The Waterbury Times|The New England Saturday|Sept 26, 2026
Conference Play Begins. Contenders Begin To Separate.
Three weeks are in the books.
We’ve seen surprises.
We’ve seen statement wins.
We’ve seen programs begin to define who they are.
Now Week 4 arrives — and the stakes begin to change.
The early-season measuring sticks are giving way to conference races, rivalries and the first real opportunities to prove where teams belong.
The Ivy League enters conference play.
UMass looks to remain undefeated.
Boston College faces one of its biggest challenges of the season.
And across New England, programs continue searching for their identity.
This is The New England Saturday: Week 4 Kickoff Preview.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Virginia Tech at Boston College
The biggest FBS matchup in New England this weekend comes from Chestnut Hill.
Boston College enters Week 4 at 2-1 after a hard-fought regional victory over Maine.
Now the Eagles face their biggest test yet.
Virginia Tech arrives undefeated at 3-0.
For Boston College, this is an opportunity to show where this team stands against one of the ACC’s established programs.
For Virginia Tech, it is a chance to continue its perfect start.
This is the type of game that can shape the direction of a season.
CAN UMASS STAY PERFECT?
Stonehill at UMass
The Minutemen have become one of the biggest stories in New England.
After opening the season with wins over Rutgers, Sacred Heart and Stonehill, UMass enters Week 4 at 3-0.
But success changes expectations.
The question is no longer whether UMass can compete.
The question is whether the Minutemen can continue winning.
Stonehill enters looking to slow down one of the hottest teams in the region.
For the Skyhawks, this is another opportunity to test their growth.
For UMass, it is about staying focused.
THE IVY LEAGUE BEGINS
Harvard at Brown
The first major Ivy League matchup of the season.
Harvard enters after an impressive opening victory over New Hampshire.
Brown also enters undefeated.
Now the conversation shifts from preparation to conference competition.
Two historic programs.
One early statement opportunity.
Yale at Cornell
Yale begins Ivy League play on the road.
After opening the season with a win over Holy Cross, the Bulldogs look to continue building momentum.
Cornell enters looking for its first victory.
Dartmouth at Penn
Dartmouth begins conference play after opening the season with a victory.
The Big Green travel to face a Penn team searching for answers.
The Ivy League schedule is officially underway.
THE NEW ENGLAND FCS STORYLINES
Rhode Island at NC A&T
The Rams enter Week 4 unbeaten.
Rhode Island has quickly become one of the region’s most interesting teams.
Now the challenge is maintaining that momentum away from home.
New Hampshire at Sacred Heart
Two teams looking for a turning point meet.
New Hampshire is searching for consistency.
Sacred Heart is still looking for its first victory.
One team leaves with momentum.
Maine at Elon
Maine has already faced a difficult schedule.
The Black Bears continue their road challenge against an Elon team off to a strong start.
Holy Cross at Lafayette
Holy Cross enters looking for its first win.
The Crusaders have faced a challenging opening stretch and now look for a breakthrough.
New Haven at Merrimack
A regional matchup between two programs looking for momentum.
Both teams enter searching for their next step.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Is UMass becoming New England’s team?
The Minutemen have gone from surprise to expectation.
Week 4 tests whether they can maintain that standard.
Can Boston College knock off an undefeated Virginia Tech?
The Eagles get their biggest measuring stick yet.
Who takes control of the Ivy League?
Harvard-Brown begins the conference race.
Can Rhode Island stay unbeaten?
The Rams are building one of the region’s best early stories.
Which teams find their breakthrough?
September is where seasons can change.
WEEK 4 IS HERE
The conference races begin.
The rivalries return.
The contenders start separating.
The questions began in September.
The answers come Saturday.
The New England Saturday
From the first kickoff to the final whistle
The New England Saturday: Week 3 Kickoff Preview
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