The UMass Minutemen have added two opponents to their 2028 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Via separate agreements, UMass and New Mexico State were scheduled to play a total of eight contests between the 2020 and 2028 seasons. The first game of the series in 2020 was canceled, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two schools would later meet in 2021 in Las Cruces, N.M., in 2022 in Amherst, Mass., and in 2023 in Las Cruces a second time.
With three games played, that resulted in five contracted games remaining. According to documents obtained from the University of Massachusetts via a state public records request, the canceled 2020 contest will not be made up.
Additionally, UMass and New Mexico State have agreed to cancel the contests that were scheduled for Nov. 28, 2026 in Las Cruces, Nov. 13, 2027 in Amherst, and Nov. 11, 2028 in Las Cruces. The lone remaining game in 2025 has been rescheduled, per the documents, and will now be played on Sept. 23, 2028 in Amherst.
The cancellations are likely beneficial to both schools, as New Mexico State moved from an FBS Independent to Conference USA last year. UMass will make a similar move next season when they rejoin the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
UMass has also added a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent to its 2028 schedule. The Minutemen will host the Wagner Seahawks in Amherst on Sept. 9, 2028, according to the copy of the contract obtained by FBSchedules.com. Wagner will earn a $300,000 guarantee for its efforts.
Barring any additional changes, UMass has now tentatively completed its non-conference schedule in 2028. The Minutemen are scheduled to open the season at Colorado on Sept. 2 and will also visit Penn State on Sept. 16, which we reported last week.
New Mexico State’s only other known opponent for the 2028 season is its annual battle against in-state rival New Mexico. However, games between the two schools have only been officially contracted through the 2025 season.
Football Schedules
- Future UMass Football Schedules
- Future New Mexico State Football Schedules
- Future Wagner Football Schedules