The UMass Minutemen and Indiana Hoosiers have canceled their planned 2027 football matchup, FBSchedules.com has learned.
The two schools originally agreed to the contest in 2015, scheduling it for September 9, 2023 before later postponing the game to September 18, 2027, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. The contract included a $1.25 million guarantee for UMass with the same amount as a penalty if the game was canceled for reasons other than mutual consent.
According to a copy of the cancellation agreement obtained from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and signed by both institutions late last month, the schools agreed to “mutually cancel the agreement” and “no cancellation fee or other monetary payment shall be due by either Party.”
No reason was provided, but the cancellation is likely tied to the NCAA’s decision in June to adopt a standardized 14-week regular-season beginning next season. That decision moves the start of the college football season up by one week to the weekend prior to Labor Day weekend in most years, which had been referred to as Week Zero.
The UMass-Indiana cancellation became likely when ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported last month that the Minutemen were adding a game at Wisconsin in 2027. We later confirmed that game through a public records request, which revealed the Badgers will host the Minutemen on Sept. 18, 2027 for a $1.325 million guarantee.
UMass has also adjusted the date of its road game at Temple next season, per a copy of an amendment obtained by FBSchedules.com. The contest has been shifted to the season-opener on August 28, 2027, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The remainder of UMass’ non-league slate in 2027 includes home games against Stony Brook on Sept. 4 and UConn on Oct. 16.
With UMass removed from the slate, Indiana now has one opening in its 2027 non‑conference schedule. The Hoosiers are currently set to host Kennesaw State on Sept. 4 and FCS Indiana State on Sept. 11.
View Comments (3)
Better play another P4 school. P4 should be playing 9 conference games plus another P4 school no FCS.
Now that UMass has good team, Cignetti wants no part of them.
Even UMass is too competitive for Indiana to schedule