Breaking down Rutgers football 2026 schedule with dates and opponents

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PISCATAWAY − Rutgers football's 2026 schedule is here.

While opponents were already known, the Big Ten on Jan. 27 released the dates for each game for what will be the seventh season of the Greg Schiano 2.0 era.

Rutgers will again have seven home games, including a season opener on a Thursday for a third-consecutive season. The Scarlet Knights will play four of their first five games at SHI Stadium.

Here are some more highlights:

Joe Harasymiak returns to Piscataway

Rutgers will open against UMass, which is led by Joe Harasymiak, the Waldwick native who spent three seasons as the Scarlet Knights' defensive coordinator before heading north to Amherst, Massachusetts.

The Minutemen went 0-12 in 2025.

The Dylan Lonergan game?

Rutgers landed quarterback Dylan Lonergan in the transfer portal after he moved on from Boston College. If Lonergan beats out AJ Surace for the starting job, he could have the chance to face his former team in Chestnut Hill when the Scarlet Knights and Eagles play on Sept. 11.

Welcome Indiana, the national champions

The Scarlet Knights will host defending national champion Indiana on Oct. 3. It'll be Rutgers' second Big Ten game of the season.

Rutgers on the road in 2026

All things considered, Rutgers won't face a daunting travel schedule this season. The farthest trip the Scarlet Knights will have is to Wisconsin on Nov. 7.

And for fans looking to see the team away from Piscataway, three of the five road games are within driving distance.

Rutgers football 2026 schedule

Sept. 3 (Thursday): vs. UMass

Sept. 11 (Friday): at Boston College

Sept. 19: vs. USC

Sept. 26: vs. Howard

Oct. 3: vs. Indiana

Oct. 17: at Maryland

Oct. 24: at Northwestern

Oct. 31: vs. Michigan

Nov. 7: at Wisconsin

Nov. 14: vs. Nebraska

Nov. 21: at Penn State

Nov. 28: vs. Michigan State

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers football schedule 2026 release with dates and opponents

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