​Rutgers’ 2026 campaign is approaching, with kickoff just under two months away. That means it’s time to examine the Scarlet Knights’ first opponent on the schedule: the UMass Minutemen. Rutgers is set to face UMass on Thursday, June 3, at 6 p.m. The Minutemen are led by second-year head coach and former Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak. In Harasymiak’s first season, UMass did not win a game, even dropping a close one to FCS Bryant by a single point.
At quarterback, UMass leaned on AJ Hairston for much of last season. Hairston dealt with an injury late in the year, and as a freshman he threw for 957 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 49.5 percent of his attempts. After just one season with the Minutemen, Hairston entered the transfer portal and moved to Merrimack. His backup, Grant Jordan, also transferred away, leaving junior Brandon Rose as the only quarterback with game experience on last year’s roster. Rose started two games and finished the season with 424 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions, completing 59.1 percent of his passes.
UMass added some quarterback talent through the portal as well, bringing in Pop Watson III, a transfer from Virginia Tech. Watson has 558 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions across three seasons with Tech. In the backfield, the Minutemen lost their leading rusher from last year, Brandon Hood, to another program, which opens the door for Rocko Griffin to emerge as the top returning running back. Griffin tallied 53 carries for 246 yards and two touchdowns last season, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. UMass also added former Marshall back Justin Williams-Thomas, who ran for 197 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries for the Thundering Herd last year, averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
On the receiving side, Jacquon Gibson was the most productive offensive player for UMass last season, but he has since transferred out. That leaves Donnie Gray as the top returning pass catcher who saw action last year, with 27 receptions for 260 yards. UMass does return its touchdown reception leader from 2025, tight end Max Dowling, who caught 20 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns. In addition to the players returning, UMass has added three wide receivers via the transfer portal. The most notable among them is Joseph Griffin Jr., who is transferring to Amherst after a stint at Wisconsin, where he produced one catch for five yards. Griffin previously spent two years at Boston College, where he posted 43 receptions for 579 yards and six touchdowns.
Defensively, the Minutemen bring back their leading tackler from last season in Tyler Martin, who totaled 104 tackles. Rutgers will note that UMass will be without their sack leader from last year, Marquise White, who is transferring out. This could influence the Minutemen’s pass rush and overall defensive pressure as the Knights prepare for the matchup.
As Rutgers looks ahead to its 2026 schedule, the initial test against UMass provides an opportunity to gauge early-season form and evaluate both teams’ returning talent and new additions. With a blend of returning contributors and new transfers, UMass aims to improve on last year’s winless record, while Rutgers seeks to establish momentum and cohesion ahead of a demanding slate. The June 3 tilt promises to reveal how both programs have evolved since their 2025 campaigns and set the tone for the months to come.