Rutgers forced to swallow brutal $1.55 million reality

Rutgers football received a potential “next Indiana” label by Urban Meyer just seven months ago. Now the Scarlet Knights got hit with a brutal $1.55 million reality. The Big Ten representative and head coach Greg Schiano took a sucker punch from UMass, that’s why.

The Minutemen rolled into Piscataway, New Jersey and smacked the Scarlet Knights 37-21 on Thursday to kick off the season. But the score isn’t even the only worst part.

College football insider for On3 Brett McMurphy revealed the paycheck attached to the now winning team.

“UMass received $1.55 million from Rutgers to beat the Scarlet Knights,” McMurphy posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.

So the Minutemen walk out more than $1.5 million richer after smashing the Big Ten representative. And UMass turned to familiar tactics seen in that conference.

UMass turned to the ground game to wear down Rutgers, racking up 200 rushing yards. The Knights mustered only 30 ground-based yards in running into the Minutemen’s brick wall.

The Minutemen did more than thrash the run game, though. UMass unleased a fierce pass rush that compiled five sacks total on Rutgers quarterbacks Dylan Lonergan and AJ Surace. Zeruan Daniel swooped up one sack, same with Romando Johnson and Aubrey Melvin. Meanwhile, Khari Bendolph and Hollis Dirstine joined the UMass sack party.

Rutgers failed to take care of the football too, with Lonergan tossing three interceptions. Jahmad Harmon grabbed two of those aerial takeaways.

So Rutgers absorbs the first major upset of the 2026 college football season, which leaves fans wondering if Schiano is past his time.

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