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Rutgers hosts fireworks show after loss to UMass in season opener
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- Rutgers football paid $1.55 million to play UMass on Sept. 3, but lost 37-21, ending UMass's 16-game losing streak and marking a shocking defeat for the Scarlet Knights.
- The loss came in Greg Schiano's seventh season as Rutgers head coach, immediately putting him on the hot seat given the program's struggles since his first tenure.
- Rutgers was heavily favored by 29.5 points, making the defeat to a historically weak UMass team, which has a 26-134 record since joining FBS in 2012, especially damaging.
- Despite the loss, Rutgers proceeded with a subdued fireworks show at SHI Stadium, underscoring the bleak start to their season.
- This defeat highlights ongoing challenges for Rutgers football, a program with a storied history now facing significant competitive and reputational issues.
