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· collected 2026-09-04 · by Everett Merrill The Associated Press
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was defeated by his own team in a stunning season-opening loss to underdog UMass, ending a 16-game losing streak. The Minutemen, led by quarterback Pop Watson III, accumulated 397 yards and forced five turnovers en route to a 37-21 victory. Rutgers' star player KJ Duff had a career-high nine receptions and three touchdowns, but the team's overall performance was disappointing. Schiano took responsibility for the loss, stating "I didn't have them ready to play" and that he was outcoached by his former defensive coordinator Joe Harasmyiak.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Greg Schiano, the coach of Rutgers' football team, is facing scrutiny after his team's surprising opening loss to UMass. The Minutemen, who were a 29 1/2-point underdog, beat the Scarlet Knights 37-21 on Thursday night, ending their 16-game losing streak and securing a win over an FBS program for the first time since 2022. This victory was also significant as it marked UMass' first win over a Power Four opponent. Rutgers had started strongly with a touchdown on its opening drive, but UMass then scored 30 straight points, taking control of the game. The Minutemen's offense averaged 11.1 points per game last season, the lowest among FBS schools, making their performance against Rutgers all the more impressive. Coach Schiano admitted that he was "outcoached" and "we were outplayed", and expressed surprise at the loss, saying "I didn't have them ready to play".
Written for “Rutgers Football Loss” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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No political leaning scored for article 4224 · logged 2026-09-05
Yet after a stunning season-opening home loss to underdog UMass he is under the microscope.
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he → open → microscope
UMass, a 29 1/2-point underdog, beat the Scarlet Knights 37-21 on Thursday night, ending the nation’s longest losing streak at 16 games.
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UMass → beat → games
Rutgers wasn’t just beaten on the scoreboard.
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Rutgers → beat → scoreboard
It took a statistical beating, too.
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It → take → beating
UMass piled up 397 yards and forced five turnovers in defeating an FBS program for the first time since 2022.
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UMass → pile → 2022
Rutgers started quickly, scoring on its opening drive.
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Rutgers → start → drive
Then, UMass took control by scoring 30 straight points.
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UMass → take → points
The Minutemen averaged 11.1 points per game last season, the lowest among the 134 FBS schools.
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Minutemen → average → schools
“I didn’t have them (Rutgers) ready to play,” Schiano admitted.
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Schiano → have → ?
“I’m in charge of all the coaches.
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I → ’m → coaches
I’m in charge of all the players.
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I → ’m → players
So, when we come out and lay an egg like we did opening night — I thought we had a great training camp.
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we → come → camp
“Never saw it coming, and I’ve been doing this a long time.
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I → see → this
I didn’t expect that at all.
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I → expect → that
I was outcoached and we were outplayed.”
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we → outcoache → ?
Schiano was outcoached by his former defensive coordinator from 2022-24, Joe Harasmyiak.
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Schiano → outcoache → 2022
Schiano’s team was outplayed by a UMass roster filled with 56 new players, including 30 transfers and 26 freshmen.
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team → outplay → transfers
Schiano, considered a defensive-minded coach, rebuilt the defense for the second straight season.
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Schiano → consider → season
There were 10 new starters against UMass and the Scarlet Knights’ secondary was vulnerable.
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secondary → be → UMass
UMass quarterback Pop Watson III was hardly harassed in passing for 197 yards and three touchdowns.
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III → harass → yards
The junior playmaker and potential first-round NFL pick finished with a career-high nine receptions and three touchdowns, totaling 196 receiving yards.
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playmaker → finish → yards
Seventy-eight of those yards came after the catch.
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eight → come → catch
“This is the first game of a long year,” Duff said.
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Duff → say → year
“We know that’s not us.”
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that → know → ?
Schiano is 99-109 in his 17 years — over two stints — at Rutgers and is the highest-paid public employee in New Jersey, earning $6.75 million this season.
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Schiano → pay → million
In spite of his moderate success, Schiano has mostly enjoyed the support of Scarlet Knights fans.
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Schiano → enjoy → fans
That changed late in the game Thursday night when “Fire Schiano!” chants rang out among the sparse crowd that remained at SHI Stadium.
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that → change → Stadium
“We’re going to chop our way out of this, and we’re going to be a good football team,” Schiano said.
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Schiano → go → this
“If I didn’t believe in the people downstairs, I wouldn’t say that.
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I → believe → that
I’d say, ‘Hey things have gone awry.’
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things → say → ?
But that’s not how I feel.
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I → ’ → ?
That’s not what I believe.”
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I → ’ → what
Rutgers is at Boston College on Sept. 11th for the Eagles’ annual “Red Bandana’’ game honoring Welles Crowther, a former lacrosse player at the school and volunteer firefighter who is credited for saving lives on 9/11 while wearing a red bandana.
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who → honor → bandana
