Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano expressed surprise following his team's 37-21 upset loss to UMass in their season opener on Sept. 3, 2026. The Scarlet Knights were heavily favored against a UMass program that finished the previous season with an 0-12 record and entered the game as 29.5-point underdogs.

"I’m in charge of all the coaches. I’m in charge of all the players. So when you come out and lay an egg like we did opening night, I thought we had a great training camp. Never saw it coming. I’ve been doing this a long time," Schiano stated in his postgame press conference. "I didn’t expect that at all. Now, again, I don’t say congratulations to Coach [Joe] Harasymiak and UMass lightly."

Rutgers, who paid a reported $1.55 million to host the game, found themselves trailing after a second quarter in which UMass scored 17 unanswered points. The Minutemen extended their lead throughout the second half, ultimately securing the 37-21 victory.

Starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan, in his first year with Rutgers after transferring from Alabama and Boston College, struggled. He completed 16 of 29 passes for two touchdowns but threw three interceptions and fumbled once. AJ Surace took over on the final drive, leading the team to a touchdown.

The Rutgers defense also faltered, allowing 397 yards and failing to force a turnover. Receiver KJ Duff was a bright spot for the Scarlet Knights, catching nine passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns.

Schiano, who returned to Rutgers in 2020 and led the team to winning seasons in 2023 and 2024, including a Pinstripe Bowl victory, acknowledged the team's recent drop to a 5-7 record last year. Despite the unexpected loss, he expressed confidence in the team's ability to recover.

"I’ve been down this road before. We know our way out," Schiano said. "We’re going to chop our way out of this and we’re going to be a good football team. So again, if I didn’t believe in the people downstairs, I wouldn’t say that. I’d say, ‘Hey, things have gone awry,’ but that’s not how I feel."

Rutgers will have an opportunity to rebound when they face Boston College next Friday.