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AKRON, OH - NOVEMBER 04: Akron Zips defensive back Malcom DeWalt IV (17) tackles UMass Minutemen quarterback Grant Jordan (9) during the first quarter of the college football game between the UMass Minutemen and Akron Zips on November 4, 2025, at Summa Field at InfoCision Stadium in Akron, OH.
(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Rutgers football 2026 season is set to kick off in just under 2 months, meaning that it is time to start looking at the opponents the Scarlet Knights have on the schedule.
First up on the slate is the UMass Minutemen, who Rutgers will be taking on Thursday, June 3 at 6 p.m.
UMass is led by second-year head coach and former Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak.
The Minutemen did not win a single game during Harasymiaks first year with the team, even falling to 3-9 FCS Bryant by one point.
The Minutemens starting quarterback for most of last season was AJ Hairston, although he did miss a few games at the end of the season with an injury.
Last year as a freshman, he totaled 957 passing yards, four touchdowns, and four sacks while completing 49.5% of his passes.
However, after just one season with the program, Hairston opted to transfer to Merrimack.
His backup, Grant Jordan, decided to transfer elsewhere as well.
That leaves junior quarterback Brandon Rose as the only UMass quarterback to get playing time with the team last year.
Rose started two games last year and ended the season with 424 passing yards and one touchdown against three interceptions.
He also posted a 59.1 percent completion percentage.
UMass also added Virginia Tech transfer Pop Watson III in the portal.
He has a total of 558 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions over three seasons with the Hokies.
UMass leading rusher, Brandon Hood, transferred out after last season, leaving Rocko Griffin as their best returning running back.
Griffin recorded 53 carries for 246 yards and 2 touchdowns last season while averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
UMass also brought in former Marshal running back Justin Williams-Thomas, who carried the ball 35 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry for the Thundering Herd last season.
Arguably the most productive player on offense for the Minutemen last season was wide receiver Jacquon Gibson.
He has since transferred out of the program, meaning that wide receiver Donnie Gray was the most productive pass catcher from last season that is still on the team.
Last year, Gray made 27 catches for 260 yards.
UMass does return its touchdown catch leader from last season, tight end Max Dowling, who caught the ball 20 times for 199 yards, and three touchdowns.
In the transfer portal, UMass brought in three wide receivers, the most intriguing of whom is Joseph Griffin Jr.
Griffin is transferring to UMass after playing at Wisconsin, where he recorded one catch for five yards.
However, before joining the Badgers, Griffin spent two years at Boston College, where he recorded 43 catches for 579 yards and six touchdowns.
On defense, the Minutemen are returning their tackles leader from last season, Tyler Martin, who recorded a total of 104 tackles.
However, they are losing their sack leader from last season, Marquise White, to the transfer portal.
The Minutemen are getting three Power Four transfers on the defensive line: sophomore Andrew Depaepe and freshman William Depaepe from Indiana, and Kamarion Thomas from North Carolina.
The Depaepe brothers combined for three tackles and one sack during their time at Indiana, while Thomas did not record a stat during his lone freshman season with the Tar Heels.
UMass leading tackler in their secondary last season, safety Zeraun Daniel, is returning to the team as well UMass was one of, if not the worst, teams in the entire FBS last season.
They havent made any earth-shattering move in the off-season to suggest things are going to be much different next season either.
Rutgers will more than likely run away with this one by a minimum of three touchdowns.
We will have an article with our individual score predictions for this game at a later date.