Overview
- UMass stunned Rutgers on Thursday with a 37-21 win in Piscataway that ended the Minutemen’s 677-day, 16-game losing streak and marked their first FBS victory since 2023.
- Rutgers reportedly paid UMass $1.55 million to visit for the season opener, a detail that has intensified criticism of power-conference buy games now that a heavy favorite lost at home.
- Colorado escaped Atlanta 14-13 when Boo Carter blocked a 45-yard field goal as time expired after Julian Lewis drove the Buffs for a go-ahead touchdown, and coach Deion Sanders pointed to a 183-51 rushing advantage as a key factor.
- The results are already forcing quick reassessments of preseason views and betting lines, while Week 1 still features Miami at Stanford tonight with mainstream previews favoring Miami and at least one betting column backing Stanford +24.
- Both wins give UMass and Colorado early momentum but analysts urge caution because single-game upsets do not prove long-term program turnarounds and will be tested in the coming weeks.