Rutgers’ humiliating UMass loss somehow ended with the saddest fireworks show in college football

Rutgers’ humiliating UMass loss somehow ended with the saddest fireworks show in college football

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Rutgers’ humiliating UMass loss somehow ended with the saddest fireworks show in college football

Rutgers’ humiliating UMass loss somehow ended with the saddest fireworks show in college football originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Rutgers’ humiliating UMass loss somehow ended with the saddest fireworks show in college football As if losing at home to UMass as a 29.5-point favorite was not painful enough, Rutgers found a way to give its nightmare evening an unforgettable grand finale.

Fireworks.

Yes, actual fireworks.

Shortly after Rutgers suffered a stunning 37-21 loss to UMass on Thursday night, a full fireworks display began above SHI Stadium. Most of the crowd had already headed for the exits, leaving the remaining spectators to watch the sky light up after one of the most embarrassing defeats in program history.

The show had been scheduled in advance and was going to take place regardless of the result. That detail did not make the scene any less surreal.

“Rutgers’ postgame fireworks still went off after a stunning upset loss to UMass,” FOX College Football posted on X.

There are bad losses. There are poorly timed celebrations. Then there is launching fireworks after losing by 16 points to a team that entered the night with the longest active losing streak against FBS opponents.

Rutgers fireworks provide painful ending to historic upset

Rutgers promoted its season opener as “Youth Sports Knight” and encouraged fans to remain inside SHI Stadium for a postgame fireworks show. The school probably did not anticipate needing a contingency plan.

Rutgers had won six consecutive season openers under coach Greg Schiano and entered the game as a massive favorite. UMass, meanwhile, had lost 16 straight games against FBS competition and was coming off an 0-12 season.

The Minutemen had not defeated an FBS opponent since October 2023. They had never beaten a Power Four team since moving to college football’s top level in 2012.

None of that mattered once the game began.

After Rutgers scored on its opening possession, UMass responded with 30 consecutive points. Quarterback William “Pop” Watson III completed 19 of 22 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns, while the Minutemen rushed for 200 yards.

Rutgers committed four turnovers, surrendered five sacks and finished with only 30 rushing yards. The Scarlet Knights were held scoreless during the second and third quarters as UMass built a 24-7 halftime advantage.

By the time the postgame fireworks began, UMass had snapped its historic skid and Rutgers fans had largely disappeared.

The result marked Rutgers’ largest upset loss since the FBS and FCS split in 1978. It was also the biggest upset by any FBS team since Kansas defeated Texas as a 31-point underdog in 2021. That is not typically the type of history accompanied by celebratory explosions.

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UMass completes hilarious fireworks role reversal

The postgame scene came with another layer of college football comedy. In November 2025, UMass went viral for launching fireworks after kicking a field goal while trailing Northern Illinois 45-0. The Minutemen ultimately lost 45-3, but their lone score was still greeted by a dramatic fireworks display inside an almost empty stadium.

Less than 10 months later, UMass stood on the opposite sideline and watched Rutgers experience its own mistimed fireworks moment. The Minutemen went from being mocked for launching fireworks during a 42-point loss to watching them explode after delivering a historic upset. It was a remarkable reversal for a program that had endured nearly two full years without an FBS victory.

Rutgers now must attempt a quick recovery before visiting Boston College on Sept. 11. Schiano entered the season facing significant pressure to produce, and losing a supposed tune-up game by double digits will only increase the scrutiny around the program. UMass, on the other hand, left Piscataway with its biggest victory in decades.

The Minutemen earned the win, celebrated with their supporters and then received a complimentary fireworks show from the team they had just embarrassed.

Sometimes college football writes jokes that no one else could possibly invent.

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