The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have added the Central Michigan Chippewas to their 2029 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned. A copy of the football game contract with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, was obtained from Central Michigan University via a state open records request.
Rutgers will host Central Michigan at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J., on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2029. The Scarlet Knights will pay the Chippewas a $1.35 million guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract.
The 2029 Central Michigan-Rutgers contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Central Michigan, a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) is the first scheduled non-conference opponent for Rutgers for the 2029 season.
Rutgers has four other MAC opponents on its future non-conference schedules, beginning with the 2025 season-opener against the Ohio Bobcats on Thursday, Aug. 28. The Scarlet Knights are also scheduled to host the Akron Zips in 2027 and the Kent State Golden Flashes in 2028 and 2030.
With the addition of Rutgers, Central Michigan now has two scheduled non-league opponents in 2029. The Chippewas are also set to host the New Mexico Lobos on Sept. 8 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Central Michigan now has a total of four future games scheduled against teams from the Big Ten Conference. The Chippewas are slated to visit the Michigan Wolverines this fall on Sept. 13, and will also travel to face the Michigan State Spartans during the 2027 and 2030 seasons.
Football Schedules
One Power 5 opponent scheduled from now until 2033. They might wrestle the trophy away from Indiana for worst OOC scheduling in the country. They should, at minimum, be scheduling regional rivals Syracuse and Pitt in addition to BC out of conference.
It would be nice for Rutgers to have a Big East reunion with Syracuse, Boston College & Pittsburgh for P4 OOC opponents.