Johansen’s unit – Schiano brought Johansen in this offseason after dismissing Robb Smith and Zach Sparber following a hugely disappointing defensive season.
The defense is now made up of a mix of returning players (such as DL Zaire Angoy and Keshon Griffin, as well as linebackers Moses Walker and Abram Wright) and a large number of transfers at each level of the unit.
Rutgers football schedule: Scarlet Knights' next game
Rutgers hosts UMass on Thursday, Sept. 3 in its Week 1 game. It'll be shown on the Big Ten Network.
What time is Rutgers vs. UMass?
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
What channel is Rutgers vs. UMass on?
The game will be shown on the Big Ten Network. It'll also be streamed on Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Jason Horowitz will be on play-by-play alongside analyst Anthony Herron with Dannie Rogers reporting from the sidelines.
Rutgers vs. UMass prediction
Harasymiak might be familiar with what Schiano and offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca will be looking to do, but there's only so far that can go. The disparity in talent and experience is going to stand out. UMass went 0-12 last year, and it just doesn't have the players who stack up with the Scarlet Knights physically over the course of a game. This should be a game where the Scarlet Knights build up a big first-half lead with Antwan Raymond delivering punishing runs against the UMass defense, Lonergan connecting with his receivers early and often and the new-look Rutgers defense holding down the Minutemen's offense. Ideally for the Scarlet Knights this will be a chance to get their younger players some action in the second half.
Score prediction: Rutgers 49, UMass 10
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This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: What time is Rutgers vs. UMass? Date, TV, prediction for Week 1 game
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