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University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Big Ten Announces Minnesota's 2026 Schedule
1/27/2026 5:20:00 PM | Football
Minnesota will play Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi State, UCLA, Northwestern, Akron and Eastern Illinois at home
The Big Ten announced Minnesota's 2026 football schedule today, along with the other 17 schools in the conference.
Minnesota will open the season at home on Thursday, September 3 against Eastern Illinois. This will be the 18th time that Minnesota will start the season at home on a Thursday night and the Gophers have opened on a Thursday for the last 13 full seasons (excluding the 2020 season) since 2012.
The Gophers will then welcome Mississippi State to Huntington Bank Stadium for a game on September 12. The game against Mississippi State will be the first meeting between the teams and will be just the third time ever that Minnesota hosts a team in the SEC at the time of the game. Minnesota previously hosted Vanderbilt in 1959 (20-6 win) and Tulane in 1935 (20-0 win) when it was previously in the SEC.
Minnesota concludes the nonconference schedule with a home game against Akron on September 19. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Gophers and the Zips.
The Gophers open Big Ten play on September 26 at Washington. This will be Minnesota's ninth overall trip to Seattle, but the first since 1976. The Maroon and Gold previously played road games at Washington in 1936, 1941, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1958 and 1976.
Minnesota will then battle Michigan for the Little Brown Jug at home on October 3, before traveling for a road game at Purdue on October 10.
The Gophers will host Iowa on October 24. This will be the 120th meeting between the two schools and the winner will once again claim the coveted Floyd of Rosedale.
Minnesota plays at defending national champion Indiana on October 31. This will mark the third straight season – and the first time in the AP poll era (1936-present) – that the Gophers will face the defending national champion on the road, as Minnesota played at Michigan in 2024 and at Ohio State in 2025.
The Gophers first game in November will be at home against UCLA on November 7 and then Minnesota will play for the Governor's Victory Bell at Penn State on November 14.
Minnesota will wrap up its home schedule with a senior day game against Northwestern on November 21.
The Gophers conclude the regular season with a November 28 tilt at Wisconsin where the teams will play for Paul Bunyan's Axe. This will be the 136th meeting between the two schools, and the game between the Gophers and the Badgers is the most-played game in Big Ten history.
Selected Saturday games in the 2026 season may be adjusted to select Fridays and other special dates.
Minnesota's 2026 Football Schedule
September 3 – Eastern Illinois
September 12 – Mississippi State
September 19 – Akron
September 26 – at Washington
October 3 – Michigan
October 10 – at Purdue
October 17 – BYE
October 24 – Iowa
October 31 – at Indiana
November 7 – UCLA
November 14 – at Penn State
November 21 – Northwestern
November 28 – at Wisconsin
Home games in bold at Huntington Bank Stadium
Minnesota will open the season at home on Thursday, September 3 against Eastern Illinois. This will be the 18th time that Minnesota will start the season at home on a Thursday night and the Gophers have opened on a Thursday for the last 13 full seasons (excluding the 2020 season) since 2012.
The Gophers will then welcome Mississippi State to Huntington Bank Stadium for a game on September 12. The game against Mississippi State will be the first meeting between the teams and will be just the third time ever that Minnesota hosts a team in the SEC at the time of the game. Minnesota previously hosted Vanderbilt in 1959 (20-6 win) and Tulane in 1935 (20-0 win) when it was previously in the SEC.
Minnesota concludes the nonconference schedule with a home game against Akron on September 19. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Gophers and the Zips.
The Gophers open Big Ten play on September 26 at Washington. This will be Minnesota's ninth overall trip to Seattle, but the first since 1976. The Maroon and Gold previously played road games at Washington in 1936, 1941, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1958 and 1976.
Minnesota will then battle Michigan for the Little Brown Jug at home on October 3, before traveling for a road game at Purdue on October 10.
The Gophers will host Iowa on October 24. This will be the 120th meeting between the two schools and the winner will once again claim the coveted Floyd of Rosedale.
Minnesota plays at defending national champion Indiana on October 31. This will mark the third straight season – and the first time in the AP poll era (1936-present) – that the Gophers will face the defending national champion on the road, as Minnesota played at Michigan in 2024 and at Ohio State in 2025.
The Gophers first game in November will be at home against UCLA on November 7 and then Minnesota will play for the Governor's Victory Bell at Penn State on November 14.
Minnesota will wrap up its home schedule with a senior day game against Northwestern on November 21.
The Gophers conclude the regular season with a November 28 tilt at Wisconsin where the teams will play for Paul Bunyan's Axe. This will be the 136th meeting between the two schools, and the game between the Gophers and the Badgers is the most-played game in Big Ten history.
Selected Saturday games in the 2026 season may be adjusted to select Fridays and other special dates.
Minnesota's 2026 Football Schedule
September 3 – Eastern Illinois
September 12 – Mississippi State
September 19 – Akron
September 26 – at Washington
October 3 – Michigan
October 10 – at Purdue
October 17 – BYE
October 24 – Iowa
October 31 – at Indiana
November 7 – UCLA
November 14 – at Penn State
November 21 – Northwestern
November 28 – at Wisconsin
Home games in bold at Huntington Bank Stadium
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