- Matchup: UMass Minutemen vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026
- Venue: SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ
- Broadcast: BTN
- Betting Odds: Scarlet Knights favored by 29.5 points
- Over/Under Total: 51.5
This page may include affiliate links at no extra cost to you, thanks for your support.
The UMass Minutemen, coming off a challenging season with an 0-12 record, will face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who finished last year at 5-7, at SHI Stadium on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The Scarlet Knights are opening as significant favorites, with odds set at 29.5 points. The total for the game is set at 51.5 points.
In their previous outing, the UMass Minutemen concluded a tough season with a loss against the Bowling Green Falcons, finalizing at 45-14. Throughout the match, UMass managed 64 offensive plays for a total of 292 yards. The Minutemen attempted 29 rushing plays, netting 69 yards at an average of 2.4 yards per carry. Defensively, they struggled significantly, allowing 278 yards on 48 attempts, equating to 5.8 yards per rush. In passing defense, they conceded just 7 completions out of 9 attempts for 128 yards, yielding a completion percentage of 77.8%.
Over the course of the last season, UMass produced 2,970 total yards. The team achieved 8 passing touchdowns and 6 rushing touchdowns while fumbling the ball 12 times. The Minutemen secured 186 first downs offensively and incurred 62 penalties for a total of 497 penalty yards. Their rushing average of 82.4 yards per game saw them ranked 133rd nationwide. On the scoring front, they averaged a mere 11.1 points per game.
Defensively, UMass allowed 2,550 passing yards, ranking them 38th in the nation. An average of 212.5 passing yards were conceded per game with a completion rate against them of 67.3%. They ranked 129th for total yards allowed per contest, giving up 433.8 yards each game. The defense allowed 29 passing touchdowns along with 30 rushing touchdowns, yielding 5.0 yards per carry and a total of 221.3 rushing yards per game, adding up to 2,656 rushing yards surrendered over the season. UMass was rated 136th for team defense, giving up an average of 38.6 points per game.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights wrapped up their season with a 5-7 record. In their final game of the season, they faced off against the Penn State Nittany Lions, coming up short with a score of 40-36. Rutgers recorded 4.6 yards per rushing attempt, totaling 195 yards across 42 carries. They generated 533 total yards while running 64 plays, averaging 8.3 yards per play. Defensively, Rutgers struggled, allowing an 81.0% completion rate, yielding 209 yards on 17 of 21 passing attempts. Against the run, they conceded 300 yards on 33 rushing attempts, averaging 9.1 yards per carry.
The Scarlet Knights’ offense averaged 407.1 yards per game, placing them 44th in the nation. They incurred 391 penalty yards through 49 infractions, earning a rank of 132nd for mistakes. Rutgers averaged 141.0 rushing yards per game, totaling 1,692 yards for the season. They committed 7 interceptions while allowing 4 fumbles to be recovered by opponents, completing a total of 280 first downs. Scoring-wise, Rutgers ranked 60th in Division 1 with an average of 28.7 points per game. Last season, they compiled 3,193 passing yards, averaging 266.1 yards passing per game, placing them at 26th in Division 1.
The Scarlet Knights defended against 31.8 points per game, which ranked them 118th in D-1 football. They allowed a total of 2,519 rushing yards (209.9 yards per game) and 25 rushing touchdowns throughout the season. Additionally, their pass defense struggled, allowing 23 touchdowns and conceding an average of 222.9 yards per game, which wrapped them up at 77th in the country. Rutgers faced 683 plays from opposing offenses, ranking 1st in Division 1. Their defense managed to recover 6 fumbles and snag 5 interceptions last season, culminating in a total of 382 points allowed.
Who will take home the victory in tonight’s college football showdown: the Minutemen or the Scarlet Knights?
Prediction: Bet on the Minutemen +29.5
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission always at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping us keep this site running.
